After a delay of several hours where the website wasn’t working (one of the perils of this current format), we can now see the changes this month are:
- Windows Server 2025 added
- Windows Server PAYG via Azure Arc is added
- System Center 2025 added
- Windows 10 ESU added
- Various additional/refined terms for Azure Services
- Let’s take a look at the Win Svr PAYG option in more detail based on the Product Terms:
- Customer must have a valid Windows Server Standard or Windows Server Datacenter License to use the PAYG option. <– Just one license or all cores in the server?
- For Licensed Servers running PAYG virtual machines, there are no restrictions on the number of PAYG virtual machines that can be deployed.
- Additional virtualization rights are not granted. A separate License is required for each guest. <– So you don’t get 2 OSEs for Std and Unlimited for Datacenter…each PAYG VM needs to be paid for.
This, taken from the Microsoft Learn page, is very odd:
Apparently, you can only use Windows Server PAYG if you install a retail copy of Windows Server 2025?!
We have also seen that there will be a 10% price increase for Windows Server 2025 & System Center 2025 from December 1st 2024 and then also for SPLA from January 1st, 2025.
Cloudy with a chance of Licensing 