windows license for small / med businesses

[afj]

hi
im looking for some clarity for windows license for a business with about 100-200 systems for os and office. i've spoken to quite a few resellers but havent been able to get any sort of clarity. our company is an IT solutions firm. we have sales and marketing people / testing / development / management

1. what is the difference between windows oem and professional (os)
2. if i buy a laptop that comes preloaded with windows os, can it be used for business purposes, or is it only for home use
3. if a laptop comes preloaded with ms office, can it be used for business, or is it only for home use
4. what can the msdn license be used for. can it be used in a business setup by the testing / development team. how does the licensing work from a cost point of view

thanks

 

[Fardringle]

1. Windows Professional OEM and Windows Professional Retail are functionally the same. The difference is that OEM licenses can't be transferred to a different computer.
2. If you buy a computer with licensed software, that software can be used any way that you want to use it, but if the OS license is included with a computer it's probably an OEM license so it can't be transferred to a different computer.
3. Same as 2.
4. MSDN licenses are for testing purposes only. Some people use them as 'permanent' licenses on their personal computers and MS doesn't really go after people for doing that, but it's technically outside the bounds of the MSDN terms of service. You can use it for testing on your business network, but not for permanent installations.

MSDN subscriptions are licensed on a per-user basis. One person can use the software to design, develop, test, or demonstrate his or her programs on any number of devices. An MSDN subscription also allows the licensed user to evaluate the software and to simulate customer environments in order to diagnose issues related to his or her programs.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/cc150618.aspx

 

[Ketchup]

If you think that you will continue to grow, you may want to consider volume licensing.
https://www.cdw.com/content/software-licensing/microsoft.aspx?cm_sp=SLC-_-SLC_MSFT

You can make sure that everyone is running the same software, which, in the long run, would save you time and money.

The company I work for also singed up for Office 365, which, in addition to software, is great at keeping everyone connected (Skype for Business, mobile apps, web access, and more).