Effective July 1, 2025, Microsoft will implement price increases for its on-premises server products. The main change involves a 10% price increase for all standalone on-premises server products, including SharePoint Server, Exchange Server, and Skype for Business Server. Additionally, prices for the Core Client Access License (CAL) Suite and Enterprise CAL Suite will increase by 15% and 20%, respectively. This is especially relevant for Enterprise Agreement (EA) and Enterprise Subscription Agreement (EAS) customers.
What are Microsoft On-Premises Server Products?
- Price Increase: 10%.
Microsoft on-premises server products are server solutions that are installed and operated within an organization’s own infrastructure, rather than being hosted in the cloud. These include e.g., SharePoint Server, Exchange Server, and Skype for Business Server, which offer unique functionalities to support various business needs:
- SharePoint Server: Collaboration and document management platform.
- Exchange Server: Email and calendaring server.
- Skype for Business Server: Unified communications platform.
Starting July 1, 2025, the following on-premises products will become available
- Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE)
- Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (SE)
-> Read more here: Microsoft Exchange and Skype for Business Server SE: Licensing Guide
What are Core CAL Suite and Enterprise CAL Suite?
- Core CAL Suite Price Increase: 15%.
- Enterprise CAL Suite Price Increase: 20%.
The Core CAL Suite and Enterprise CAL Suite both provide access rights to various server products and online services, but they differ in the range of features they include. The Enterprise CAL Suite offers a more comprehensive set of features and access rights. One example is the Exchange Server Enterprise CAL included in the Enterprise CAL Suite, which provides advanced features such as unified messaging, compliance capabilities, and information protection. These advanced features are not available in the Exchange Server Standard CAL.
Does this price increase affect online products?
No. The licensing changes apply exclusively to the on-premises versions of these products. There is no impact on pricing for SharePoint Online, Exchange Online, or Microsoft Teams purchased separately or through a Microsoft 365 license.
Why is Microsoft increasing prices for on-prem products?
The price increase is largely driven by the shift to cloud-based solutions. As more organizations migrate to the cloud, the demand for on-premises server products has decreased. However, maintaining and updating these on-premises products still requires significant resources. The price increase helps support ongoing maintenance and updates, ensuring that these products remain secure and up to date.
More Information:
Microsoft Licensing: https://www.schneider.im/software/microsoft/.
Contact us today for consultancy on Microsoft server product licensing for your enterprise.