Hudson Technology

Are You Currently in a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement?

There may be a way to lower your Microsoft licensing bill.

Microsoft is moving many mid-sized organizations from their traditional fixed three-year Enterprise Agreements to more flexible, partner-managed cloud agreements.

The good news: This is opening up an opportunity for some organizations to lower their Microsoft licensing costs.

If your Microsoft Enterprise Agreement renews within the next 12 months, now is the time to understand your options. Some organizations with 2,400 users or devices or fewer may no longer be offered a traditional Microsoft Enterprise Agreement when their current contract expires. Instead, Microsoft is directing more customers toward its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program. Under the CSP model, Microsoft licences and cloud services are purchased and managed through a qualified partner like Hudson, with monthly or annual subscription options, greater flexibility to adjust services and integrated support.

According to Trusted Tech, “Companies with roughly 2,400 or fewer users will no longer be eligible to renew their Microsoft Enterprise Agreements and must transition to either a CSP arrangement (partner-led) or the new Microsoft Customer Agreement for Enterprise (MCA-E) (a direct Microsoft agreement).”

Trusted Tech

Hudson Technology can help your finance and technology teams compare the options, assess the potential financial impact and plan for the next agreement before your current contract expires.

Review Your Enterprise Agreement Options with Hudson

Review Your Enterprise Agreement Options with Hudson

What Is Changing?

For more than two decades, Microsoft Enterprise Agreements have allowed larger organizations to purchase software and cloud services under a three-year, organizationwide commitment. Microsoft is now moving more mid-sized customers toward its Cloud Solution Provider program.

Under a Cloud Solution Provider agreement with Hudson:

Your organization can select monthly or annual subscription terms

Eligible services can be adjusted more closely to actual usage

Monthly invoicing can improve cash-flow visibility

Hudson provides integrated licensing and technical support

Licence usage and cloud spending can be reviewed throughout the agreement

Your organization can gain faster access to new Microsoft cloud and artificial intelligence services

The change generally does not require a move to a new Microsoft environment. Your existing Microsoft tenant, employee accounts, email addresses and user experience can remain in place. The agreement, billing and support relationship change behind the scenes.

Why This Matters

The change generally does not require a move to a new Microsoft environment. Your existing Microsoft tenant, employee accounts, email addresses and user experience can remain in place. The agreement, billing and support relationship change behind the scenes.

Your next Microsoft renewal can affect:

Your organization can select monthly or annual subscription terms

Eligible services can be adjusted more closely to actual usage

Monthly invoicing can improve cash-flow visibility

Hudson provides integrated licensing and technical support

Licence usage and cloud spending can be reviewed throughout the agreement

Your organization can gain faster access to new Microsoft cloud and artificial intelligence services

Before approving another commitment, finance leaders should understand what the organization currently spends, what it actually uses and whether the proposed agreement reflects its future requirements.

A Cloud Solution Provider agreement through Hudson will not automatically be less expensive or more appropriate for every organization. Hudson will help you compare the financial, contractual and operational implications before recommending a change.

What Could the Opportunity Look Like?

Every Microsoft environment is different. These three hypothetical examples illustrate how licence optimization, improved Azure management and a properly structured agreement could affect Canadian organizations of different sizes.

Type of Company
Professional Services Firm
Multi-Site Manufacturer
National Organization
Employees
600
1,200
 2,000
Microsoft 365
$360,000
$900,000
$1,600,000
Microsoft Azure
$240,000
$600,000
$2,000,000
Total Annual Spend
$600,000
$1,500,000
$3,600,000
365 Savings:
5%–10%
5%–10%
5%–10%
Azure Savings:
5%–12%
7%–15%
7%–15%
Annual Savings
$30,000–$64,800
$87,000– $180,000
$220,000– $460,000
Years Serving our Customers

These scenarios are illustrative and do not represent actual Hudson customer results, Microsoft quotes or guaranteed savings.

The calculations assume potential Microsoft 365 optimization of 5%–10% and potential Azure optimization of 5%–15%. Actual results depend on the organization’s agreement, licence utilization, Azure architecture, contractual commitments, existing discounts and eligibility for Microsoft programs.

Any potential savings must be validated through a detailed financial and technical review.

Other Potential Financial
Benefits of Working with Hudson
A properly structured Microsoft review by Hudson may help your organization:
Reduce Unnecessary Spending
Identify unused licences, unsuitable licence levels, idle cloud resources and duplicated services.
Improve Budget Predictability
Establish clearer visibility into current consumption, expected growth and future financial commitments.
Increase Contractual Flexibility
Determine whether your existing agreement provides the right balance of pricing certainty and flexibility.
Strengthen Procurement Oversight
Bring Microsoft licensing, Azure consumption and related purchasing decisions into a more coordinated process.
Support Better Capital Allocation
Redirect avoidable technology spending toward security, modernization, automation and other strategic priorities.
Reduce Renewal Risk
Create enough time to evaluate the options, engage the appropriate specialists and plan any transition before the current agreement expires.

