I just received my MSDN subscription and I have a few questions about the keys that I am able to receive from MSDN. 1) How many RTL (Retail) keys can I generate per account? 2) How many simultaneous activations is each RTL (Retail) key good for? 3) How many simultaneous activations is each MAK (Multiple Activation Key) key good for? My understanding is: My understanding is that you get 10 RTL (Retail) keys per product. Each RTL key is good for unlimited activations, but only 1 at a time (only one computer activated at a time) Each MAK key is good for 500 simultaneous activations (500 computers activated off the same key at the same time) I was wondering if anyone could clear this up please as the MS help is not very helpful.
The RTL MAK (retail keys are pretty much a 1 activation MAK key, where KMS keys are more like the old Windows 5.x VOL keys and they don't have a limit on activations just the KMS restriction where it can be installed on a KMS server or the machine itself) keys can be activated up to 10 times online, and probably the same amount by phone. You can only have the key installed on 10 machines thus the 10 activations. However the reps over the phone will activate a key whenever you give them the activation code, you can take that how you want it. An MAK key when activated should tell you how many activations you get on it, if there isn't a number in parenthesis then it is 1 activation.
Retail keys are 3 or 10 if they are Technet/MSND keys MAK keys are 500+ depending on the MAK key You can use Vamt2 to check it if it is a MAK key but a retail key would not work with VAMT because VAMT is a volume tool and oviously retail keys are retail
Technet/MSDN MAKs for everything new is 500, but you'll trip a flag for investigation on your account at about 120 for the Technet/MSDN Windows 7 Ent/ProVL MAK (this info comes from Microsoft people on the Technet forums). Of course you can just phone up and explain what you are doing (i.e. testing automated deployments) if you're not actually abusing the keys. Some of the older MAKs are 100 (older server products). Technet/MSDN retail-type Windows 7 keys are good for 10 activations on different hardware and about 25 phone activations each AFAIK.