Licensing
Microsoft SPLA licensing
We are a Microsoft SPLA partner. Windows Server and SQL Server licences are provided on a monthly usage model, giving you legal usage rights without an upfront licence purchase.
- Pay for what you use
- Monthly
- Operating instead of capital cost
- No upfront cost
- Products covered
- Windows & SQL
- Scale up or down monthly
- Flexible
What is SPLA, and how does it differ from a perpetual licence?
SPLA (Services Provider License Agreement) is Microsoft's licensing model for service providers. Licences are reported monthly under the provider's agreement and passed on to the customer for the period of use.
In the perpetual model you buy the software once and keep it. That makes sense for systems you will run continuously for years, but it demands a large upfront capital outlay and cannot be reclaimed when usage falls.
Under SPLA, payment follows the duration of use. If you need Windows Server for a three-month project, you pay for three months. When your server count rises the licensing rises with it, and falls when it drops. That flexibility matters for organisations with fluctuating capacity or project-based work.
The models also differ in accounting terms: a perpetual licence is a capital expense recorded as investment, while SPLA is an operating expense recorded monthly. Which suits your organisation depends on your financial structure and usage outlook.
- Licences reported monthly for the duration of service
- No upfront licence investment required
- Licensing follows your server count as it changes
- Recorded as an operating expense
- Legal usage rights provided under the service provider agreement
Comparison
SPLA versus perpetual licensing
| Criterion | SPLA (monthly) | Perpetual licence |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | None | High |
| Payment pattern | Monthly, while in use | One-off |
| Reducing capacity | Payment drops too | Not recoverable |
| Accounting | Operating expense | Capital expense |
| Long-term steady use | May cost more overall | Advantageous |
| Project-based use | Advantageous | Risk of idle investment |
Features
What we provide under SPLA
Windows Server
Current Windows Server versions, delivered with installation and baseline hardening configuration.
SQL Server
SQL Server licensing is provided under the same monthly model, with edition chosen to match your workload.
Usage-based reporting
Usage is reported monthly, so adding or removing servers is reflected directly in your licensing.
Compliance support
We assess together which licence is required for which component.
Fast provisioning
Server deployment completes without waiting on a separate licence procurement cycle.
Version updates
Because the model is usage-based, moving between versions does not require a new licence purchase.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my own Windows licence?
Some licence types can be moved into a hosted environment and some cannot; it depends on the agreement type behind your licence. Share the documentation and we assess eligibility together.
Can I change licence counts mid-month?
Usage is reported monthly, so capacity changes are reflected in the next reporting period. Temporary increases such as campaign periods therefore do not create a permanent cost.
When is SPLA a disadvantage?
If you know you will run at fixed capacity for years, the total paid over time can exceed a perpetual licence. Where your usage outlook is clear, we compare the total cost of both models with you.
Who is responsible for licence compliance?
Reporting the licences we provide and the obligations under the service provider agreement are ours. Licences for third-party software you run on the server remain yours; we clarify the boundary before deployment.
More
Related pages
- WindowsWindows Server hostingWindows Server hosting with SPLA licensing, installation and hardening included. Ready configuration for Active Directory, IIS, SQL Server and file services.
- SQL ServerMicrosoft SQL Server hostingMicrosoft SQL Server hosting with SPLA licensing included. NVMe storage, workload-tuned memory and storage settings, application-aware backup and performance monitoring.
- Flexible LicensingMonthly flexible licensingUse Windows Server and SQL Server licences on a monthly model that flexes with capacity. Scale up for campaign periods and back down afterwards.
Let's plan your infrastructure together
Tell us what you need and we prepare a configuration and pricing specific to you. We don't sell fixed packages; we build the deployment, licensing and backup plan with you.