Microsoft Ends Volume Discounts: Why the Change Matters for Licensing Strategy

On November 1, 2025, Microsoft is eliminating the longstanding volume-based “waterfall” discounts (Levels B–D) for Online Services under Enterprise Agreements (EA), MPSA, and OSPA. All customers will pay Level A list pricing for services like Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Azure, and more, drastically reducing the value of bulk licensing. This pivot has big implications for budgeting, cloud adoption, and…

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Microsoft’s Pricing Changes for Online Services: What You Need to Know

On August 12, 2025, Microsoft unveiled a significant change to its pricing model for Online Services under volume licensing agreements, including Enterprise Agreement (EA), Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA), and China’s Online Services Premium Agreement (OSPA). Beginning November 1, 2025, Microsoft will apply a single, standardized price, matching the publicly listed price on Microsoft.com,…

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Oracle VirtualBox’s Hidden Licensing Shift: What SAM Teams Must Know

Oracle quietly revised the licensing terms for VirtualBox’s Extension Pack, eliminating the previous free evaluation loophole. Now, even downloading the Extension Pack after version 7.1 could obligate you to pay for a commercial license, regardless of whether you ever used it. Here’s what you need to know. What’s Changed? What This Means for Organizations Why…

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Oracle Database 23ai – Release Update 23.9: What SAM Teams Need to Know

Oracle just released Oracle Database 23ai – Release Update 23.9, and it’s packed with enhancements that dramatically improve developer productivity, data management flexibility, security, and operations. From compile-time JavaScript checks to smarter AI‑vector indexing, this latest release reflects Oracle’s continued leadership in enterprise-grade, adaptive databases. Developer Productivity and SQL Enhancements Security & Access Control Data,…

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European Cloud Providers Drag Broadcom’s VMware Deal into Court

The legal battle over Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has entered a critical new phase, as the trade body Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) formally seeks the annulment of the European Commission’s decision to approve the deal.¹ In a detailed legal filing, CISPE has accused the EU’s top regulator of committing “a catalogue of…

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The Next Frontier of SAM: Your Next Asset Class Will Be a Robot

For decades, Software Asset Management (SAM) professionals have wrestled with an ever-expanding list of assets. From physical servers in the data center to virtual machines, cloud instances, and user-based subscriptions, the definition of a “software asset” has constantly evolved. Now, a glimpse of the next great leap is emerging, and it has two legs. The…

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West Northamptonshire Council’s Saves £1 Million on Microsoft in Post-Merger License Consolidation

In an era of tightening public sector budgets, a £1 million saving is a significant victory for taxpayers. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has achieved just that, securing approximately $1.25 million USD in savings through a renewed and consolidated software licensing agreement with Microsoft.¹ This achievement is more than just a successful negotiation; it is a…

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A Turning Point for Digital Sovereignty in the Netherlands

In a striking move on March 18, 2025, the Dutch Parliament approved a series of motions urging the government to reduce its dependence on U.S. software companies. These measures emphasize the creation of a national cloud services platform under full Dutch control and push for the active development of European alternatives. Motivations: Autonomy, Cybersecurity, and…

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Microsoft’s Concessions to European Cloud Providers: A Stalling Tactic or a Step to Fair Competition?

A recent agreement between Microsoft and Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe (CISPE) has brought a new chapter to the long-running saga of antitrust scrutiny faced by the software giant in the region.[2] After a formal complaint was filed in November 2022, Microsoft has offered a series of concessions aimed at appeasing European cloud providers…

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VMware Reboots Partner Program Again: Smaller Cloud Providers Face Uncertain Future

In a move that has sent shockwaves through the virtualization industry, VMware has announced the second major overhaul of its partner program in just 18 months, effectively ending the current channel program and transitioning to a new invitation-only model that will exclude many smaller cloud service providers. The announcement, which came with little advance warning,…

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Telefónica Germany Ditches Broadcom, Opts for Third-Party VMware Support

In a move that sends a clear signal to the rest of the industry, Telefónica Germany, one of the country’s largest telecommunications providers, has dropped direct VMware support from Broadcom. The company has instead signed a multi-year deal with third-party support specialist Spinnaker Support. This decision reflects the growing dissatisfaction among large enterprise customers following…

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Denmark Pioneers Revolutionary Copyright Protection Against AI Deepfakes

In a groundbreaking move that could reshape how the world approaches artificial intelligence regulation, Denmark is poised to become the first European nation to grant its citizens copyright protection over their own faces, voices, and bodies. The proposed legislation, spearheaded by Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt, represents a novel approach to combating the growing threat of…

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Rimini Street and Oracle Reach Historic Settlement, Ending 15-Year Legal Battle

After more than a decade and a half of contentious litigation, enterprise software support company Rimini Street, Inc. (NASDAQ: RMNI) and technology giant Oracle Corporation have reached a confidential settlement agreement that may finally bring closure to one of the software industry’s most protracted legal disputes. The settlement, announced on July 7, 2025, resolves the…

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A New Deal for DC: GSA and Oracle Ink Landmark “Whole-of-Government” Agreement

The US General Services Administration (GSA) has brokered a landmark, five-year “whole-of-government” agreement with Oracle, fundamentally changing how the federal government buys the tech giant’s products and services.¹ This first-of-its-kind deal for Oracle establishes a single, comprehensive procurement vehicle that consolidates the immense buying power of the entire US government. It aims to simplify purchasing,…

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Day of Reckoning for the Channel: Microsoft’s ‘Great Squeeze’ Hits, Forcing Industry-Wide Reinvention

The theoretical impact of Microsoft’s strategic overhaul of its Enterprise Agreement (EA) program has finally materialized with brutal clarity. In a stark announcement, London-listed Bytes Technology Group (BTG) revealed its profits are being hit hard, causing its shares to plummet by more than 25%.¹ While the company cited a “challenging macroeconomic environment” leading to deferred…

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Oracle’s SE2 Clarification: A Hidden Compliance Trap for MCM Processor Users

Oracle Database Standard Edition 2 (SE2) has long been positioned as a cost-effective database offering for smaller workloads, with a key licensing limitation: no more than two sockets per server. On paper, this seems simple. But the reality of modern processor design—specifically the use of Multi-Chip Modules (MCMs)—introduces significant compliance risk for those not aware…

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