Microsoft pledges adjustments to European cloud licensing insurance policies
Microsoft has outlined a brand new set of European Cloud Principles in response to criticism from rival European cloud suppliers and rising regulatory scrutiny.
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Microsoft has outlined a set of 5 new European Cloud Principles in response to latest criticism from rival European cloud distributors after clients have been requested to pay extra to run Microsoft software program in non-Microsoft cloud environments, below what have been seen as restrictive cloud licensing insurance policies.
The adjustments come a month after Reuters reported that the EU fee had began asking European Microsoft clients questions on their cloud licensing phrases.
In a weblog publish revealed on May 18, Microsoft president Brad Smith outlined a set of 5 European Cloud Principles that Microsoft plans to undertake.
These are:
Microsoft additionally introduced it might be increasing the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program, to higher help European cloud suppliers.
Microsoft has additionally pledged to make it simpler to license Windows Server for digital environments by enjoyable the licensing guidelines “that reflected legacy software licensing practices, where licenses are tied to physical hardware.”
The initiative will apply throughout Europe, together with the United Kingdom.
The points began in 2019, when Microsoft modified the phrases of its outsourcing license settlement. As a end result, clients who have been working Windows Server on AWS or Google Cloud have been charged greater than these working it on Azure.
In his prolonged publish, Smith stated that senior Microsoft companies leaders had met with CEOs of two European suppliers and engaged with companies throughout Europe to attempt to treatment the scenario. He stated that a few of the most compelling suggestions got here from one CEO, who advised Smith he felt that he “was a victim of friendly fire in Microsoft’s competition with Amazon.”
Hinting that Microsoft would possibly take additional steps sooner or later, Smith additionally acknowledged that “it’s important at the outset to acknowledge that these steps are very broad but not necessarily exhaustive.”