Run Windows Server and SQL Server subscriptions flexibly in shared and outsourced clouds: effective April 1, 2026, Microsoft grants License Mobility rights to Windows Server and SQL Server subscriptions in the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program. This removes a key limitation for customers who moved from Volume Licensing to CSP while continuing to rely on hosting partners or shared cloud environments.
Summary
- License Mobility is added to Windows Server and SQL Server subscriptions purchased via CSP
- Subscription customers receive rights equivalent to Software Assurance from legacy Volume Licensing
- Eligible workloads can run in shared clouds and with authorized outsourcing partners
- The change simplifies licensing under the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA)
- Only subscriptions are affected; CSP perpetual licenses remain unchanged
Why Microsoft introduced License Mobility for CSP subscriptions
Many customers have transitioned from legacy Volume Licensing to subscription-based licensing under CSP, while continuing to run Windows Server and SQL Server workloads across multiple hosting models.
Under Volume Licensing, License Mobility was tied to Software Assurance, which allowed customers to deploy workloads in shared datacenters and with authorized outsourcing partners. In the CSP model, this equivalence was not always clear, despite customers moving to subscriptions.
Microsoft introduces this change to remove inconsistencies between licensing programs, reduce customer confusion, and align CSP subscriptions with the benefits customers historically relied on.
Put simply: customers used to lose certain deployment rights when moving from Volume Licensing to CSP subscriptions. Microsoft now restores these rights, so subscription licenses can be used in shared and outsourced clouds just like before.
What is changing?
On April 1, 2026, Microsoft updated the Product Terms so that Windows Server and SQL Server subscriptions purchased under the Microsoft Customer Agreement through CSP automatically include License Mobility rights.
These rights are equivalent to those previously provided through Software Assurance in Volume Licensing. As a result, eligible subscription customers can deploy supported workloads in shared cloud environments and with Authorized Mobility Partners.
The updated rights apply automatically. No action is required to activate them.
What is License Mobility?
License Mobility is a Microsoft licensing right that allows eligible server applications to be deployed outside of dedicated customer hardware, including shared or outsourced cloud environments.
- Dedicated infrastructure means servers or hardware that are used only by one customer, either in their own datacenter or in a hosting provider environment that is reserved exclusively for them.
- In contrast, shared infrastructure means that multiple customers use the same underlying hardware, which is typical in public clouds or outsourcing partner environments.
With License Mobility, customers can:
- Run workloads in Microsoft Azure
- Run workloads in datacenters of Authorized Mobility Partners
- Use shared infrastructure rather than dedicated hosts
Historically, License Mobility was linked to Software Assurance. From April 1, 2026 onward, the same rights are directly included in eligible CSP subscriptions.
What are License Mobility rights actually good for?
1) Cost optimization
- Customers can use shared hosting or outsourcing partners instead of dedicated servers
- This can reduce infrastructure, hardware, and operational costs, especially for mid-size or variable workloads
- Microsoft explicitly confirms that no price increase is added for these rights
2) Hosting flexibility
- Workloads can run in Azure or Authorized Mobility Partner datacenters
- Customers are no longer locked into a single hosting model due to licensing constraints
- CSP subscriptions now behave like Volume Licensing with Software Assurance in this regard
3) Risk and compliance reduction
- Customers gain clear, documented rights for outsourced and shared deployments
- This reduces audit risk
- Licensing discussions under CSP become simpler
Which subscriptions are eligible?
License Mobility applies to subscription licenses purchased under the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA) via CSP.
Eligible products include:
- SQL Server subscriptions
- Windows Server subscriptions, limited to:
- Remote Desktop Services (RDS) User CALs
- External Connector licenses
License Mobility does not apply to:
- Windows Server operating system licenses
- CSP perpetual licenses
- Non-eligible CAL types
Impact on pricing and commercial terms
Microsoft has confirmed that:
- No price increase is introduced as part of this change
- Existing subscriptions automatically receive the new rights
- Commercial terms under CSP remain unchanged
License Mobility is added through the Product Terms (not through a new SKU or add-on).
What does not change
It is important to note:
- CSP perpetual licenses do not gain License Mobility
- Existing deployment rules for non-eligible products remain unchanged
- No migration or conversion of licenses is required
- Existing Flexible Virtualization Benefit scenarios are unaffected
Is this relevant for my organization?
This change is particularly relevant if your organization:
- Runs SQL Server workloads with hosting partners
- Uses outsourced or shared datacenter environments
- Is transitioning from Volume Licensing to CSP subscriptions
- Requires clear legal deployment rights for audits or contracts
It is less relevant if all workloads run on self-owned, dedicated infrastructure.
What partners and customers need to do
- No immediate action is required to activate License Mobility
- Customers should review deployment scenarios to understand the new flexibility
- When deploying with an Authorized Mobility Partner, a License Verification Form must still be submitted within required timelines
Why is License Mobility in CSP relevant now?
This change is actually quite important: It removes one of the last structural differences between Volume Licensing with Software Assurance and subscription licensing under CSP.
For customers, it provides:
- Clear continuity when moving to subscriptions
- More flexibility in hosting and outsourcing decisions
- Simpler licensing discussions in CSP
Ready to review your Windows Server and SQL Server licensing?
License Mobility for CSP subscriptions changes how Windows Server and SQL Server can be deployed in shared and outsourced environments. SCHNEIDER IT MANAGEMENT supports organizations in assessing eligibility, validating deployment scenarios, and ensuring a compliant and cost-optimized CSP licensing setup for Windows Server and SQL Server. Contact our experts today.