<P> This form of licensing typically applies for business, government and educational institutions, with prices for volume licensing varying depending on the type, quantity and applicable subscription - term . For example, Microsoft software available through volume - licensing programs includes Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Office 2007 and many others . </P> <P> Volume licenses are not always transferable; however, some types of Microsoft volume - license can be transferred provided a formal transfer process is completed, which enables Microsoft to register the new owner . A very small number of software vendors specialize in brokering such transfers in order to allow the selling of volume licenses and keys . The most notable of these, Discount - Licensing, pioneered the sale of Microsoft volume licenses in this way . </P> <P> Starting with Windows Vista, Microsoft replaced VLKs with Multiple Activation Keys (MAK) and Key Management Server (KMS) keys . Hosts activated via a KMS have to report back to that key server once every 180 days . </P> <P> Microsoft's licensing for volume license products requires that volume licensing be an additional cost or license, applied over the top of an existing qualifying Microsoft product license . Windows license data is stored in the computer's BIOS in an area referred to as the "ACPI_SLIC", so that KMS can detect the use of previous Microsoft products even with the storage device removed or erased . </P>

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