How are sysadmins dealing with the new volume license activation

[Brazen]

We are still standardized on XP/2003, but we are now moving to the 2010 family of products. We have "KMS" keys for the latest versions, which I just figured was a new acronym replacing "VLK" and using it as such in my testing. Until the keys stopped working.

So now I see you have to set up a KMS server or use limited usage MAK keys (I know I technically just says "keys" twice).

I'm wondering what sysadmins have thought of this. I wouldn't particularly mind the KMS setup, except that computers have to re-activate to the KMS server every 180 days. We have some remote offices (sometimes with just a single computer) and some laptops that never connect to our main network.

How are sysadmins dealing with this? I've considered even finding out how "hackers" get around the activiation system (since I'm sure someone has, only the legit people get punished) even though we of course have all legit licenses. KMS sounds like a huge hassle making sure everyone can connect to a KMS server every 180 days and MAK sounds like a huge hassle having to constantly get the number of activations increased.

 

[yinan]

KMS and VPN for remote users? Even with a remote office with just a single user there should be a VPN connection back to the main office, if for nothing else a connection to AD.

 

[stash]

KMS is really simple to set up and requires almost no management. Most environments I've been in do a hybrid of KMS and MAK. MAK is good for isolated environments like a SCIF.

Getting the number of activations on a MAK increased isn't very difficult.

 

[Brazen]

KMS is really simple to set up and requires almost no management. Most environments I've been in do a hybrid of KMS and MAK. MAK is good for isolated environments like a SCIF.

Getting the number of activations on a MAK increased isn't very difficult.

Yeah, I'm thinking that's probably the way I'll go about it.