Changes for Cloud Vendors Don't Help with AWS or GCP

• A long-anticipated series of Microsoft licensing changes impacts how Microsoft software can be used with smaller cloud providers.
• The new rules still favor Azure but offer similar benefits to existing Microsoft on-premises licensees that could reduce hosting costs.
• The changes do not improve the current requirements for how software must be licensed for AWS, GCP, and Alibaba.

Customers working with smaller Microsoft cloud partners will see improvements in licensing rules for hosting of Windows, Office, and other products with recent changes made by Microsoft. The licensing rule changes, designed primarily to address concerns from European cloud providers and the European Union, have been made for all customers globally as of Oct. 1, 2022. The changes benefit many small and midsize Microsoft customers that rely on smaller, independent clouds to host their Microsoft software; however, customers must either maintain Software Assurance or subscriptions on all applicable Microsoft software licenses.