Podcasts

With more than 30 years of experience covering Microsoft, Directions on Microsoft provides unique perspectives about the shifts in Microsoft technologies, roadmaps and licensing policies that matter most to enterprise-size companies. Twice each month industry veteran Mary Jo Foley interviews a different Directions analyst for informed insights and advice to help you derive full value from your Microsoft investments.

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December 22, 2025 . Season – 4 · Episode – 21 · Duration – 20m Microsoft Licensing and Negotiation: A Year in Review Directions on Microsoft's chief negotiator Dean Bedwell shares licensing and negotiation trends (along with a few tips) with Mary Jo Foley in our year-end wrap.

December 16, 2025 . Season – 4 · Episode – 20 · Duration – 22m Moving From EA to MCA? Watch Out for These Gotchas As Microsoft transitions more customers off Enterprise Agreements and onto MCAs, orgs need to be aware of some potentially costly changes they may incur. Directions' lead negotiator Dean Bedwell shares with Mary Jo Foley the biggest gotchas.

December 10, 2025 . Season – 4 · Episode – 19 · Duration – 22m Is Cloud Computing Becoming a Commodity? As similar AI strategies and non-exclusive partnerships proliferate, are there still reasons to choose Azure over AWS (or vice versa)? Duckbill's Corey Quinn joins Directions' Wes Miller and Mary Jo Foley to debate the topic.

October 29, 2025 . Season – 4 · Episode – 18 · Duration – 22m Microsoft's Extended Security Updates: What You Need to Know Cost isn't the only consideration when it comes to deploying ESUs. Directions on Microsoft analysts Jim Gaynor and Rob Helm share guidance on migration, negotiation, and governance and other implications of ESUs with Mary Jo Foley.