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Licensing

Improving How Customers Buy and Manage Azure Services 

January 10, 2019

Today, we are announcing that beginning in March 2019, there will be a new way to buy and manage Azure services directly from Microsoft, which will make our licensing transaction process easier, more efficient and simpler for our customers. This new commerce model includes the streamlined, digital, Microsoft Customer Agreement, which takes the place of the agreement customers are currently using to purchase Azure. It also supports our customers’ Azure consumption with sophisticated billing and cost management capabilities, and comprehensive subscription and account management features.

Customers will experience significant improvements in their Microsoft purchase experience including: 

  • Access to a single offer catalog containing 1st and 3rd party Microsoft products and services through a new marketplace experience 
  • A new, simple 11-page Microsoft Customer Agreement presented, accepted, and stored through a completely digital experience 
  • Consistent purchasing and management experiences whether the customer chooses to buy through partners, the web portal, or directly through their Microsoft account teams 

The new Azure experience will help meet the needs of customers who are looking for maximum control over their own Azure services and no longer need the level of administrative support included in the Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Azure-only Server and Cloud Enrollment (SCE). It will give customers a quick, easy and cost-effective way to buy and consume Azure services.

Our partners play a critical role in this new commerce model. They’ll continue to provide customers with up-front assistance, offer value-added services, and deliver differentiated solutions combined with Microsoft products and services. Our partners will be foundational in helping our customers to innovate and thrive.

We look forward to offering our customers this new Azure experience which we believe will make it easier to do business with Microsoft.

For more information, please review these frequently asked questions.

Please note that if you have not been contacted by a Microsoft representative to acquire Azure services through this new purchasing and management experience, your organization’s Azure purchases may not yet be eligible for this process due to geography or the customized terms and conditions of your organization’s purchasing agreement.