Intune Purchase and Support Explained
Windows Intune is on a roll... More and more people I talk with are interessted and many companies are already looking at the product as we speak. One of the questions that comes up frequently is how support is handled and how to purchase it.
Let me give you some more information about this.
Windows Intune is a device subscription
This basically means that you tie the license to a machine and not a user. The subscription term is 12 months.
What do you get for a subscription?
- Windows 7 Enterprise Upgrade Rights
- Future Upgrade Rights
- Downgrade Rights
- Reimagine Rights
- Run 4 Additional Local Virtual Machines
- Virtual Desktop Access (VDA)
- Ability to Purchase MDOP (see later in this post)
- Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
- E-Learning (unless purchased through Microsoft Online Customer Portal, but they remain if you are an exisiting SA customer)
- Extended Hotfix Support
Can Microsoft change the price during the 12 month subscription?
Yes and No. They garantee that the price stays the same during that 12 month subscription period. However, Microsoft reservers the right to lower the price at any time. But that's always good right 
What about SLA?
My number one favorite argument from IT Administrators... We can't control the server environment that hosts the intune service so we can't guarantee that the service is up...
True, but with the contract comes an SLA. And the SLA states that:
Monthly uptime smaller then 99,9%, you get 25% of your money back
Monthly uptime smaller then 99%, you get 50% of your money back
Monthly uptime smaller then 95%, you get 100% of your money back
How many clients do I need to get a subscription?
One. Yes, you read it correctly. One is enough
Ok, you convinced me, how do I get a subscription?
Follow the guidelines that are found in the two documents below this post.
How about support?
For IT administrators, there's online help: http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsintune/default.aspx
You can always look at the service state page: http://status.manage.microsoft.com/Statuspage/servicedashboard.aspx
24/7 support can be found here: https://support.live.com/default.aspx?productkey=mocpscohome&brand=mocp
More information:
Download the Windows Intune Support and Purchase guide which also includes information about opting out, reduction of devices and adding devices
Euro: http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/C/E/ACE36605-B3D6-4351-BFB6-41990B0CCE52/WindowsIntunePSG_Customer_Euro.pdf
Dollar: http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/C/E/ACE36605-B3D6-4351-BFB6-41990B0CCE52/WindowsIntunePSG_Customer_USDollar.pdf
Enjoy
Mike