Windows SBS 2011 through SPLA: Answers to “What to order now?”

This past week, I received questions from a couple partners regarding their current clients who are licensed for Windows SBS 2011 through the Services Provider License Agreement ( SPLA) and what should they order now and for how long. After conveying the information back to them, I received a simple request asking where the information is posted so that they could share it with their fellow partners and with their clients to see. Because of this, I thought I would post it here on my blog for all of you to see, so you could have this information and its location as well.

• Partners currently licensing Windows Small Business Server 2011 prior to its removal from the SPLA program may continue licensing and reporting this product until their contract expires or they migrate to Windows Server Essentials (whichever comes first). Partners who need a longer transition period are welcome to sign a new SPLA contract in December (and place an order for SBS) and continue reporting Windows Small Business Server 2011 for the term of their SPLA agreement which is 3 years or until such time as they migrate to Windows Essentials. 
• Windows Server 2012 Essentials is the replacement product for Windows Small Business Server 2011. SBS 2011 was the final offer for SBS. Since SBS is being sunset, SBS will be discontinued as a product from SPLA effective January 2013. Microsoft announced these changes to the hosting community on a web conference at the end of July 2012. We also published an FAQ on MPN to inform the hosting community in advance.  

If you download the FAQ linked above, you will find the following within it:

• If I have Windows SBS 2011 Essentials in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 is released, what do I order?

  • The SPLA subscription program rule is if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.

• If I have Windows SBS 2011 Premium Add-on in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 Essentials is released, what do I order?

  • The SPLA subscription program rule is if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.

• If I have Windows SBS 2011 Standard Edition in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 is released, what do I order?

  • The SPLA subscription program rule is if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.

• When are these changes effective?

  • Licensing changes will come into effect one month after the release of Windows Server 2012 Datacenter and Standard. Windows Server 2012 is expected to be released in the second half of the calendar year 2012.

I hope this helps answer your questions about Windows Small Business Server 2011 through SPLA.

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Eric Ligman – Follow me on TWITTER, LinkedIn, and RSS and see “What I’m thinking”
Director, Worldwide Partner Experience
Microsoft Corporation
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Comments

• Anonymous
  December 16, 2012
  Thankx for getting this posted where it is easier to find Eric.