Executing a Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) for Windows Azure VM Remote Desktop Services

As noted in my earlier Microsoft Finally Licenses Remote Desktop Services (RDS) on Windows Azure Virtual Machines article, last updated 12/17/2013, organizations providing customers access to Windows Applications running on Windows Azure Virtual Machines (WAVMs) via Remote Desktop Services (RDS), with or without RDWeb access, must enter into an indirect Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) and purchase Subscriber Access Licenses (SALs) from a reseller appointed by Microsoft. The only prerequisites for an SPLA are your firm must be a Registered (or higher) Microsoft Partner and have a Microsoft (Live) ID.

When this post was written in mid-January 2014, Microsoft had appointed eight US and seven Canadian resellers in the US. I chose Dell Computer, Inc. as OakLeaf’s reseller because they offered this simple sign-up procedure:

1. Send a message to SPLA_US@dell.com or SPLA_Canada@dell.com with your Partner organization name, ID number and physical location (city or state/province,) as well as the name of the individual having authority to sign the SPLA.

2. A Dell representative will acknowledge your request.

3. A few hours later, you’ll receive a message with Action Required: Your Microsoft License Agreement is ready for electronic signature{~########:1~} as the subject from eagreements@microsoft.com with the following information:

Dear Roger Jennings,

Your Microsoft Volume Licensing Agreement has been created by your Microsoft Channel Partner and is ready for acceptance and electronic signature.

• Contract Package Number: PKG#########
• Agreement Number: ########
• Customer Number: XXXX####

Action Required

Please click the link below in order to review and sign the agreements on behalf of your company. If you no longer have signing authority, please notify your Channel Partner immediately and do not use the below link.

Note: You will be prompted to sign into eAgreements using a valid Windows Live ID. If you do not have a Windows Live ID, you are required to create one and will be prompted to do so after you click the link below.

Clicking the provided URL opens the following Volume Licensing Welcome page:

Sign in with your Windows Live ID to open the eAgreements Registration page:

Click each of the four Document Name links, download the following Word documents and review them or route them to your company’s legal department for review and approval:

• Microsoft Business and Services Agreement: MBSA Agreement.docx
• Service Provider License Agreement (Indirect): Master Agreement.docx (form is prefilled)
• Signature Form: Signature Form.docx
• End User License Terms: SPLA End User License Terms.docx

After review and approval of the four documents, select the I Confirm option button to expand the bottom section. Type the signatory’s name, job title and, optionally, purchase order number, as shown here:

Click Submit to send the electronically signed form to Microsoft. Click OK to acknowledge the success message:

Tip: If you receive an error message after clicking submit, try again at least once.

You’ll receive a Confirmation of Microsoft Volume Licensing Agreement Acceptance and Submission{~########:1~} by e-mail from Microsoft a few minutes after submission. The message contains the following (in part):

… Note that this agreement is not wholly formed until accepted and activated by Microsoft.

Once the license agreement is signed by Microsoft, you will receive a Welcome email from Microsoft confirming the activation of your organization’s license agreement. The Welcome email will also provide information about how you can track and manage your organization’s software licenses online. …

I’ll update this post when I receive the activation message.