220-1102 Question 740
Single answerValid licensesA small accounting firm purchases 12 new PCs and asks a technician to deploy Microsoft Office for all employees. During setup, the office manager provides one retail product key that was previously used to activate Office on her old laptop and says, "Just use this key on all 12 systems so everyone has the same software." The technician must complete the deployment while keeping the company compliant. What is the BEST action to take?
- A
Use the same retail key on all 12 PCs because the firm owns the software and is not reselling it
- B
Install Office on all 12 PCs with the same key, then call Microsoft support only if activation fails
- C
Explain that each installation must be covered by a valid license and recommend purchasing the appropriate number of licenses or a volume licensing agreement
- D
Clone the original laptop's Office installation to the new PCs so the activation status transfers with the image
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
For A+ Core 2, candidates should recognize that valid licensing is both a legal and professional responsibility during software deployment. In this scenario, one retail product key previously used on an old laptop does not authorize installation on 12 new PCs. The best practice is to verify licensing before deployment and recommend purchasing the correct number of licenses or an appropriate volume licensing option for business use. Activation status alone is not proof of compliance, and cloning an installation does not create additional license entitlements. This aligns with standard vendor licensing principles and software asset management best practices: each installation must be covered by a valid license according to the vendor's license terms.
- A. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Ownership of one retail copy does not grant the right to install that software on multiple devices. A valid license is typically required for each installation or device, depending on the product's licensing terms. This option reflects the common misconception that buying software once allows unlimited internal use.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Proceeding first and checking compliance later is not an acceptable licensing practice. Activation success does not prove the deployment is properly licensed. Some software may technically install or partially activate even when the use is not compliant with the license agreement.
- C. Correct.
This is correct. The technician should stop the noncompliant deployment and advise the customer that each Office installation must be backed by a valid license. For 12 systems, the proper solution is to purchase enough licenses for all installations or use an appropriate business licensing program. This is the compliant and professional response.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect. Imaging or cloning software does not transfer license rights. Even if the software appears to function after cloning, the company would still need valid licenses for each deployed copy. This option represents a common misunderstanding between deployment method and licensing entitlement.