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Zation Blog

Strategic insights, independent perspectives and practical guidance for smarter Microsoft decisions.

13 posts

Amortized costs in CSP: rebuild the view

Amortized costs in CSP: rebuild the view

Amortized cost is missing in CSP: your tenant reports CHF 0 for every covered reservation hour. Eight fields from the cost details rebuild it, and only that makes chargeback work.

Nicolas Boeglin Nicolas Boeglin 8 Sept 2026
Windows Server: license the VM, not the host

Windows Server: license the VM, not the host

Microsoft lets you license Windows Server per virtual machine instead of per host. In an estate of 1'094 VMs, that single choice cut the three-year bill by 83%.

Stefan Wagemann Stefan Wagemann 7 Sept 2026
Amortized vs actual costs: two numbers, one invoice

Amortized vs actual costs: two numbers, one invoice

Azure reports the same reservation two ways. Actual cost reconciles to the invoice, amortized cost explains what a team consumed, and only one of them makes chargeback defensible.

Nicolas Boeglin Nicolas Boeglin 24 Aug 2026
Azure reservation exchanges end on 1 February 2027

Azure reservation exchanges end on 1 February 2027

From 1 February 2027, reservation exchanges end for every Azure service covered by savings plans. Six months remain to correct a commitment portfolio at no cost.

Christoffer Andenmatten Christoffer Andenmatten 2 Aug 2026
Microsoft FY27: What CIOs & procurement should expect

Microsoft FY27: What CIOs & procurement should expect

Microsoft FY27 rewards partners for growth and raises reseller switching costs. What CIOs, procurement and FinOps leaders must ask before renewals and expansions.

Daniel Georgi Daniel Georgi 17 Jul 2026
Why renewing Microsoft licences early is not a strategy

Why renewing Microsoft licences early is not a strategy

Microsoft is raising prices in 2026, and an early renewal won't protect you. Find out what really matters now.

Yves Maillard Yves Maillard 6 Jul 2026
Switzerland's public sector wake-up call

Switzerland's public sector wake-up call

Microsoft License Changes 2026 :: What's Coming for the Swiss Public Sector

Yves Maillard Yves Maillard 27 May 2026
Microsoft 365 E7 insights

Microsoft 365 E7 insights

Microsoft 365 E7 transforms enterprise IT with a bundled approach, simplifying access to features like Copilot while increasing complexity in governance and usage.

Michael Altenberger Michael Altenberger 25 Mar 2026
Microsoft raises M365 prices by up to +43%

Microsoft raises M365 prices by up to +43%

Microsoft raises M365 prices (from Jul 1, 2026) by 5 to 43%. Check contract dates, analyze licenses, consider bundle moves, early renewal, and partner support.

Yves Maillard Yves Maillard 25 Mar 2026
The end of the grace period

The end of the grace period

Microsoft ends the CSP grace period from May 4, 2026: non‑renewed subscriptions default to the costly Extended Service Term (up to +23%). Proactive license management is essential.

Christoffer Andenmatten Christoffer Andenmatten 18 Mar 2026
EA vs MCA-E vs CSP

EA vs MCA-E vs CSP

2026 changes everything in Microsoft licensing: EA discounts are gone, MCA adds rigidity. Without optimization, renewals now mean 30 to 45% higher costs.

Daniel Georgi Daniel Georgi 17 Feb 2026
New features & higher prices

New features & higher prices

More functionality in the bundles and up to 33% price increases from July 2026. Discover how to realign your licensing strategy before the changes hit.

Stefan Wagemann Stefan Wagemann 17 Feb 2026
Unlock SQL 2025 savings

Unlock SQL 2025 savings

Released by Microsoft in November 2025, SQL Server 2025 reshapes Standard vs. Enterprise economics.

Alex Kohler Alex Kohler 17 Feb 2026