Introduction Volume Activation

Product activation is the process of validating software with the manufacturer. Activation confirms the genuine status of a product and that the product key is not compromised. It is analogous to the activation of credit cards or new mobile phones. Activation establishes a relationship between the software's product key and a particular installation of that software on a device.

All methods of activation used by Microsoft are designed to help protect user privacy. Data that is sent during activation is not traceable to the computer or user. The data that is gathered is used to confirm a legally licensed copy of the software. It is then aggregated for statistical analysis. Microsoft does not use this information to identify or contact the user or organization. For example, during online activations, information such as the software version, language, and product key are sent, as well as the IP address and information about the hardware of the device. The IP address is used only to verify the location of the request, as some editions of Windows-such as Windows 7 Starter-can be activated only within certain target market geographies.

The complete set of Volume Activation guides is included on the companion media. The Volume Activation Planning Guide provides guidance for deployment planning. The Volume Activation Deployment Guide includes detailed guidance for deploying Volume Activation in enterprise environments. Also, the Volume Activation Operations Guide describes how to support Volume Activation in enterprise environments. The Volume Activation Technical Reference Guide is a useful reference for Volume Activation.