back to article Microsoft adds subscriptions for SQL and Windows Servers

Microsoft’s revealed a new way to buy Windows Server and SQL Server – a subscription offer tied to Azure. The new offer is tied to Azure Reserved Instances plan that Redmond announced last year, under which you can pay up-front for one or three years of Azure servers. As of July 10th, Reserved Instances are alive and breathing …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Put it another way:

    After paying up-front for an Azure instance, you are now permitted to turn it off and run it on your own hardware instead (at your own expense of course).

    What a fantastic deal.

    1. TheVogon

      Re: Put it another way:

      VM Instances are extra. This is the licensing.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Put it another way:

        "VM Instances are extra. This is the licensing."

        I can't believe folks still put up with the inane complexity of MS licensing - they are among the worst in the industry to deal with.

        1. TheVogon

          Re: Put it another way:

          "they are among the worst in the industry to deal with."

          I guess you are not an Oracle customer then.

          1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge
            Thumb Down

            Re: Put it another way:

            I get the distinct idea that MS has been attending the Larry Ellison 'school of Software Licensing' and especially the class called 'How to use the Cloud to rip your customers off'.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Put it another way:

            "I guess you are not an Oracle customer then."

            I am, sadly. Microsoft is only a close second though. If it were easy I'd free the place of both; they have quite literally become a ransom.

          3. phuzz Silver badge

            Re: Put it another way:

            "I guess you are not an Oracle customer then."

            Hey now, lets not forget Cisco's valiant efforts to screw their customers, and I think we should have a special commendation for Atlassian's "free>expensive>all-the-money-in-the-world" licensing ramp up.

          4. herman

            Re: Put it another way:

            Or a SAP customer.

            1. David Taylor 1

              Re: Put it another way:

              Run SAP on oracle and Microsoft PCs and deal with all three!

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Put it another way:

          Its all just more Micro$oft BS. Like there Hybrid Use Benefit. "Save up to 40% with Hybrid Use Benefit" Yeah right, you qualify for about 2 VMs of a 30 VM host and end up paying for 28 new licenses!

  2. NanoMeter

    Subscriptions and economic problems

    Subscriptions are dangerous for companies with economic problems. Be late with payment or unable to pay one month and see your business go tits up and die.

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: Subscriptions and economic problems

      "Subscriptions are dangerous for companies with economic problems. Be late with payment or unable to pay one month and see your business go tits up and die."

      And also are the most likely to take up subscriptions if they can spread big lump sums out over a monthly payment plan. One company I worked for even changed the wages pay date from the 28th to the 1st at end of tax year to make a one off saving by only paying wages 11 times that year.

  3. deadlockvictim

    How long...?

    I wonder how long Microsoft will be making a version of SQL Server available that can be run on a local server or desktop which requires neither a tether to the Internet nor a subscription?

    What are the goals here: subscriptions? getting everyone onto Azure?

    1. DJV Silver badge

      Re: How long...?

      Or pushing people onto PostgreSQL/MariaDB...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: How long...?

        "Or pushing people onto PostgreSQL/MariaDB..."

        People maybe. Not most enterprises though.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @Deadlock

      "What are the goals here: subscriptions?"

      An easier way of generating revenue would be my guess.

      You see quite a few software companies suddenly also providing subscription models, and it makes (some) sense from a business perspective. The only problem is that customers are usually not really getting their moneys worth.

    3. TheVogon

      Re: How long...?

      "I wonder how long Microsoft will be making a version of SQL Server available that can be run on a local server or desktop which requires neither a tether to the Internet nor a subscription?"

      Well at least if they do, they offer a proper hybrid cloud solution in Azure Stack. So you can still choose to run it on premises.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: How long...?

        "Well at least if they do, they offer a proper hybrid cloud solution in Azure Stack. So you can still choose to run it on premises."

        Wait, what? You're actually saying that if they stop making a database server, at least you can buy their cloud stack? Don't get me wrong, I like SQL Server as much as the next person, but have you ever considered putting down the Koolaid for a moment?

  4. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "But The Register has managed to get its claws"

    Shouldn't that be talons?

  5. thondwe

    Licensing "Designers"

    I've run out of expletives to describe the people who "design" Microsoft's licencing schemes...

  6. johnnyblaze

    I don't think it takes a genius to realise that nobody saves money moving to the cloud. Initial sign-up incentives and cloud license bundles are offset by other costs that will eat up any savings you thought you'd make, and often in the end cost you more. Cloud is about lock-in, then selling you other services on top. Once they've got you, they've got you, and it's very difficult to get out.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "Cloud is about lock-in"

      Not so much with Azure. Sure if you design for AWS Lambda or Dynamo DB then you are screwed if you want to leave the cloud. With Azure can always bring it back in house on Azure Stack.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "With Azure can always bring it back in house on Azure Stack." Until they can it, usual MS bait and switch.

  7. Stevie

    Bah!

    Didn't see this coming.

    Oh, wait ...

    1. Jay Lenovo
      Holmes

      Re: Bah!

      Hmm.. flexibility with one particularly weighted choice.

      It's like working with the casino for help with your gambling problem.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The fine folk at Licensing School?

    "As the experts in Microsoft software licensing, our consulting services provide you with impartial and accurate advice, enabling you to make an informed decision when purchasing Microsoft software."

    Whois Info: licensingschool.co.uk:

    'Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 10-Dec-2012'

    'Registrar: URL: names.co.uk'

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