Gone are the days of pre-committed expenses under Microsoft’s Enterprise Agreement (EA) software licensing. CSP licensing allows you to add and remove users and products instantly and pay only for what you use. Here’s what you need to know about CSP.

Previously, the understanding of licensing with Microsoft was “if you have more than 250 employees, the EA is the most fiscally strategic vehicle”. What was true then, isn’t the case now with more and more companies moving from on-premise/perpetual device-based licenses to subscription/cloud user-based licenses. Cloud technology has changed the way companies think of their roadmap, timeframe, budget, and strategy.

Uncovering new requirements for the business, defining compliance requirements and taking into account existing hardware infrastructure has become increasingly difficult to quantify – especially when locked into a three-year agreement. With individual departments like marketing, HR, and sales holding their own software budget – the need for a more flexible, utility-based billing model is evident. The simple conclusion of Microsoft’s EA licensing is no longer the answer.

Microsoft EA vs CSP

Microsoft’s CSP licensing, introduced in 2015, has given companies the autonomy to do as they please, spending based on consumption. To clarify the differences and benefits of CSP, we’ve put together an infographic to help you understand the benefits of moving from Microsoft EA to CSP.

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softlanding

Softlanding is a long-established IT services provider of transformation, professional services and managed IT services that helps organizations boost innovation and drive business value. We are a multi-award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with 13 Gold Competencies and we use our experience and expertise to be a trusted advisor to our clients. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, we have staff and offices in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary to serve clients across Canada.

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