System Center Essentials 2010 is a server application for monitoring IT services and installing and updating software throughout a network. System Center Essentials shares many features with System Center Operations Manager, System Center Configuration Manager, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager, but it is easier to use and includes all features necessary for most medium-sized organizations. Essentials has the capacity to manage up to 500 client operating system environments (OSEs) and 50 server OSEs.

Through a single console, administrators have a unified, organized view of the health and performance of an organization's entire IT environment. Essentials can provide IT departments with status reports at defined intervals as well as alerts when immediate attention is necessary. Alerts can be viewed through the console and delivered by email, pager, and text message. In many cases, when Essentials diagnoses a problem it gives the choice of automatically repairing the problem.

Essentials automates and standardizes the process of installing and updating software on servers and clients throughout a network. Microsoft's large library of software profiles allows Essentials to perform updates not only on Microsoft operating systems and applications, but also on many third-party and in-house applications, drivers, and hotfixes. Administrators can choose to deploy critical updates automatically or have them be subject to approval.

Essentials gathers more than 60 hardware attributes and a complete inventory of the applications running on each machine in the organization. Inventory information is available in summary or detail form.

The Virtual Machine Manager technology built into Essentials 2010 allows administrators to perform such tasks as creating virtual machines, converting physical machines to virtual machines, and choosing virtual machine host servers on the basis of calculated placement ratings.

This product includes SQL Server 2008 technology. SQL Server technology acquired with this product can be used only to support System Center Essentials 2010.

License Requirements

A server management license (ML) is required for each server device on which managed OSEs run, and a client ML is required for each nonserver device.

For more information about licensing Essentials, see TechSoup's Guide to System Center Products and Licensing.

Obtaining This Product

Installing this product requires you to download the software from the Volume Licensing Service Center and enter a license key. You can download any available version or language for your product. After you download the software, learn how to install it or burn it to a disc for later use.

The license key allows you to install the product on as many computers as you have received licenses for. This quantity is specified in the first email you receive from TechSoup after requesting this product.

Expect three emails:

1. When your donation request has been approved, TechSoup will send a message to your organization email address confirming the number of licenses you have requested.
2. Microsoft will send an email welcoming your organization to the Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).
3. TechSoup will send an email with information about obtaining your license key and managing your donation at the VLSC. If you are new to the VLSC, you should wait for this email before you register there.

Software Assurance

Under the Software Assurance program, you have the right to install any new release of products covered in the agreement during the term of your coverage.

• Hardware:
• 2.8-GHz (or higher) dual-core processor
• 4 GB or more RAM
• 20 GB available hard-disk space (1 GB on the system drive); 150 GB for virtualization management
• 1024x768-pixel (or higher) display
• DVD drive
• Software:
• Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Standard or Enterprise (x64 only); Windows Server 2008, Standard or Enterprise (x86 or x64); Windows Server 2008 R2, Standard or Enterprise (x64); Windows Small Business Server 2008 (x64); Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (x64)
• Active Directory Domain Services
• .NET Framework 3.5 with SP1
• Software (virtual machine hosts):
• Windows Server 2003 with SP1 (x86 or x64); Windows Server 2008, Standard or Enterprise (x86 or x64); Windows Server 2008 R2, Standard or Enterprise (x64)
• Actual requirements will vary according to system configuration and the management packs and number of features installed. See Microsoft TechNet's System Center Essentials 2010 requirements page for a detailed list of requirements.

• This donation is available to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) designation and to public libraries. Public libraries must either have valid 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or be listed in the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) database.
• Organizations that are not eligible: Not all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are eligible for participation in the Microsoft Donation Program. Those that are not eligible should visit Microsoft Volume Licensing for Industries for more information about charity licensing; they may still be eligible for discounted software from Microsoft. The following types of organizations are ineligible for Microsoft software donations:
• Governmental organizations or agencies.
• Educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and trade schools.
• Healthcare organizations and networks, including hospitals, specialty networks, ambulatory healthcare services, home healthcare and assisted living healthcare organizations, research organizations, and laboratories. Exceptions: Community health clinics, medical research groups, behavioral healthcare nonprofits, women's health centers, and blood banks are eligible to request Microsoft software donations.
• Political, labor, and fraternal organizations; commerce and trade associations without charitable aims or activities; sponsorships of events, tables, exhibitions, or performances; fundraising events such as luncheons, dinners, walks, runs, or sports tournaments.
• Religious organizations not registered as a charity and without a secular community designation that is separate from the church or religious organization. A secular designation is defined as an organization that provides services to people regardless of their religious beliefs and does not propagate a belief in a specific faith. Example: A food bank with nonprofit or charity status that is run by a church but is a separate and unique organization that provides food and meals to anyone who qualifies for services, regardless of religious beliefs. Religious organizations without secular designations can visit Programs for Charitable Organizations for information regarding licensing options; they may be eligible to receive discounted Microsoft software through these programs.
• Refurbishers that will be installing the donated software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools. Please visit the Registered Refurbisher Program.
• Nonpublic libraries, including private libraries, school libraries, specialty libraries, armed forces libraries, and libraries in government agencies.
• Eligible organizations receive an allotment of Microsoft software donation requests that is reset every two years. An organization’s two-year cycle begins with its first donation request after July 27, 2011. After two years, a new cycle begins, and a new allotment becomes available. The organization does not need to request the full amount of its allotment. There is no limit to the number of separate requests the organization can make and no minimum quantity requirement.
• During its two-year cycle, an organization can request products from up to 10 title groups. For title groups that contain applications that run on an individual computer (like a desktop or laptop PC), there is a 50-license maximum. For title groups that contain client access licenses or other licenses that provide for connection to or management of a server, there is also a 50-license maximum. For server products, there is a five-product maximum, regardless of title group. For further details, see Quantity and Frequency of Microsoft Requests on the Microsoft Donation Program — Eligibility and Allotments page.
• Public libraries may request Microsoft software donations through this program only for use on public access computers or on computers used to directly manage either the public access computers or the library's public access program. Participating libraries must also make their collection and basic services available to the population of their legal service area without charges to individual users (excluding incidental fees such as printing charges). If they so choose, libraries may impose charges on users outside the legal service area and may provide products and services (beyond basic services) to the public at large, with or without individual charges.
• Organizations that engage in discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination, and/or retirement based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, political affiliation, union membership, or veteran status, other than as allowed by law, are not eligible to participate in this program. Organizations must be willing and able to attest that they do not discriminate on any of these grounds in order to receive donations.
• Microsoft products may not be transferred between separate legal entities or resold. Additionally, Microsoft products may not be installed on computers that will be given to or sold to other organizations or individuals, even as part of a charitable program.
• Donated product will be distributed under this program to qualifying organizations and libraries only, not to individuals.