This year, Microsoft is introducing changes to its Enterprise Agreement (EA) model that could prove to be very significant for customers using EA. The changes affect companies using Azure and Microsoft 365 licensing. In this article, we will examine the implications of the new licensing rules and the opportunities they open up for customers.
Who will be affected by the changes?
The changes in licensing models will affect companies that already have an EA contract and have up to 6,000 users. For these customers, prices will be increased, making the EA contract no longer profitable. Depending on the licenses purchased, prices can now be up to 30% higher for EA. The move to the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) model will therefore provide considerable savings, as CSP will become cheaper.
Moving from EA to CSP – what does it mean for the company?
CSP offers an annual contract with payment in installments every month or monthly billing. So you don’t have to commit to a 3-year contract as with EA.
CSP allows you to add licenses flexibly, and in a monthly or annual contract you can decide every month or year to modify them, giving you more flexibility. For example, you can add or remove licenses at any time, such as for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Technical support is provided by a local CSP partner that is close to the customer, knows their needs, can offer adequate response time and qualified staff backed by multiple Microsoft certifications and specializations. Onex Group is certainly such a partner.
CSP offers more flexibility compared to EA. Under the Enterprise Agreement, companies are required to license employees uniformly, which can be costly and inefficient. CSP allows for a more tailored approach. For example, a company with 500 employees can choose to license only 200 Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 plans, and assign the remaining 300 frontline employees to Business or Frontline plans.
Benefits of switching to CSP at Onex Group
It is worth looking at this change from a broader perspective. In addition to licensing, many companies also use partner services based on Microsoft technologies. Moving a license to an implementation partner where IT services are provided can bring additional benefits. Onex Group, as a Microsoft Certified Partner with Microsoft designations in the areas of Data & AI (Azure), Modern Work, Security, Infrastructure (Azure), Digital & App Innovation (Azure), can help your company turn the transition to CSP into numerous benefits:
- Comprehensiveness – we serve clients with both licensing and services, providing the best licensing prices on the market along with competence proven by advanced specializations. This allows us to offer personalized deals, providing more favorable pricing and customization for your organization’s unique needs.
- Unique mix of competencies – Onex Group has advanced Microsoft specializations in the domains of Data & AI (Azure) – Analytics on Microsoft Azure, Data & AI (Azure) – AI and Machine Learning, Modern Work – Adoption and Change Management, Modern Work – Calling for Microsoft Teams, and Modern Work – Teamwork Deployment.
- Technical support – license support by an expert team with years of experience in implementing Microsoft solutions. Onex Group, as one of the few partners in Poland with all of Microsoft’s advanced specializations in Data & AI, can offer its clients support for the most advanced projects.
- Co-financing of POC initiatives and project funding – technical workshops, inspirational workshops – transfer of knowledge on new technologies (proof of value) as well as further support of production realization of our clients’ projects. By working with us you will gain access to programs such as:
– Azure Innovate (Data analytics e.g. Microsoft Fabric, Azure AI),
– Threat Protection,
– Data Security,
– Copilot Studio – proof of Value,
– Copilot Vision & Value and many others. - E-learning training courses – access to proprietary e-learning courses prepared by Onex Group experts, such as Microsoft Copilot.
What’s next. Schedule a free consultation with us
If your company has an Enterprise Agreement and the number of users does not exceed 6,000, it is a good idea to start preparing for the licensing change now. Remember that you can save a lot by switching to the CSP model, and we can help you do it. Contact us – we will prepare for you a simulation of the cost of licenses in the CSP model and we’ll analyze your existing licenses to match your needs, so that you use only the solutions you actually need, without overpaying. Plan the best strategy for your transition to CSP with us.
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