SAMexpert - Microsoft Licensing and FinOps

From 2014 until today, we have seen 4 (𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫!) types of Microsoft audits for service providers: — Official SPLA Compliance Audit: A mandatory assessment of your licensing compliance. — "SPLA License Review": A voluntary request to self-certify your license compliance involving a third-party Microsoft Partner. — "SPLA License Review (Self-Assessment)": A voluntary request to self-assess your license compliance, this time without a partner. — Anti-corruption and Sanctions Compliance Audit: A mandatory audit to ensure your business practices comply with US export laws. The last one is gaining momentum recently due to the geopolitical events. When you receive any of such notices: — Read the contracts: SPLA and MBSA. Understand your rights and obligations regarding each type of audit. — Don't be intimidated by "Self-assessment" requests; you can choose whether to participate. — If you choose to participate in a voluntary review, take your time and thoroughly review your data before sharing it. — For mandatory audits, cooperate fully and seek expert assistance if needed. If you need a truly independent advice (not from a Microsoft partner), please book a call, and we'll give you the necessary peace of mind. #microsoft #cloud #compliance #samexpert

Bring-Your-Own-License cost-saving tips for procurement and IT: 1. Use BYOL to transfer existing software licenses to cloud environments, avoiding the need for repurchase. 2. Achieve significant cost reductions in cloud migration, particularly for organisations with many existing Microsoft licenses. 3. Reduce costs of Windows Server and SQL Server using Azure Hybrid Benefit. 4. Transfer subscription licenses to other cloud providers using the Flexible Virtualization Benefit. 5. Understand eligibility and limitations, as not all Microsoft licenses are eligible for BYOL. 6. Employ effective migration planning to leverage existing licenses in the cloud environment. 7. Choose BYOL for predictable workloads and Pay-As-You-Go for scalable, elastic workloads. More in the article: https://lnkd.in/eXtKZUuU Did you know that at SAMexpert, we don't sell licenses? Our expert advice to you is not affected by sales targets. #microsoft #cloud #procurement #samexpert

We share our Microsoft knowledge with you free of charge through articles and videos. All from licensing basics to CFO and Procurement strategic insights. Massive thanks to our subscribers and community members! #microsoft #strategy #youtube #samexpert

Choosing the right licensing agreements can significantly improve long-term IT budgets and flexibility. Here are our Microsoft agreement recommendations for 2025: – Larger organisations (2400+ employees) still benefit from Enterprise Agreements (EA) for volume discounts and payment flexibility. CSP and MPSA may augment your EA. Pro tip: Benchmark and negotiate! – Organizations with 500-2400 employees should carefully compare EA, CSP, and MPSA agreements. Consider the impact of potential legacy systems and cloud migration plans. Pro tip: Read the small print! – Smaller businesses (under 500 seats) may find better terms with Open Value or Open Value Subscriptions compared to MPSA and even CSP. Pro tip: Study your options. More in the article: https://lnkd.in/eMbywTYs SAMexpert helps organisations benchmark and negotiate the best deal on Microsoft Azure and Licenses. We don't sell them, so we advise you without bias. #microsoft #cloud #procurement #samexpert

You may be wasting money on Microsoft 365. And it's not always obvious. Some of the apparent scenarios are: – unused functionality resulting from inaccurate persona profiling – licenses assigned to disabled users – licenses assigned to deleted users(!) – licenses assigned to inactive users But there's at least one not-so-obvious way to waste money: assigning duplicate functionality to the same user. Example? M365 E3 + Exchange Online Plan 1. The portal won't stop you (why would they implement functionality that reduces their revenue?) It's on you to find such cases and remove waste. Can you do it yourself without a consultant or a tool? Of course. All the licensing reports can be downloaded from the Microsoft 365 admin portal in a CSV format. #microsoft #strategy #procurement #samexpert

We reduced costs for a USA-based SaaS company by $0.5m/year. Here's how: – Reviewed their entire service design, including on-premises and Azure, – Switched part of the SaaS infrastructure from SPLA to EA and CSP licensing, – Enabled dual-use rights in Azure with Azure Hybrid Use Benefit, – Implemented a few licensing and infrastructure design improvements. If you think that server licensing optimisation is dead, think twice. Shall we have a look at your licensing design and costs? #microsoft #cloud #procurement #samexpert

In over 100 audits, we have never seen SPLA noncompliance arising from a provider deliberately underreporting licenses. We have never seen "pirate" providers. Not a single time. The majority of the Microsoft SPLA audits find non-compliance. Some less, some more. In SPLA, noncompliance means you didn't pay enough for the licenses you and your clients consumed. Why does this happen? It's always the result of an error due to😀 — lack of configuration quality, — knowledge gaps, — misunderstanding of the licensing rules, — unreliable internal processes, — and the lack of visibility and control around the underlying data. When client environments are co managed by the provider and end clients, both parties are at risk of making such errors. All the above is easy to mitigate with the right process, tooling, and people. Moreover, eliminating non-compliance uncovers bottomline improvement opportunities. Need help? Find us here: https://lnkd.in/eyA35yvt #microsoft #cloud #hosting #samexpert

When you receive an audit notice from Microsoft, read this first: — You have 30 days from receiving the notice letter to begin the audit. Not 10. Not 15. It's in your agreement with Microsoft. — Refer to your Microsoft licensing agreement (SPLA, MBSA, or Microsoft Customer Agreement) for audit terms, specifically the "Verifying compliance" section. — Update your executive team about the audit and potential financial risks of non-compliance. — Engage an experienced team member or external consultant specialising in Microsoft audits before talking to the auditor. Even when you don't have the budget for external support, at least have an advisory call to prevent mistakes. — After the initial call with the auditor, there are no strict deadlines in your agreement. Take your time to provide accurate information. Reject unnecessary pressure. — Always stay calm and maintain control of the process. Bookmark this post. You never know when it may come handy. #microsoft #cloud #compliance #samexpert

Have you been told to renew your License Mobility Addendum to SPLA? Don't. It's not required anymore. Let's deconfuse it. Microsoft eliminated the SPLA License Mobility Addendum, simplifying BYOL in the cloud. In 2022. How? By letting end clients bring any of their subscription licenses or licenses with SA to any provider except Amazon, Google, or Alibaba. It's called Flexible Virtualisation Benefit. No specific "authorisation" is required from the provider. What does this mean for you, provider? — Increased flexibility: more options for deploying licensed software in the cloud. — Reduced administrative burden: no need to manage the addendum. — Improved customer experience: Simplifies the process for clients who want to use BYOL. However, challenges persist: — Microsoft still holds providers responsible for end-client licensing compliance. — Providers must implement robust processes to ensure compliance and mitigate risks. More in the article and in the video. Need help with SPLA licensing and compliance? SAMexpert can assist. #microsoft #cloud #procurement #samexpert https://lnkd.in/eEhj4ubx

Software Assurance is not what you think it is. It’s not "support." It’s not "maintenance." It’s not just "upgrade rights." Software Assurance is a subscription license. And for many, it's business-critical. Yet, every week, we hear: "We'll cancel Software Assurance and keep our perpetual licenses." The reality: ❌ You’re not just "cancelling SA"—you’re losing key usage rights. The consequences: 🚫 No Bring Your Own License or Azure Hybrid Benefit → Higher Cloud costs 🚫 No remote desktops for Work from Home 🚫 No discounted edition upgrades → More expensive licensing ...and more. In fact, 99% of organizations would be non-compliant overnight. Do you see what #Microsoft did there?