Microsoft Licensing News - November 2022 Edition

Microsoft Licensing News - November 2022 Edition

WHAT'S HAPPENING:
Microsoft is going to implement a defined and transparent cadence to provide better Microsoft Cloud pricing alignment across regions.

WHEN:
2023

Microsoft regularly assesses the impact of its local pricing for software products and online services to ensure there is alignment across regions. Beginning in 2023, they will be moving to a semiannual cadence will enable greater transparency for our customers on the timing for pricing adjustments and ensure a clear and consistent approach to pricing. Customers and partners with pricing in local currencies will be able to plan for pricing alignment to USD and global parity at semi-annual intervals, subject to market conditions.

Pricing updates are based on local currency fluctuations and other factors to ensure global consistency; this is the same process, but rather than occurring at any time of year, there will be a set semiannual cadence.

While striving to have better global pricing alignment, Microsoft will continue to offer local currency pricing in sixteen markets and to provide price protection for committed customers.

More details will be shared regionally in the coming weeks and months.

 

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WHAT'S HAPPENING:
The previously announced change to Windows Server licensing is also being applied to System Center Server rights

WHEN:
Effective October 1, 2022

As announced last month, Microsoft has made changes to Windows Server to allow licensing by virtual OSE (instead of just physical cores as it was previously).

For clarity, this also applies to System Center licensing. From the Microsoft Product Terms:

Server Management Licenses (per core) – Licensing by Individual Virtual OSE

Available for subscription licenses or licenses with active Software Assurance only:

1. Customer may use the software on Azure or a Server to Manage a Virtual OSE on a Licensed Server, provided it acquires sufficient Server Licenses as described below
2. The number of Licenses required equals the number of Virtual Cores in the Virtual OSE, subject to a minimum of 8 Licenses per Virtual OSE and 16 Licenses per Customer
3. Customer may reassign any of its Licenses to any of its Licensed Servers located within the same Server Farm as often as needed. Customer may also reassign these Licenses from one Server Farm to another, but not on a short-term basis (i.e., not within 90 days of the last assignment).

This ensures that when you are licensing both products in the Core Infrastructure Suite (CIS), you’ll be able to have both counts equal as the products can be licensed consistently.

 

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WHAT'S HAPPENING:
Power Pages is now Generally Available

WHEN:
October 12, 2022

Power Apps Portals is now Power Pages.

Power Pages licensing is capacity based and offers two types of capacities based on user type: authenticated users per website per month and anonymous users per website per month.

Authenticated Users

• The authenticated user capacity subscription license can be purchased for the anticipated number of unique, authenticated users. For example, employees (internal) or non-employees (external) accessing a website during a month.
• The authenticated user pay-as-you-go meter enables customers to pay-as-you-go based on the actual number of authenticated users who have accessed a website in a month.

Meter Definition: Power Pages authenticated user pay-as-you-go meter - A measure of the number of unique authenticated users per website per month.

Anonymous Users

• The anonymous user monthly capacity subscription license can be purchased for the anticipated number of unique, anonymous users accessing a website in a month.
• The anonymous user pay-as-you-go meter enables customers to pay-as-you-go based on the actual number of anonymous users who have accessed a website in a month.

Meter Definition: Power Pages Anonymous per user/website pay-as-you-go meter - A measure of the number of unique anonymous users per website per month.

More pricing information about this product is available here (shown in USD)

 

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WHAT'S HAPPENING:
Reminder of retirement of 24 x 7 Problem Resolution Support SA Benefit

WHEN:
February 1, 2023

As previously announced, Microsoft is retiring the 24 x 7 Problem Resolution Support benefit from Software Assurance.

• New Software Assurance 24x7 Problem Resolution Support incidents won’t be allocated starting February 1, 2023.
• Your current Software Assurance 24x7 Problem Resolution Support incidents can be used or transferred to a Microsoft Support contract before February 1, 2023. Unused incidents will not be available starting February 1, 2023.

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