Transition Licensing to the Microsoft Cloud

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There are many different ways to license, purchase, and deploy cloud products, making it challenging to know how to maximize the benefits for your organization.
Despite obvious advantages, there are many reasons why the cloud may not be a good choice for your organization at this point.
Microsoft – as well as your business leaders – are pushing the cloud. Don’t rush into a cloud transition without planning carefully.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Document your position on the cloud – whether that means transitioning or not, make sure you can justify your position to the organization.
Once you’ve committed to the cloud, it’s difficult to go back to on-premise licensing. Be certain the cloud is a good fit before executing.
Most organizations are still at a stage where they can keep their on-premise licensing. This will likely change over the next couple of years – the cloud is imminent, if not inevitable. If the cloud doesn’t make sense now, start thinking about how you might make it work in the future.

Impact and Result

Make sure you understand what your organization needs and why, before you commit to moving to the cloud.
Complete cost calculations carefully as the cloud might end up costing significantly more. It could also end up costing around the same amount, making it an efficient option.
If there are significant barriers to cloud adoption, discuss and document them. You’ll need this documentation in three years when it’s time to renew your agreement.

Transition Licensing to the Microsoft Cloud Research & Tools

Start here – read the Executive Brief

Read our concise Executive Brief to find out why you should prepare for a transition to the Microsoft cloud, review Info-Tech’s methodology, and understand the four ways we can support you in completing this project.

Transition Licensing to the Microsoft Cloud – Executive Brief

1. Review and document current usage

Gather current Microsoft licensing and documentation, build an effective license position, and identify licensing shortfalls.

2. Map Microsoft’s cloud offerings to needs

Determine functionality requirements, model licensing costs, and assess and plan the transition.

3. Negotiate the cloud transition

Complete negotiation due diligence and leverage the organization’s unique position.

Member Testimonials

After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.

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Getting a head start on late year negotiations. What to watch for, what could be possibly be done early (co-terming other relationships etc.).

Workshop: Transition Licensing to the Microsoft Cloud

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Assemble and Review Documentation

The Purpose

Assemble licensing documentation.
Build effective licensing position (ELP).

Key Benefits Achieved

Licensing documentation identified and organized.
ELP created.

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Assemble licensing documentation

1.2

Obtain and review Microsoft ELP

1.3

Identify Microsoft cloud options that align with your ELP and desired future state goals

Microsoft Cloud Product Price Modeler

Module 2: Identify and Review Current State vs. Future State

The Purpose

Align technology and business goals to workshop.

Key Benefits Achieved

Business and IT Microsoft licensing goals aligned.

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Create cloud transition framework overview

Transition framework overview

2.2

Create transition timeline

Transition timeline

2.3

Map future state license options for cloud products

Hypothesized licensing options

Module 3: Analyze Gaps and Plan Cloud Licenses

The Purpose

Identify gaps in current licensing and identify ideal future state.

Key Benefits Achieved

Gaps in current licensing identified.
Ideal future state identified.

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Identify gaps between on-premise current state and cloud/hybrid future state

Gap analysis assessment

3.2

Identify product license changes, requirements, and license rules

3.3

Model high-level cost impact

Pricing estimator

Module 4: Develop Cloud Transition Strategy Options

The Purpose

Create transition strategy.

Key Benefits Achieved

Licensing transition planned and documented.

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Document licensing migration paths for cloud/hybrid future state

Migration paths documented

4.2

Discuss migration options, costs, and overall license strategy

4.3

Develop cloud migration product list and action items

List of products and action items

Module 5: Present Cloud Transition Options and Costs

The Purpose

Presentation of cloud transition options and costs.

Key Benefits Achieved

Final deliverables.

Activities

Outputs

5.1

Preparation of final deliverables

5.2

Finalize viable migration options and costs

Final report and strategy document

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

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