After complaints from cloud computing service providers in the European Union (EU), Microsoft Corp. has finally agreed on changes to the terms and conditions of its software licensing agreements.
It would eventually put cloud service providers including but not limited to cloud services from some of the biggest names in the industry i.e. China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Amazon.com Inc.’s Web Services (AWS), and Alphabet Inc.’s Google Cloud among others.
Microsoft Outlines Changes to Software Licensing Agreements
According to the report by the Business Standard, France’s OVHcloud roped in Microsoft Corp., by filing a complaint against its antitrust practices that put other European cloud service providers in an unfair position.
Microsoft Corp.’s practices make it difficult for other cloud service providers to install Windows, Office, and Windows Servers on their cloud network. On the other hand, it is super easy to install the same on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform.
With that being said, Microsoft Corp. has finally agreed to change the terms of its software licensing, making it less complicated for its rivals to install software across different networks.
Apart from that, one of the changes which are likely to be included in the terms is access to all the (Microsoft) products that the cloud service providers can use to sell cost-effective solutions to the customers.
The new terms and conditions will take effect on October 1st this year which would prove instrumental for not just the cloud service providers but cloud sellers across the globe.
Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith acknowledged the issues with Microsoft’s practices. He added that they need to work on fixing some of the practices as claimed by the rivals, although not all the claims are valid.
With that being said, the change in terms of the software licensing agreements should bring joy to cloud suppliers in the EU.