Microsoft offers an SPLA (Service Provider License Agreement) pricing
plan with monthly pricing for licenses of such software as Windows
2000 Server, MS SQL Server, etc.  Dealing with their staff over the
phone and via email to obtain this information has been a complete
nightmare.  I am interested in knowing what the pricing they offer is
and, if dependent on number of licenses purchased, to what number of
licenses that particular pricing level applies.  My primary interest
is in Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and MS SQL
Server 2000.

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Request for Question Clarification by krobert-ga on 09 Nov 2002 14:05 PST

Microsoft Certified Partner Membership is required in order to get the
prices for SPLA's.  I could provide you with information on how to
enroll in this program over the web.  Is this sufficient information
for you?

I can't provide you with a price list if that is the specific
information that you are looking for.

All public information that I found on the web was out of date.

krobert-ga

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Clarification of Question by eqs-ga on 09 Nov 2002 18:30 PST

I know how to enroll in the program... just not whether it would
actually be worth it to me, and hence my wish to know the pricing,
since enrollment is $1100 per year and requires that I have my
employees actually take the MS exams.  I am hoping that someone will
have some clue as to what the pricing is... I'd settle for a rough
estimate--I just hate buying a pig in a poke which is effectively what
I would be doing if I enrolled in it for the sole purpose of the
pricing but couldn't find that information out beforehand.

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Request for Question Clarification by hammer-ga on 11 Nov 2002 13:49 PST

Hello egs,

I just spent several hours on the phone with Microsoft for you. Here's
how it went.

I am an MSDN Universal Subscriber, which gets me some extra good phone
numbers. I called MSDN Support, who gave me the number for Account
Sales, who gave me the number for Licensing, who gave me the number
for Inside Sales, who asked me if I wanted to take a Customer Service
Survey. I told them I didn't think that was such a good idea, and they
put me thru to a salesperson.  After applying a hammer and tongs to
the salesman, I was able to wrench the following information from him:
The reason that you can't get a price from anyone is that the
contracts are individually negotiated. The have a baseline pricing
structure that they use for guidelines, but that is internal and they
will absolutely not share it. The only way to find out how much the
licenses will cost YOU, as opposed to some other ASP hopeful, is to
send an email to the following address:
aspquest@microsoft.com

This is the group who handles negotiations. Include your location in
the email. They will send you a number to call which will get you the
person who can negotiate your agreement. You will have to actually do
the negotiation to find out your pricing, then stop just short of
signing up if you don't like the numbers.

I know this isn't what you were looking for, so I didn't post it as an
answer, however, as it seems to be the only real answer there is and
took several hours of effort, please let me know if you are willing to
accept this as the official answer so I can post it.

Note: The above information applies only if you intend to BE an ASP.
If you are looking to rent application monthly FROM an ASP, pricing is
variable depending on the provider you choose and what they offer.

Thank you,

- Hammer

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Clarification of Question by eqs-ga on 11 Nov 2002 15:07 PST

Hammer,

It sounds like you went though what I did, but at least got to talk to
a sales person.  It's good to know that it's not just me that has had
to deal with this frustration and that they're really refusing to
provide the information.

I will accept this as an answer.

--EQS

Thank you, egs. If it helps, the number for Inside Sales is
800-426-9400. However, as they negotiate each contract individually,
there is not going to be much the salesperson can do for you.

Good luck!

- Hammer

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Clarification posted as answer per customer acceptance above:
Hello egs, 
 
I just spent several hours on the phone with Microsoft for you. Here's
how it went.
 
I am an MSDN Universal Subscriber, which gets me some extra good phone
numbers. I called MSDN Support, who gave me the number for Account
Sales, who gave me the number for Licensing, who gave me the number
for Inside Sales, who asked me if I wanted to take a Customer Service
Survey. I told them I didn't think that was such a good idea, and they
put me thru to a salesperson.  After applying a hammer and tongs to
the salesman, I was able to wrench the following information from him:
The reason that you can't get a price from anyone is that the
contracts are individually negotiated. The have a baseline pricing
structure that they use for guidelines, but that is internal and they
will absolutely not share it. The only way to find out how much the
licenses will cost YOU, as opposed to some other ASP hopeful, is to
send an email to the following address:
aspquest@microsoft.com 
 
This is the group who handles negotiations. Include your location in
the email. They will send you a number to call which will get you the
person who can negotiate your agreement. You will have to actually do
the negotiation to find out your pricing, then stop just short of
signing up if you don't like the numbers.
 
I know this isn't what you were looking for, so I didn't post it as an
answer, however, as it seems to be the only real answer there is and
took several hours of effort, please let me know if you are willing to
accept this as the official answer so I can post it.
 
Note: The above information applies only if you intend to BE an ASP.
If you are looking to rent application monthly FROM an ASP, pricing is
variable depending on the provider you choose and what they offer.
 
Thank you, 
 
- Hammer

This answer was very helpful in assisting with the underlying problem
which prompted the question.  I actually managed to get a human on the
phone who understood the term "SPLA"!