Microsoft Licensing
Microsoft licensing covers how SQL Server, Windows Server, System Center, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Azure are sold and counted: per core, per user, per device or by subscription. Articles here explain the metrics, the minimums and the agreement types, from the Enterprise Agreement and CSP to SPLA, along with Software Assurance, CALs, Azure Hybrid Benefit and the rules for virtual machines. They are written for SAM and licensing teams preparing a true-up, a renewal or a Microsoft audit.
SQL Server Standard vs Enterprise: Features, Limits and Licensing
SQL Server Standard and Enterprise run the same engine. What separates them is the per-instance core and memory cap, high…
VMware vs Hyper-V: Licensing, Features and Migration Compared
Hyper-V has no hypervisor licence of its own; it rides on Windows Server Datacenter, unlimited VMs included. VMware, under Broadcom,…
SQL Server on VMware: Licensing the Host, the VM or the Cluster
SQL Server on VMware can be licensed per VM, per host, or per cluster, and only one of the three,…
Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server: The Rules That Decide the Saving
Azure Hybrid Benefit is the largest discount Microsoft offers on SQL Server in the cloud. Whether it saves money or…
When a Copilot SKU Changes Without a Buying Decision
CMA opened a consumer-protection case on Microsoft 365 Copilot defaulting. £25 extra a year. No finding yet. Map consumer vs commercial SKUs this month.
Microsoft’s Annual FX Write Locks Your Local Cloud List
Partner Center: commercial-cloud local prices now lock once a year on 1 January 2027. Model the November guidance against the agreement you hold.
UsedSoft Now Binds Your Perpetual Microsoft Surplus
UK Court of Appeal left UsedSoft and volume-license subdivision standing. Count leftover perpetual Microsoft before the next EA treats it as a credit.
Italy Microsoft 365 Probe: Opt-Out Is Not Attach
AGCM opened PS13129 on 26 June 2026: Copilot and Designer added, consumers auto-moved unless they opted out. No finding. Check plans that can move without a PO.
Why CMA SMS Comments Are Not Your Microsoft File
CMA published Microsoft SMS responses on 23 June 2026. Google said gatekeeper. Killinghall cited £1,100. No designation. Map your own estate.
NHS Copilot Rollout: Count Assigned Before Demand
NHS England will give 505,000 staff Microsoft 365 Copilot by October 2026. Cost undisclosed. Count allocated, assigned, and active before treating it as demand.
SQL Server BYOM on RDS: The Position Comes First
AWS launched BYOM so SA customers can cover RDS for SQL Server without License Included. Microsoft still verifies. Check the position first.
Microsoft Direct EA Leaves the True-Up With You
Large EAs now bill through Microsoft. True-up, compliance, and deployment advice did not move with the invoice. What SAM must own before the next EA.
The CMA Opened a Clock. Your Estate Still Needs a Number.
CMA opened a Microsoft SMS investigation on 14 May 2026. Decision by 13 February 2027. Not a finding. What SAM should have before the designation date.
Copilot Seat Prices Held. The Credit Meter Did Not.
GitHub moved Copilot to usage-based AI Credits on 1 June 2026. Seat prices stayed. Completions stay unlimited. What SAM should still lock on the meter.
Listed-Provider Pricing Is Now a UK Class File
CAT certified an opt-out CPO on a Windows Server listed-provider claim. About 59,000 UK orgs. £1.7bn+ alleged. Have the Azure-versus-listed number first.
A Market Briefing Is Not an NHS License Position
NHS England awarded IDC £46k for licensing benchmarking on G-Cloud 14. A market note is not a live position. What SAM should count before the next round.
Microsoft 365 E3/E5 Optimization: Clean Up Before E7 Lands
Microsoft just announced the biggest licensing change to its enterprise stack since 2015. Microsoft 365…
The Model Is the Commodity. Microsoft Just Proved It.
Microsoft spent $13 billion investing in OpenAI. Then, in September 2025, it quietly added Anthropic’s…
New Integration: Microsoft Graph API is Now Live in LICENSEWARE
We just shipped a new data connector: Microsoft Graph API. This one’s been on the…
What SAM Should Count Before You Buy Microsoft ESU
Windows 10 ESU starts at $61 a device year one and doubles. SQL Server 2016 ends 14 July 2026. Count licenses, not support flags, before you buy time.