Our Approach

Why Organizations Trust Hudson

Hudson provides managed IT and security services across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments, 24/7 help desk support, disaster recovery, custom AI solutions & governance, streamlined procurement, and two secure data centres built for resilience

20+
Years Serving our Customers
Many of our customers have trusted Hudson for more than a decade.
1,000'
S
Of End Points Managed
Managing and protecting technology across hundreds of organizations.
24/7
Monitoring & Protection
Around-the-clock monitoring to help keep your business secure and running.
2
Canadian Data Centres
Canadian owned and operated, with infrastructure hosted right here in Canada.

Hudson: More Than a Microsoft Licensing Reseller

A Microsoft renewal should be evaluated in the context of the technology and business operations it supports.

Hudson understands the connection between Microsoft spending, cloud performance, cybersecurity, employee productivity and business continuity.

Our capabilities include:

Microsoft 365 management and support

Azure cloud services

ybersecurity and identity management

24/7 help desk support

Endpoint management and protection

Backup and disaster recovery

Cloud migration and modernization

Custom artificial intelligence solutions and governance

Streamlined technology procurement

Canadian data centre and private-cloud services

Your organization receives the attention and accountability of a Canadian technology partner, supported by the resources needed to assess a substantial Microsoft agreement.

Why Organizations Trust Hudson

Hudson provides managed IT and security services across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments, 24/7 help desk support, disaster recovery, custom AI solutions & governance, streamlined procurement, and two secure data centres built for resilience

Terry Fox Foundation
Non - Profit | 75 Persons

"Hudson’s partnership has been instrumental in supporting our mission,  giving us confidence that our technology infrastructure and data are secure, reliable, and positioned for the future. Their expertise, responsiveness, and enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions ensure we can remain focused on advancing Terry’s vision of a world without cancer."

SRG
Manufacturing | 400 Persons

“Hudson Technology has been handling our IT and Cybersecurity for the last 2 years. They are trusted partners helping us plan for the future while handling our day-to-day needs. We recommend their services to many other manufacturing and corporate services companies.”

ICON Digital Productions
Communications | 200 Persons

"Creating memorable experiences through strategy, content, innovation, and technology is at the forefront of our business. Selecting the right Canadian technology partner to support us was of the utmost importance. We’re very happy with Hudson Technology"

Questions Owners Ask First

What is a Microsoft Enterprise Agreement?
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A Microsoft Enterprise Agreement is traditionally a three-year, organization-wide licensing agreement used by larger organizations to purchase Microsoft software and cloud services.
What is a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider?
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The Cloud Solution Provider program allows an authorized Microsoft partner to provide Microsoft cloud subscriptions together with billing, support, management and related technology services.
Is Microsoft eliminating Enterprise Agreements?
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Not for every customer. Microsoft is changing its licensing and sales strategy, however, and some mid-market organizations may find that a traditional Enterprise Agreement is no longer the most appropriate or available option at renewal.
What does the 2,400-user threshold mean?
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Organizations with 2,400 users or licensed devices or fewer may find that an Enterprise Agreement renewal is not offered. Microsoft and the applicable licensing partner must confirm each organization’s eligibility and available agreement options.
Is a Cloud Solution Provider agreement always less expensive?
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No. The financial outcome depends on your organization, services, consumption, commitments and available programs. The Cloud Solution Provider model may offer advantages in flexibility, support and active management, but each situation must be evaluated individually.
Will changing agreements disrupt our employees?
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Changing the purchasing or management relationship generally does not require employees to change accounts, email addresses or their day-to-day Microsoft applications. The organization typically retains its existing Microsoft tenant and user environment

Any transition should still be assessed and planned carefully.
Can Hudson identify guaranteed savings?
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Hudson can identify and validate potential optimization opportunities after reviewing the relevant agreements, licences and cloud environment. Savings should not be assumed or guaranteed before that analysis is completed.
Can Microsoft help fund a cloud migration?
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Microsoft may provide funding, credits or technical assistance for certain qualifying migrations and strategic workloads. Availability is not guaranteed and must be evaluated for each opportunity.
How far ahead of renewal should we begin?
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Ideally, the review should begin six to twelve months before the Enterprise Agreement expires, particularly for organizations with substantial Azure usage or complex licensing requirements.
What information is needed to begin?
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The initial discussion typically requires your agreement type, renewal date, approximate number of users or licensed devices, Microsoft 365 spending, Azure spending and a high-level view of other cloud platforms in use.
Review Your Enterprise Agreement Options with Hudson

Your Microsoft Enterprise Agreement renewal is coming. Your team already has a full plate.

For some SMBs under 2,400 persons, renewal may bring a change in agreement options. That means finance and IT need time to compare the costs, flexibility, and support implications before making a decision. And, for some organizations, this transition may lower your Microsoft costs.

Hudson can help you review your current Microsoft licensing and Azure spending, understand the options available to your organization, and plan the next step.

If your EA renews within the next 12 months, let’s start the conversation now.

Review Your Enterprise Agreement Options with Hudson