Global computer firm, Microsoft has been condemned by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and senior executives from Google Cloud on its decision to raise prices for customers using its cloud and software services.
Microsoft declared the verdict earlier this month, saying: “We’re updating the outsourcing terms for Microsoft on-premises licenses to clarify the distinction between on-premises/traditional outsourcing and cloud services and create more consistent licensing terms across multitenant and dedicated hosted cloud services. Beginning October 1, 2019, on-premises licenses purchased without Software Assurance and mobility rights cannot be deployed with dedicated hosted cloud services offered by the following public cloud providers: Microsoft, Alibaba, Amazon (including VMware Cloud on AWS), and Google. They will be referred to as “Listed Providers.” ”
At the same time, the company also announced its Azure Dedicated Host service.
Disapproval from other businesses
Google Cloud President, Robert Enslin, slated Microsoft’s decision on Twitter by commenting, “Shelf-ware. Complex pricing. And now vendor lock-in. Microsoft is taking its greatest hits from the ’90s to the cloud.”
Whilst Amazon Web Services Chief Technology Officer, Werner Vogels, also stated on the social media site that he did not agree with the choice. He says, “Yet another bait+switch by $MSFT, eliminating license benefits to force MS use. 1st, MS took away BYOL SQL Server on RDS, now no Windows upgrades w/BYOL on#AWS. Hard to trust a co. who raises prices, eliminates benefits, + restricts freedom of choice.”
Being forced to move?
On LinkedIn, AWO’s Vice President, Sandy Carter, also wrote a condemning blog on the subject which she titled, “Why AWS is the best place for your Windows workloads, and how Microsoft is changing their licensing to try to awkwardly force you into Azure.”
In the report, Carter hints the computer company is making a power play. “Microsoft wants you to believe that this is just “removal of outsourcing rights”, but Microsoft is looking to restrict what computer you can use. And what cloud,” she argues.
Microsoft added in its statement that the reason for the rise in prices was due to higher levels of competition along with it offering more services.
