Overerview of DreamSpark Premium and VMAP
McCombs Students and employees have access to software from Microsoft and VMWare through two specific academic programs that the Business School participates in. These programs are Microsoft DreamSpark and VMWare Academic program (VMAP)
- Microsoft DreamSpark comes in two flavors.
- The standard Dream Spark program generally allows any students in any college to download software from a specific catalog of software free of charge. This catalog generally includes software required for development, such as Visual Studio and SQL Server. This software is also often one version older than the most current version.
- More information about the standard DreamSpark program can be found at:http://www.utexas.edu/its/products/dreamspark/
- Dream Spark Premium is a special program only open to STEM schools. Because of our MIS program, the McCombs School of Business qualifies as a STEM school. We pay a nominal fee to Microsoft to participate in Dream Spark Premium.
- Dream Spark Premium often offer the most current version of software and also includes software not included in the normal DreamSpark program such as Windows, Visio and Project.
- Because of the licensing restrictions of this program, our access can only be used by McCombs Faculty/Staff, all students with business majors, and very small number of non-business students in certain MIS courses. All others interested in DreamSpark should turn to the general DreamSpark program.
- Please note that neither DreamSpark program offers the standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Once downloaded, the software works perpetually. That means it will continue to work when a student or employee leaves the university. The licensing terms specify that an employee should uninstall the software when her or she leaves the university and that a student should do the same if the student did not actually graduate.
- The standard Dream Spark program generally allows any students in any college to download software from a specific catalog of software free of charge. This catalog generally includes software required for development, such as Visual Studio and SQL Server. This software is also often one version older than the most current version.
- VMWare Academic Program VMAP is VMware's equivalent to DreamSpark. It offers virtualization software such as VMWare's Fusion and Workstation along with some eLearning courses in virtualization.
Obtaining and Installing Software from DreamSpark Premium and VMAP
1. DreamSpark Premium and VMAP function as webstores much like any other online software ordering site. Begin by using your EID to log onto the DreamSpark Premium/VMAP program webstore. You can find a link to both sites on our Common Operating Environment (COE) page at http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/Tech/Computer-Services/COE.aspx
- The direct links to those program webstores are:
DreamSpark: http://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/Welcome.aspx?vsro=8&ws=6C209CB5-D09B-E011-969D-0030487D8897
VMAP: http://e5.onthehub.com/d.ashx?s=pjlmfx0cl2
2. Once the webstore loads, then review the list of available software that is presented to you.
3. Select the software you want to download.
4. Add to the selected software to your cart. Add additional software as desired.
5. When you are finished adding software to you cart proceed to Check Out.
6. When you checkout you will be presented with a page that looks similar to this:
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This page will provide you a download link for the software and a product key (if one is required). You can return to this page later to re-download the software or re-obtain the product key if you need to. Note that in the example above you have up to 24 months to revisit this page. Some VMWare software only allows for 12 months.
7. Click the link to "Start Download".
8. You will then see be presented with a page that looks similar to this:
Both DreamSpark Premium and VMAP require a Secure Download Manager. The first time you download software from either site you should click the link in Step One to "Download SDM". Then install the Secure Download Manager once it downloads and return to this page.
9. After verifying you have installed the Secure Download Manager, download the SDX file for your software by clicking the link in Step Three to "Download .SDX". The SDX file is just an instruction file for the Secure Download Manager. It will be a very small file named something like "100155394265.sdx". It should only take a couple of seconds for it to download.
10. Once the SDX file downloads, double click it. It should automatically open the Secure Download Manager application. It will look something like this:
11. Click the "Start Download" button to download the CD/DVD for the selected software. This typically takes from five minutes up to an hour depending on the size of the software and the speed of your Internet connection. The progress bar next to the download button will track the speed and estimate the number of minutes remaining.
12. When the download completes, the progress bar will look something like this:
13. You will now have an ISO file with the installation files for your software. Click the "Launch" button to open the folder that has the downloaded ISO file. In this example, the file is named "en_visio_professional_2013_x86_x64_dvd_1134691.iso"
14. An ISO file is a file format for moving copies of DVDs. To install the software contained in an ISO file you will need to burn the ISO file to a physical DVD disk using a DVD recorder on your computer, or else you will need some kind of software to mount the DVD as a virtual disk. Then proceed with one of the two options below based on your situation. . .
- "I understand what an ISO file is. I have a DVD recorder on my computer and know how to use it."
- Make a physical DVD of the ISO file using whatever software you typically use then install your software from the DVD.
- "I don't have a DVD recorder or don't want to make a physical DVD even if I do have a recorder."
- Use some software to virtually mount the ISO file as if it were a physical DVD. There are several options available, but if you do not already have one then we recommend Virtual Clone Drive (VCD) from SlySoft. You can download it for free at http://www.slysoft.com/en/virtual-clonedrive.html.
- Once you have installed VCD, go back to the directory that has your downloaded ISO file. Right click the file and select "Mount(VCD…iso)"
- VCD will mount the ISO file as some drive letter (in this example it is drive E:).
Open the "My Computer" icon on your desktop and you will see it mounted as if it were a DVD with that drive letter. - Open the DVD and run the installer.
