Microsoft is hard at work on more flexible and simplified licensing for enterprises and SMBs, executives told CRN last week.

The executives confirmed that Microsoft is studying a mechanism that automates the way companies add incremental users to its licenses on a "pay"as"you-go" basis and is considering a new client access license (CAL) strategy that would ease licensing for all customers.

The current core CAL includes client licenses for Exchange Server, SharePoint Portal Server, Systems Management Server (SMS), Windows and Office. Asked whether Microsoft would add other server licenses to the core CAL, executives said the company is trying to be more flexible and is studying many options. As previously reported by CRN, the company has approached enterprise partners to weigh a number of new strategies.

Bob Muglia, senior vice president, Windows Server Division, said Microsoft "might do a CAL that includes a few more things. But in enterprise markets for EA [Enterprise Agreements], we're looking at how to do things on a more componentized basis."