In March 2023, the corporate agreed to vary its cloud licensing practices to keep away from an EU antitrust probe, and in July 2024, Microsoft and CISPE reached a settlement that required the corporate to pay €20 million ($21.7 million) and develop a brand new product, Azure Native.
Azure Native would have allowed members to run Microsoft software program on their platforms at costs equal to Microsoft’s. It was to incorporate multitenancy assist for buyer workloads, pay-as-you-go licensing for SQL Server, limitless virtualization and multi-session digital desktop infrastructure (VDI) for Home windows, and free safety updates.
However then in Might of this 12 months, the European Cloud Collaboration Observatory (ECCO), which is offering unbiased oversight of the deal, discovered that “each Microsoft and CISPE have now agreed that Azure Native won’t ship the total set of options outlined within the settlement.” ECCO additionally described Microsoft’s providing as “disappointing,” and gave the corporate an Amber score, indicating that considerations exist and corrective actions have been proposed.