News
LICENSEWARE and Middlecon Partner to bring Data Agnostic SAM Tooling to the Nordics
Licenseware is expanding its footprint in the Nordics through a strategic partnership with Middlecon, a Stockholm-based IT solutions provider with a strong reputation for high-performance infrastructure and deep expertise across complex enterprise environments. Middlecon has long been known for helping customers optimize demanding server and storage ecosystems, and this collaboration adds a new dimension to…
Read More🇪🇺 Automated Compliance with the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)
The Wake Up Call One Year After DORA Enforcement The first year of the Digital Operational Resilience Act, Regulation 2022/2554, has delivered a clear message across Europe. Many financial institutions were operationally confident, yet few could demonstrate the traceability, ICT visibility, and continuous evidence that DORA expects under Articles 8, 10, and 11. Early supervisory…
Read MoreTesco vs Broadcom / VMware / Computacenter is turning into a landmark lawsuit
The case of Tesco vs Broadcom / VMware / Computacenter is turning into a landmark lawsuit that strikes at core software-licensing practices. Tesco is suing for at least £100 million in damages, and is seeking declarations, injunctive relief (to force supply), and specific performance. What’s driving the lawsuit What Tesco is claiming The legal grounds…
Read MoreMicrosoft 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…
Read MoreMicrosoft’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,…
Read MoreOracle 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…
Read MoreOracle 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,…
Read MoreEuropean 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…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreWest 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…
Read MoreA 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…
Read MoreThe Best-Kept Secret is Out: Red Hat Confirms No-Cost RHEL is for Businesses Too
In a move aimed at clearing long-standing confusion and countering the rise of community-driven clones, Red Hat has explicitly clarified its stance on the use of its no-cost Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) subscription. For years, a “best-kept secret” among savvy IT professionals was that the free “Red Hat Developer Subscription for Individuals” could be…
Read MoreMicrosoft’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…
Read MoreVMware 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,…
Read MoreTelefónica 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…
Read MoreDenmark 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…
Read MoreRimini 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…
Read MoreA 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,…
Read MoreA Victory for Software Ownership: Dutch Agency Wins Landmark Right to Resell Oracle Licenses
A Dutch public procurement agency has won a landmark legal victory against Oracle, securing the right to resell its surplus perpetual software licenses on the secondary market.¹ The ruling from a Dutch court in mid-2025 is a powerful affirmation of customer rights in the European Union and deals a significant blow to software vendors’ attempts…
Read MoreDay 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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