- Microsoft will expand the scope of License Mobility through SA for eligible licenses with active Software Assurance (SA), to be assigned to dedicated host cloud services from ‘Listed Providers’ who are an Authorized Mobility Partner (AMP), including Azure Dedicated Host. For example, Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, Skype for Business Server, and SQL Server. Formerly, this benefit could only be used in shared tenancy environments and will now be expanded to dedicated hosts.
- Microsoft will restrict Bringing Your Own Licenses (BYOL) for License Mobility eligible products, when licenses were purchased without SA, or where SA has lapsed, to dedicated host cloud services from ‘Listed Providers,’ including Azure Dedicated Host. Formerly, this was permitted on dedicated hosted servers under the ‘outsourcing’ provision.
- Microsoft will restrict licenses to be assigned to dedicated host cloud services from ‘Listed Providers’ that are not eligible for License Mobility. For example, Windows Server, Windows Desktop OS, Microsoft Office or software covered under Visual Studio developer subscriptions.
- Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Server licenses with active SA can be assigned under an expanded ‘Azure Hybrid Benefit’ to Azure Dedicated Host.
- Microsoft will restrict ‘Unlimited Virtualization Rights’ that enabled unlimited VMs to be scheduled (hardware permitting) for SQL Server Enterprise with SA, and Windows Datacenter on ‘Listed Provider’ dedicated host services from AWS, Google and Alibaba.
- Microsoft will offer Extended Security Updates for all SQL Server and Windows Server workloads on Azure Dedicated Hosts at no additional charge.
- To ensure continued security updates for SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2, and Windows server 2008 and 2008 R2 workloads at end of extended support on Alibaba, AWS and Google, you will need to upgrade, or maintain active SA on the licensed servers to purchase Extended Security Updates.
- Microsoft software is still available to you through ‘License Included’ offerings from ‘Listed Providers’ that participate in the Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) program, and ‘License Included’ services available through Microsoft Azure.
- This will not apply to other dedicated hosting providers and SPLA partners. The planned licensing changes only apply to Microsoft, AWS (Including VMware on AWS), Alibaba, and Google.