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How is the MSDN AA software distributed to students in STEM departments?

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After the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) department sign-ups for a MSDN AA membership, getting the MSDN AA software and tools to your students and faculty involves 3 simple steps:

  1. Selecting the software distribution mechanism: (once per Lifetime)
    • Once per lifetime of the MSDN AA membership, select from the among the 4 options (detailed below) to choose from. 
    • Recommendation: The 'ELMS with Cloud Hosted Server' is the simplest and easiest to setup and administer.
  2. Identifying the software to distribute (once per lifetime)
    • Once per lifetime of the MSDN AA membership, select all software listed in the MSDNAA and ELMS system as ALL students registered to take a class in the your department are eligible to receive all the MSDN AA software (whether their class uses any software or not), for their self-learning.
    • Every semester, add any new software added to MSDNAA , especially the newer releases
  3. Collecting the student identities (emails) to enable the distribution of the Software and license keys (every semester)
    • Every semester/quarter, collect the student emails of all students registered to take a class in your department and upload these identities to the ELMS system (In the case of the 2 ELMS options) or inform them of software availability (in the case of the other 2 options)

 

Software and License keys can be distributed by one of the following 4 options:

i. CD/DVD option:

    • One copy of the physical software media (CD/DVD) is mailed out you (the program Admin)
    • Make copies (CD/DVD) of the ALL software received for check-out by students and faculty.
    • The Program Admin downloads the product keys from MSDN Subscriber Downloads for distribution to each student/faculty.  Each student/faculty will require a unique product key to activate the software.
    • The Program Admin collects the student identities (emails) of all registered students that semester and sends them a note providing them instructions on how they can check out the software and obtain the product keys.

 

ii. Electronic Media option:

    • Using an online download for the one copy of software by Admin and then making copies (CD/DVD) for check out by students and faculty    OR    put the software on a secure server for students to download from the server.
    • The program Admin then downloads the product keys from MSDN Subscriber Downloads for distribution to each student/faculty. Each student/faculty  will require a unique product key to activate the software.
    • The program Admin collects the student identities (emails) of all registered students that semester and sends them a note providing them instructions on how they can check out the software/download software from secure server, and obtain the product keys.

 

iii. *ELMS with Campus Hosted Server:

    • Setup a secure Campus Hosted server and download for the one copy of the software onto this Campus Hosted Server
    • The program Admins selects all the software from the ELMS system that is available for students.
    • Admin uploads student identities (emails) of all registered students that semester so that the students can log into their accounts to get the product keys themselves.
    • ELMS system send the students instructions on how to get the product keys by signing into their accounts. Students/faculty with accounts download software from the secure campus Hosted server and the product keys from ELMS.

 

iv. *ELMS with Cloud Hosted Server: (Recommended)

    • The program Admins selects all the software from the ELMS system that is available for students.
    • Admin uploads student identities (emails) of all registered students that semester so that the students can log into their accounts to get the software and product keys from the ELMS Cloud Hosted Server.
    • ELMS system send the students instructions on how to get the software and product keys by signing into their accounts. Students/faculty with accounts download software from the secure Cloud Hosted server and the product keys from ELMS.

This option involves the least amount of work for the admin as there is no need for media or product key distribution (in option 1 or 2) OR for maintaining a secure server (option 2 or 3). In addition, the option 4 (and option 3) have an automatic tracking of license keys provided to each student identity (email), thus making the accounting easy for the Admins. hence option 4 is highly recommended. Did I mention, all these distribution options are included in the cost of MSDN AA membership so please avail the option that is simplest for your campus.

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