End of Microsoft Open License program: What this means for Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider Program

Microsoft has been investing heavily not only in technology innovation but also in enhancing customer experience, from licensing the technology to the support experience that customers get. This commitment forms the foundation for the upcoming launch of Microsoft new commerce experience for seat-based offers in addition to the existing usage-based Azure plan. This aims to streamline customer experience across Microsoft services spectrum and discard purchasing options that no longer align with customer needs.

The Microsoft Open License program has been available for decades for SMB customers to buy multiple perpetual software licenses as bulk purchases. As of January 1, 2022, commercial customers won’t be able to buy new or renew software licenses or online services through the Microsoft Open License program. New license-only purchases should be transacted through partners in the Cloud Solution Provider program. You can continue to renew and purchase new software licenses, Software Assurance, and online services through the Open License program until December 31, 2021. If you have purchased perpetual licenses under your Software Assurance term, benefits will continue until its expiration, even if the expiration is after December 31, 2021.

What this means for customers in Microsoft Open License Program

All services, products, and offers in Open License program will remain available till until January 1, 2022. Change in Microsoft Open License program will impact academic, commercial, government, and non-profit organizations. To assess your options for license purchases, consult your current Microsoft partner to check if they sell as part of the Cloud Solution Provider program. If they aren’t or have no plans to become a Cloud Solution Provider partner, you can find a Microsoft partner.

What this means for partners in Microsoft CSP program

This is a great opportunity for partners in Microsoft CSP program to scale their customer acquisition journey and expand their business horizon. With wide range of portfolio services available in CSP, partners can streamline how customers purchase software licenses in a way that’s easy to understand, directly improving licensing asset management, and with predictable costs. This would lead to an improved customer experience in comparison to currently available in Microsoft open licensing program.

Streamline customer experience in Microsoft CSP program with CSP Control Center 

Partners can leverage the extensive feature capabilities of CSP Control Center to not only streamline their internal business processes via pure-play automation but also empower customers with self-service portal to manage purchase and increase/decrease in license count, monitor their cloud consumption, receive digital invoices, and pay invoices online via CC/ACH. When customers manage their own purchase lifecycle, partners can cut down hundreds of work hours every month that their teams invest in addressing customer purchase, reporting, invoice, and payment items. To know more, Book a free product demo today!

This blog was originally Published on CSP Control Centre.