The kms server, called kms host, is installed on a server in your local network. Kms, like mak, is an activation method for microsoft products, including windows and office. A mak can be installed during or anytime after operating system installation. Kms infrastructure consists of a kms server that is activated by microsoft this operation is performed once online or by phone and kms clients, which send their activation requests to the kms server. The system includes two licensing options, the key management service or kms, and the multiple activation key or mak.
Product keys for updating to kms from mak activation this article applies to. Activation can be done automatically via the internet or by phone. Mak proxy activation by using vamt enables one computer with internet access to process activation requests on behalf of multiple computers. As a volume licensing customer, you can use a kms hosted activation service andor maks to. Understanding windows kms and mak volume license activation. Mak proxy activation is configured by using the volume activation management tool vamt. Multiple activation key mak mak activates systems on a onetime basis, using microsofts. Volume licensed versions of office 2019 and office 2016, including project and visio multiple activation key mak activation is used for onetime activation through microsoft hosted activation services, either via the internet or by telephone. All kms clients must have network access to the kms server at least once every 180 days in order to reactivate.
Mak independent activation is best for computers that have direct access to the internet. Activation center phone numbers microsoft volume licensing. This method uses the volume activation management tool vamt. The difference lies in how we configure and process kms activation. In the previous part of the series, we talked about kms, mak, and how to choose between the two when looking for the right activation method in your environment. Understanding volume activation services part 1 kms and mak. Mak activation for microsoft office products is currently not supported. Microsoft offers two types of activation of its products to corporate customers under the volume license program mak multiple activation key and kms key management service. Activation du produit et informations cles microsoft. To enable kms functionality, a kms key is installed on a kms host. Temporary suspend antivirus realtime protection, or exclude the downloaded file and extracted. To convert a kms client to mak activation, install a mak. The pc has a oem key sticker and now i want to replace the kms with that oem key.
You can either deploy a kms key management service or use the volume actication management. Each kms host can activate an unlimited number of computers. Use the kms client setup keys for any new installs. Today, we are going to talk about active directorybased activation or adba in short. Configuring a vdisk for microsoft volume licensing citrix docs. Cornells site license for microsoft windows and microsoft office professional plus provides unlimited licensing via our key management service kms. Kms is an activation service that allows organizations to activate systems within their own network, eliminating the need for individual computers to connect to microsoft for product activation. Basically i have and mcs image 2008 r2 that has office 2010 and office 2016 skype only, when i make any changes to the master image i. Read more about volume activation volume activation is a product activation technology used to activate windows vista, windows server 2008, windows server 2008 r2, windows 7, office 2010, windows 8. Mak proxy activation activation requests from multiple computers are sent through the volume activation management tool vamt that establishes a single internet or telephone connection to microsoft. The mak will normally have an activation count, while the kms does not. Configure a vdisk for microsoft key management service kms or multiple activation key mak volume licensing when running the imaging. The first, most significant difference between the two types of keys is the location of the actual activation. A multiple activation key mak requires computers to connect one time to a microsoft activation server.
This product can also be activated if you have a kms host setup that. When a re activation event, the client will query ad for the activation object. Software licensing use this table to find the correct generic volume license key gvlk to use our key management service kms with the edition of windows installed on your computer. For kms, one has to connect to microsoft s licensing servers. The count is preconfigured as a deal between microsoft and the enterprise. Vmat can be used to convert mak installs to kms activation. For example, microsoft software available through volumelicensing.
To activate these products with va, you can use either a multiple activation key mak or key management service kms. After activating the kms key, restart the software protection service. Kms requires activation but lets users do this within the network. Mak activation is confirmed with servers hosted by microsoft. A computer has a kms activation but the pc isnt anymore in the network with the server. Guide to microsoft volume licensing activation methods. Microsoft has transitioned many of its products to its volume activation licensing system.
Remote workers who use vpn will be able to use the kms server. Activating volume licenses the difference between mak and kms. Kms and mak activation scenarios for volume activation. If the existing activation limit on your mak is inadequate for your deployment, contact the microsoft activation center. Once computers are activated, no further communication with microsoft is required. This process installs a mak product key on the computer, which activates with microsoft servers. Every time a device is activated using the mak key, this is what happens. When microsoft released windows vista they also released a new volume licensing model using two different types of software license keys. The frequently asked questions faqs for the volume. But when i want to change the produkt key with cmd as admin. Activate volume licensed versions of office by using mak. Author recent posts michael pietrofortemichael pietroforte is the founder and editor in chief of 4sysops. Multiple activation key mak multiple activation keys mak are available upon request and are only intended for computers which never connect to the stanford network to use the kms server.
