Category Archives: Uncategorized

RIP SQL Web edition!

Microsoft has announced SQL Server Web edition is being discontinued, starting with the 2025 release. This makes SQL Server 2022 the final version to include the Web edition, which will remain supported until January 2033.

For cost-effective web applications, Microsoft recommend migrating to Azure SQL. It offers scalable solutions, flexible pricing, and elastic pools perfect for multi-tenant apps. If you’re planning to stay on-premises, the recommended path is to upgrade to the Standard edition.

You can find more details in the official SQL GA announcement: https://bit.ly/47N1XsO.

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business

Microsoft 365 Copilot Business has been announced! It’s a new plan offering enterprise-grade AI capabilities at a lower price point for SMB customers. It provides the same features as a Microsoft 365 Copilot license, with a cap of 300 users. It’s available as an Add-on to the Microsoft 365 Business Basic/Standard/Premium plans or can be bought bundled with them.

The worldwide launch is on December 1, 2025, with promotional pricing available for certain combinations. The launch announcement can be found here: https://bit.ly/4oNs3C3, and information on the promotions is here: https://bit.ly/3Kd6kEu.

Availability of the Agent Pre-Purchase Plan

Microsoft announce the availability of the Agent Pre-Purchase Plan. This is a new type of Azure Reservation that enables customers to have a single pool of funds that can be used to pay for both Copilot Credits and Microsoft Foundry costs. You buy Agent Commit Units (ACUs) in one of three tiers, with discounted pricing, and then have a year to use the ACUs over a wide range of services.

Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3XRbUiZ with information about the tiers and the services covered, and find some useful licensing examples in the Learn documentation here: https://bit.ly/4ahnYBv.

Windows 10 ESUs resources

There are some useful resources if you’re involved with Windows 10 ESUs.

Firstly, there’s a general article covering activation, and preparing your devices for ESUs: https://bit.ly/3LSpeBb, then there’s one focused on working with ESUs and Windows 365: https://bit.ly/4a7WrT0, and a final one for some hints and tips if you’re using ESUs with Azure Virtual Desktop: https://bit.ly/488GJEB.

Licensing School Copilot Credit Calculator now in Public Preview!

With the introduction of the Copilot Credits Pre-Purchase Plan as a new way to buy Copilot Credits, we at Licensing School certainly needed a method to help us understand which option to use and when! Realising others would face the same predicament led to a new creation: the Copilot Credits Calculator. Our tool lets you enter a monthly prediction of Copilot Credits usage and instantly see which purchasing option will be most cost effective – PAYG, Copilot Credits Capacity Pack, or the Copilot Credits Pre-Purchase Plan. Interactive calculators are another tool we can add to your licensing arsenal, so watch this space for more to come. It’s now in LicenseVerse in Public Preview, so come and have a go: https://bit.ly/3X5yhkx.

If you’re not a subscriber and want access to this kind of resource, get in touch with us: info@licensingschool.co.uk.

Microsoft 365 E5 and Security Compute Units

Microsoft announce that Security Copilot Security Compute Units (SCUs) will be included with Microsoft 365 E5 licenses at a rate of 400 SCUs for every 1,000 licenses. Interestingly, the Learn documentation goes further and states that ALL E5 customers will be eligible for this benefit and gives a further example of a customer with 400 licenses who’ll get 160 SCUs. That’s 1 SCU for every 2.5 licenses, and of course it’s a monthly allowance with no rollover to the next month. Rollout starts in November 2025 with eligible customers receiving a 30-day notification before activation.

Find the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3XdUjl6, and the Learn documentation here: https://bit.ly/3MiDNOl.

New program Licensing Guides

We have been on the lookout for Licensing Guides again and discovered a few program-related resources, including some Licensing Guides that haven’t been refreshed in many years!

You’ll find new uploads for the Enterprise Agreement, Server and Cloud Enrollment, SPLA, and Select Plus in the Licensing Guides section of our website: https://bit.ly/MSLicensingGuides.

Annual Release Cadence for Microsoft Configuration Manager

Microsoft Configuration Manager is moving from a semi-annual to an annual release cadence starting with version 2609 (September 2026). This shift aims to provide better long-term stability, with each version receiving 18 months of support. While Configuration Manager will continue to support on-premises devices, all new innovations will be focused on Microsoft Intune.

Check out the details and support lifecycle here: https://bit.ly/3K8HENk and a useful FAQ about Configuration Manager branches here: https://bit.ly/49xJdyL.

Copilot Credits added to Dynamics 365 licenses

Agents Agents everywhere! It really does feel like there are new Agents being launched every day. From a licensing perspective, for the Agents that work with the Dynamics 365 products you need a license for the specific Dynamics 365 App as well as access to Copilot Credits. To that end, from November 25, 2025, Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise, Customer Service Enterprise, Finance, and Supply Chain Management licenses will include 1,000 Copilot Credits per user. These will be pooled at the tenant level and customers will be notified that the Copilot Credits have been added.

Find the information in this Partner Alert: https://bit.ly/4poCsEh.

Oracle Introduces Multicloud Universal Credits

Oracle announce their new thing: Multicloud Universal Credits. Why’s it interesting? Well, it’s a new licensing option that will enable customers to procure Oracle services more easily in the cloud of their choice. So, you’ll be able to use these Multicloud Universal Credits for Oracle Database in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.

Find out more in the Oracle press release here: https://bit.ly/4rdFWv4.