May 20, 2022
Microsoft has unveiled a set of five new European Cloud Principles after being criticized by rival European cloud providers for restrictive cloud licensing policies.
Some of the five European Cloud Principles include the projection that Microsoft’s public cloud meets Europe’s needs and serves Europe’s values, that its cloud provides a platform for the success of European software developers, and that it works with and supports European cloud solution providers.
Others include ensuring that cloud offerings meet the sovereign needs of European governments, in partnership with local trusted technology providers, and recognizing that European governments desire to regulate technology while supporting their efforts and helping them to adapt.
The company also committed to simplify the licensing of Windows Server for virtual environments by relaxing licensing rules “that reflected legacy software licensing practices, where licenses are tied to physical hardware.”
Microsoft announced that it will expand the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider program to better support European cloud providers. The initiative will apply across Europe including the United Kingdom.
The sources for this piece include an article in ComputerWorld.
