VLKC.COM VLKC:
VLK Consultants. Volume License key (VLK) is the term used by Microsoft to
denote the product key used when installing software licensed under Volume
Licensing, which allows a single product key to be used for multiple
installations. This form of licensing is typically used in business, government,
and educational institutions, with prices for Volume Licensing varying depending
on the type and size of the setting. Microsoft software available through the
Volume License program include Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Office
2003 and many others.
Volume Activation 2.0
Starting with Windows Vista, VLKs will be replaced with Multiple Activation Keys
(MAKs) that either activate copies through a local Key Management Server (KMS),
which in turn reports back license usage to Microsoft, or activates directly in
communication with Microsoft. Hosts activated via a KMS have to report back to
that key server once every 180 days. This change in design was made in order to
deter piracy, as pirated copies of products often used VLKs. This differs from
previous Microsoft products in which VLKs simply bypassed product activation and
will aid Microsoft in tracking down and disabling key access for companies
somehow violating their license agreement.
However, these new local key servers are known to already having been used as
new attack vectors to enable piracy, such as opening them for Internet access,
which is a violation of the EULA. It's possible such "rogue servers" will be, or
are, modified to not communicate with Microsoft, and rather report that
generated MAKs are valid. Such keys would likely still fail Windows Genuine
Advantage tests though.
Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise Edition will still use the Volume Activation
1.0 system despite being released in the Vista timeframe. For more info, check
out
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