Microsoft AHB allows BYOL for CSPs

FlexNet Manager Suite version 2020 R2.3

From this release, FlexNet Manager Suite provides bring-your-own-license management for Microsoft Windows Server (Datacenter and Standard editions) and Microsoft SQL Server (Enterprise and Standard editions) under Azure Hybrid Benefit / License Mobility for IaaS installations hosted by cloud service providers.

The Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB) use rights on Microsoft Server Core and Microsoft Server/Management Core license types grant limited rights to either transfer licenses purchased for on-premises implementations to installations hosted by your cloud service provider; or to reuse those on-premises entitlements simultaneously in the cloud. The rights vary by product (Microsoft Windows Server or Microsoft SQL Server), by edition (Datacenter/Enterprise or Standard), by which cloud service provider (Azure, or other approved providers), and even by the SKU used for purchasing. In all cases, your existing license entitlements must be covered by active Software Assurance to be eligible for these bring your own license (BYOL) rights.

Here's a summary of the IaaS rights, assuming coverage by active Software Assurance on your existing on-premises licenses:
Product Edition CSP Rights
Windows Server Datacenter Azure

Simultaneous use for installations on-premises and Azure public cloud at no additional cost.

  Standard Azure

A license may be used either on-premises or transferred to the cloud installation.

SQL Server Enterprise or Standard Azure

A license may be used either on-premises or transferred to the cloud installation. To facilitate migration, for a 180-day grace period only, the license may cover installations both on-premises and in the cloud. For every 1 core entitlement on-premises, you get 1 vCore in the cloud, with each VM requiring at least 4 SQL Server core license entitlements assigned.

  Enterprise or Standard Any approved An on-premises license may be reassigned to the cloud installation (license mobility). For every 1 core entitlement on-premises, you get 1 vCore in the cloud, with each VM requiring at least 4 SQL Server core license entitlements assigned.
The license management enhancements apply only to the Microsoft Server/Management Core and Server Core license types. Enhancements include:
  1. Microsoft Server/Management Core license type:
    1. On the Use rights & rules tab of license properties, a new section has been added for Consumption settings for Microsoft Azure.
    2. On the Consumption tab of license properties. a new AHB consumed column shows entitlements consumed by Azure instances, and allows comparison with on-premises consumption in the existing Consumed column.
  2. Microsoft Server Core license type:
    1. On the Use rights & rules tab of license properties, a new section has been added for Consumption settings for cloud service providers.
    2. Extended existing point rule SQL Server 2016 to cover license mobility for Standard Edition (on-premises) to Standard Edition (cloud)
    3. Added a new point rules set SQL Server 2016 Enterprise covering:
      • License Mobility - Enterprise Edition to Enterprise Edition
      • License Mobility - Enterprise Edition to Standard Edition.
  3. The Cloud Service Provider Inventory page has two new columns:
    • Windows server AHB identifies whether the license model for each installation is BYOL or Pay As You Go (PAYG)
    • SQL server mobility makes a similar distinction for Microsoft SQL Server.
  4. In application properties, the Devices tab has four new columns:
    • Inventoried cloud license model
    • Overridden cloud license model
    • Hosted in cloud is a simple Yes/No to assist with filtering
    • Hosted in identifies which cloud service provider, or on-premises, hosts the installation.
  5. In the same tab of application properties, there is a new Assign cloud service model button for manual data entry, or correcting incomplete inventory results. This populates the Overridden cloud license model column, so that the original inventory results and your override are always visible.
  6. A new report Microsoft Windows Server Datacenter BYOL Hybrid Benefit shows potential saving for Window Server Datacenter Edition under simultaneous use rights.
  7. The Azure connector has been enhanced to use the Azure Az module, allowing it to identify Azure instances running Windows Server Datacenter or Standard and/or SQL Server Enterprise and Standard editions under Azure Hybrid Benefit. Note that, while this Microsoft module allows detection of which license model(s) are in play, it does not allow hardware or software inventory gathering. To add inventory and manage licenses, you need to arrange for separate imports from an inventory tool (such as the FlexNet inventory agent locally installed on the instance, often by having it configured in the base image from which the cloud devices are instantiated).
    Tip: The enhanced Azure connector does not require any update of your FlexNet Beacon installations. The connector update is distributed automatically through the process of beacon policy updates to your existing inventory beacons. However, it does require that you manually uninstall the previous Microsoft AzureRM module of PowerShell cmdlets, and instead install the current Az module. This is best practice not only to be able to track license models for the Azure Hybrid Benefit, but also because the older module is no longer supported by Microsoft. (You may choose the optimum time to upgrade this Microsoft module, as the previous one continues to run, maintaining earlier functionality [only, without future enhancements] with the upgraded inventory beacon and Azure connector.)

FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)

2022 R2