What is Multiple Activation Key (MAK)?

Another important activation method in VA 2.0 is MAK Activation through using MAK license keys. MAK keys, which carry set allowance for activation counts, can activate the target products within its product group permanently.

Unlike KMS activated systems that would be requested to connect to activation server for at least once within 180 days, MAK activated systems can be used for as long as you wish until you do a reinstallation. MAK keys are just like retail ones, but they have way more permitted activation counts than retail keys.

Microsoft provides two types of license keys for use with products that implement VA 2.0. Every product could get a MAK key which has a set number of activation allowances for purchased volume products from VLSC.

9

MAK for Windows

MAK license keys have finite range of supported products, usually one or two editions per key. The detailed groups supported by Windows MAK keys.

Ee939271_image002_big(en-us,TechNet_10) Ee939271_image001_big(en-us,TechNet_10)

MAK of the group can activate all products within the group. For instance, an MAK from Server Group B can activate both Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard/Enterprise.

MAK for Office

Office 2010 incorporates very strict licensing this time by regarding each application as a unique product group, thus allocating each one unique MAK license key, complicating things quite unnecessarily.

Snap5 

Manage MAK license keys

All MAK license keys carry definite allowed activation counts. To help users better manage the MAK keys, Microsoft provided a utility to manage MAK volume activation, named VAMT, which can activate clients’ systems directly through Internet or proxy servers, retrieve and store activation information of clients, manage volume license keys and so on.

The latest build for VAMT is 2.0, and only VAMT above 2.0 supports Office 2010. I’ll write about usage on VAMT anther day, but for now I’ll focus on one function, to query about the left activation allowance of a MAK key.

Snap2

Snap3

Not only remaining activation count is available for query through this magic utility, much more info is also provided. A license key can have all its identity clarified here.

Since the activation counts for MAK keys are limited, when all the counts are used up, you can make phone calls to Microsoft Activation Centers to request for help, they’ll increase the activation count limit or refresh it on the condition you can provide essential materials to prove your legal ownership.

Conclusion

Volume Activation is a very important strategy designed for enterprise by Microsoft. It has been playing a utterly essential role in software products deployment and maintaining in business. A lot of other software vendors now started to learn from Microsoft by introducing their VA products.

It’s worth noting that not only VA products are easier to deploy and manage, they also have big price cuts from software vendors for its huge deployment base.

With aims at easing deployment hassles, improving maintenance efficiency, and thwarting software piracy, Volume Activation 2.0 has been doing a great job. Microsoft had put much thought in it, and their huge investment is being certainly gradually paid off.