Microsoft System Center 2012 Datacenter (Includes Software Assurance)

Microsoft System Center 2012 Datacenter is a set of server management licences (MLs) and software for managing applications and services across physical, virtual, and cloud information technology (IT) infrastructures.

Microsoft System Center 2012 Datacenter and Microsoft System Center 2012 Standard both include all of the Microsoft System Center components, but the two editions have different licence rights.

The Datacenter edition is designed for managing heavily virtualised System Center environments.

Benefits for Organisations

If you have a dedicated IT staff with datacenter administration experience, your organisation can use System Center to:

• Pool shared resources into a "private cloud" to provide users with IT as a Service that they can self-allocate through a portal.
• Manage hybrid cloud environments that combine public and private cloud applications and services from a centralised interface.
• Standardise and automate datacenter processes to reduce costs and improve service reliability.

Licenced Components

This ML suite licences servers to be managed by these System Center components:

• App Controller: a unified console for managing public and private clouds, as well as cloud-based virtual machines and services
• Configuration Manager: provides software deployment, distribution, update management, and configuration monitoring throughout an IT infrastructure
• Data Protection Manager: enables disk-based data protection and recovery for file and application servers as well as client computers
• Endpoint Protection: works with Configuration Manager to provide a single infrastructure for client management and security, including malware detection
• Operations Manager: monitors the health of IT services across datacenter and cloud infrastructures
• Orchestrator: a workflow management tool for automating the creation, monitoring, and deployment of IT resources
• Service Manager: an integrated platform for automating and adapting your organisation's IT service management best practices
• Virtual Machine Manager: enables administration and management of Microsoft and VMware virtual machine guests and virtual machine hosts

These components include Service Pack 1.

Licencing

Microsoft System Center server MLs use processor-based licencing, with each licence covering up to two physical processors on managed servers. Server MLs are required for managed devices that run server operating system environments (OSEs).

Each Datacenter server ML allows you to manage an unlimited number of OSEs per licence.

Other types of licences are also available. For more information, see the Microsoft System Center Range.

Server Software

With Microsoft System Center 2012, the right to run management server software is included with the MLs. If you request this product, you can obtain management server software for all of the Microsoft System Center components listed above. The software includes a runtime version of Microsoft SQL Server Technology (Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition) to support Microsoft System Center. No additional licences are needed for management servers or SQL Server technology.

Management Licence

The ML does not require media, licence keys, or setup codes.

Obtaining This Product

Expect three emails:

1.     When your donation request has been approved, Connecting Up will send a message to your organisation email address confirming the number of licences you have requested.

2.     Microsoft will send an email welcoming your organisation to the Volume Licencing Service Center (VLSC).

3.     Connecting Up will send an email with information about managing your donation at the VLSC. If you are new to the VLSC, you should wait for this email before you register there.

Software Assurance

Under the Software Assurance program, you have the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of your coverage.