Services Increasingly Expanding Beyond Microsoft 365 Suites
Updated: June 17, 2025
New tiers of several Microsoft 365 core services are quite expensive and are not available...more
Identity Manager: Start Planning Replacement Options Now
Updated: June 13, 2025
Microsoft Identity Manager is set for retirement in 2029, and no direct replacement is expected....more
Intune Premium License Tiers Still Not Worth It
Updated: June 13, 2025
Two premium Intune tiers are now available, along with multiple à la carte features. Intune...more
Microsoft Entra: The Collected Services
Updated: May 27, 2025
Entra is a family of services to help organizations manage identities and access to resources....more
Microsoft 365 Government: What’s in the Box?
Updated: May 11, 2025
Microsoft 365 Government offers better regulatory compliance for U.S. governmental organizations than Microsoft 365 commercial...more
Dynamics 365 Compliance Change: Avoid the August 2025 Lock Out
April 28, 2025
Dynamics 365 ERP is implementing a new compliance check to ensure users have a valid...more
Security Services Roadmap
April 18, 2025
A range of Microsoft-hosted security services are available to help organizations secure their infrastructure and...more
Understanding Pricing: Consumption Versus Capacity
April 10, 2025
For customers accustomed to on-premises licensing, aspects of Microsoft’s cloud pricing models can feel unfamiliar....more
Skype for Business Server SE: Subscriptions and a Short Migration Window
Updated: March 11, 2025
Microsoft announced in June 2024 that Skype for Business Server SE is planned for general...more
Transitioning Microsoft 365 from an EA to an MCA
Updated: March 11, 2025
Enterprise Agreement customers transitioning to Microsoft Customer Agreements will have to reassess how they license...more
Migrating from Power BI Premium P to Fabric: Our Guidance
March 10, 2025
Most Power BI Premium P customers must migrate to Fabric at their next licensing renewal....more
Demystifying Microsoft’s Copilots
Updated: March 7, 2025
Copilot-branded technologies from Microsoft assist users in completing tasks, but Microsoft overstates ROI. Almost all...more
Windows Server Endpoint Protection Options (2025)
Updated: March 1, 2025
Endpoint protection for Windows Server requires layers of services that differ dramatically in terms of...more
Azure: Know Reservations
Updated: February 15, 2025
Azure reservations allow customers to reduce Azure costs in exchange for a one- or three-year...more
When Do Administrators Require Additional Licensing?
Updated: February 8, 2025
Organizations typically provide administrators with separate sets of credentials for their user and administrative roles....more
Power BI Licensing: Sharing Reports with Outside Users
Updated: February 3, 2025
Power BI and Fabric customers can share Power BI reports outside of the organization while...more
Licensing Reference
Licensing Reference Set Timelines
Lists all the timelines available as part of the Licensing Reference Set
Licensing Reference
Power BI
Label for technologies (data management, back-end report and data hosting platforms, report design tools, and...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Desktop
A free-to-download Windows desktop design tool that is the primary method for creating Power BI...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Report Server
A component of SQL Server that enables customers to host and share Power BI reports...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Pro
A Power BI back-end platform targeting scenarios with moderate data volume, data refresh, and query...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Premium P
An online service for hosting data and data integration processes, and publishing, distributing, and rendering...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Embedded (Azure)
An online service for publishing, distributing, and rendering reports; targets organizations or ISVs sharing read-only...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Premium EM
An online service for hosting data and data integration processes, and publishing, distributing, and rendering...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Premium Per-User
A Power BI back-end platform targeting small organizations and departments that need Premium features but...more
Licensing Reference
Power BI Timeline
Outlines major naming, packaging, and other licensing-related changes to Power BI services.
Licensing Reference
Fabric Timeline
Outlines major naming, packaging, and other licensing-related changes to Fabric service.
Licensing Reference
Core CAL Suite Timeline
Outlines major changes to the Core CAL Suite’s content and pricing.
Licensing Reference
Enterprise CAL Suite Timeline
Outlines major changes to the Enterprise CAL Suite’s content and pricing.
Licensing Reference
Mainstream Support
A five-year period, beginning at the point a new version of a software product becomes...more
Licensing Reference
Extended Support
A multi-year period following Mainstream Support where customers receive free security updates for a software...more
Licensing Reference
Microsoft 365 Comparison Table
PDF document updated monthly that lists the components/features included in the various Microsoft 365 suites...more
Updated: July 16, 2024
Microsoft's European cloud-competition settlement won't help most customers
Updated: May 14, 2024
Microsoft re-announces its Places work-scheduling app
Updated: May 9, 2024
Exchange Server Subscription Edition: It's happening (in Q3 2025)