Microsoft Change Licensing Model for System Center 2012

Friday 15th July 2016

On 17th January 2012, Microsoft confirmed the licensing model for the new System Center 2012 Suites which is due to be released from April this year.

Headline changes include the following:

With the new edition Microsoft will simplify the product set to two editions which will contain all components, including two new components; App Controller and EndPoint Protection.
The editions are SC2012 Standard and Datacenter edition, these have the same physical capabilities but different virtualization rights, with Datacenter having unlimited rights and Standard has up to 2 vOSE.
Microsoft will discontinue individual server licenses for Operations Manager, Configuration Manager etc.
There will no longer be a need to license management consoles, only the endpoints need to be correctly licensed.
SQL will be included with purchases.
Each License covers up to 2 processors.
For customers with existing Software Assurance there are transition paths available.
Microsoft has indicated there will be a price increase of 38% from SMSD to SC2012 Datacenter edition and a 16% decrease from SMSE to SC2012 Standard edition.
Changes will impact Microsoft's Enrollment for Core Infrastructure (ECI) agreement with the discontinuation of the Enterprise Suite. Each ECI suite will cover up to two physical processors; therefore new ECI agreements require a 25-license minimum initial purchase.

For general Microsoft Licensing schemes click here.

All system Center 2012 licenses will go on the price list at the same time; at General Availability
Stock - Keeping Units (SKU's) for Pre - 2012 licenses will be removed over time
License (L) and Software Assurance (SA) SKU's for current standalone Server License's and Management Server License's will be removed from the February 2012 Price List. Enterprise Agreement (EA) customers with these licenses on their Customer Price Sheet (CPS) may purchase through first anniversary post -announcement.
SA Renewal SKU's will remain orderable until the System Center 2012 GA
Current Server Management Suite L&SA and SA Renewal SKU's will remain orderable until the System Center 2012 GA.
License only SKU's for the current Server Management License's will remain on the Open and Select Price List for approximately 12 months after the System Center 2012 licensing disclosure ( Use rights will be for pre - system Center 2012 software only).

Want to keep informed? Sign up to our Newsletter