FORTIGATE : Don’t buy from the market place , talk to Fortigate it was 70% cheaper to BYOL

Bringing your own Server license to azure works out a lot cheaper than renting it off Microsoft per the Azure Monthly fee. 

When you buy a license with Software Assurance, this comes with Licence Mobility to bring into other environments. Reading through this Licensing Programmes – Eligibility requirements | Microsoft Azure , however, there is one item

“Windows Server, the Windows® desktop operating system, and desktop application products are not included in Licence Mobility through Software Assurance.”

What applications are included in Licence Mobility through Software Assurance?

• Exchange Server
• SharePoint Server
• SQL Server Standard Edition
• SQL Server Enterprise Edition
• SQL Server Business Intelligence Edition
• Skype for Business Server
• System Center Server
• Dynamics CRM Server
• Dynamics AX Server

• Project Server
• Visual Studio Team Foundation Server
• BizTalk Server
• Forefront Identity Manager
• Forefront Unified Access Gateway
• Remote Desktop Services

BUT there is another program Azure Hybrid Benefit to the rescue

Types of license

• Windows Server Standard with active Software Assurance, or
• Windows Server Datacenter with active Software Assurance, or
• An eligible Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) subscription

Note Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) Perpetual is NOT covered for Hybrid Benefit and does not qualify for SA

Minimum BYO Cores to Azure is 16 which gives you 2 x VM’s up to 8 cores

Licenses : 1 x 16  Core Windows Server 2022 CSP license ( 2 VMS 8 Core )

You have to buy Core Packs in Groups of 16 , so if you have an odd number of VM’s its going to be a bit more expensive !

Each 2-processor license or each set of 16-core licenses is entitled to two instances of up to 8 cores, or one instance of up to 16 cores. The Azure Hybrid Benefit for Standard Edition licenses can only be used once either on-premises or in Azure. Datacenter Edition benefits allow for simultaneous usage both on-premises and in Azure.