Multiple activation keys mak keys are used to activate a specific number of devices. Mak this is the key to activate the office through contacting microsoft. Can i use both mak and kms for activating systems in my organization. Frequently asked questions about volume license keys. Desktop and server microsoft oss and ms office can become kms server clients. The multiple activation key mak is used for onetime perpetual activation with. Organizations that cannot meet these thresholds or do not have the technical ability to set up a kms host should activate their products through the mak model. The connection is established to microsoft s own activation service. Microsoft windows kms vs mak in our company we do have licenses for win7 enterprise and we do use it for activation and usually we do get our laptop thorgh a vendor without oem on it as we do have this agrement with the vendor. If you determine that mak keys are more appropriate for your organization, read the instructions below in obtaining mak keys when kms is the default. For most systems, especially those that will remain on campus or that will have regular access to the p172 network, kms activation should. Simply put, mak is a key that registers direct back to microsoft with a certain amount of allowed activations. When you are transitioning to kms, you may need to convert existing computers from mak activation to kms activation in order to reach the minimum count of 25.
When you try to activate your makconfigured software it will connect to microsofts activation service, verify the key, and subtract 1 from the. Find the telephone number for your microsoft activation center. Kms clients must contact the kms host every 180 days. The kms clients connect to the kms host for activation of both windows and office. Xendesktop 5 introduced a new technology for creating virtual desktops easily for the vdi use case. Because mak activation is the more flexible option, it might make sense in some environments not to use kms activation. If you have already entered a mak key and want to change to kms activation, you. Understanding volume activation services part 1 kms and. Understanding volume activation services part 2 active. These minimums are referred to as activation thresholds.
For larger organisations, that would cause too much internet traffic. The mak key can also be obtained from vlsc or by calling the microsoft activation center. If you have already entered a mak key and want to change to kms activation, you have to replace the mak key by a kms key. Microsoft license activation and mak request university it. Kms or mak activation with a volume licence, clients dont need to activate with microsoft through the internet. In this post, i summarized the pros and cons of using mak multiple activation key, the second option for activating vista in a corporate environment. For kms, it has to be reactivated every six months. Guide to microsoft volume licensing activation methods techsoup. When implementing kms activation in an environment, it is best to determine all of the potential volume license operating systems for your kms clients and then pick the best key. In software licensing, a volume licensing is the practice of selling a license authorizing one. Microsoft office 2020, all editions activation may 2020.
Windows recent operating systems, particularly windows vista, windows server 2008, 2008 r2, windows 7, and office 2010 use an activation technology called volume activation, which allows for activation automation that is transparent both to volume licensing customers and end users. A kms key is used to activate the kms host computer with a microsoft activation server and can activate up to six kms hosts with 10 activations per host. Kms allows organizations to activate systems within their own network. Since adbased activation uses ad, we use ldap instead of the rpc 1688 tcp port used with kms. Microsoft licensing activation centers worldwide telephone numbers find toll and tollfree telephone numbers for worldwide volume licensing activation centers. Enable azure active directorybased kms activation when windows 10 is joining azuread like when you domain join a windows 10 with active directorybased kms activation. Office retail must be converted to volume first, before it can be activated with kms. The mak model is used for onetime activation with microsoft s hosted activation services. See prepare a master image in citrix documentation for more information. This method uses the volume activation management tool vamt, which is part of the windows 7 automated installation kit waik. This is the default key for every microsoft software product that has been purchased via a microsoft volume licensing contract e. The count is preconfigured as a deal between microsoft and enterprise.
Building a kms host on windows server 2008 r2 ask the. Microsoft kms volume activation faq windows os hub. Each mak client connects once to microsoft through the internet or use the telephone for activation. The operating system dictates which kms host key csvlk can be installed on that particular host, and that csvlk determines what kms capable clients can be activated. Hosts activated via a kms have to report back to a software license server.
Contact the microsoft activation center if you require additional kms activations for activating more than six 6 kms hosts. Xendesktop support for microsoft kms and mak activation. Mak mak inde pendent activation vamt 1 mak 2 1 2 distribute mak using vamt, as part of an image, using change product key wizard, or using a wmi script. What are kms and mak volume licensing keys of windows. Kms on the other hand, lets all your clients use a generic key to talk back to a kms server on premise, and that centralised server talks back to microsoft. Like mak keys kms keys are good for a specific number of activations. By now you have probably realized that there is no clear answer to the question of whether kms or mak is the better to activate office 2010.
A mak key can be installed on a reference image of windows 7 and windows server 2008 r2 to make all installations from that image use mak activation instead of the default kms activation. With a volume licence, clients dont need to activate with microsoft through the internet. Each computer individually connects to microsoft via the web or telephone to complete activation. The kms client setup keys that microsoft publicly publishes tell microsoft s software to look for a kms on the network and use the the kms to activate the software. Azure active directorybased kms activation customer.
Instead, you use a local activation service within your network. Some days ago, i blogged about the pros and cons of kms key management service. Internet access is not required as servers only require access to the kms. Hi all im really struggling and have looked at so many different articles you would not believe. To complete activation, mak does not need an internet connection. In the ideal scenario, this happens quickly via internet connection. Product keys for updating to kms from mak activation it. New servers will attempt to discover the kms via dns an srv record and activate automatically. This page provides instructions for technical support providers tsps to switch a computer from the earlier multiple activation key mak system to the preferred kms system. In the event that the active directory object is unreachable, clients will attempt to use the next available activation method which is the kms activation method.
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