Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA)

Program reference card

Services Provider License Agreement: With the Services You are a service provider if you provide the following software services to your customers:
Provider License Agreement (SPLA), your organization can  Your organization provides your customers with direct or indirect access to products such as hosted websites
license Microsoft products and use these licensed products to provide or line-of-business (LOB) applications through Microsoft server products.
software services and hosted applications to your customers.  Your organization offers your customers software services that interact with Microsoft products where you,
not your customer, are the licensee.
With SPLA, you are the licensee, not the customer.
Software services are services that you provide to your customers  You facilitate your customer’s business, including business transactions with third parties, through software
services that interact with Microsoft products.
that make Microsoft products available and that display, run, access,
or otherwise interact with Microsoft products. You provide these  Your organization provides your customers with access to, and use of, any application as a software service,
Microsoft or otherwise, and the application runs on a server and interacts with a Microsoft product on that
services from one or more data centers via the internet, a telephony
server.
network, or a private network on a rental, subscription, or services
basis, whether or not you receive a fee. Software services exclude  Your organization offers other service providers platform infrastructure services to use and run any Microsoft
or third-party application. This, in turn, allows these other service providers to offer Microsoft applications as
installing a Microsoft product directly on any device to permit a
a software service to their end customers through their own SPLA.
customer to interact with the Microsoft product.
 You use the Microsoft software for the benefit of a third party.

Services Provider Agreement overview

Who the SPLA is for Key benefits
The SPLA is for organizations that want to offer Deliver a customized service. Flexibility to deliver tailored IT services to your customers through a dedicated or
hosted software and services to customers, such as shared hosting environment. Increase the value of your services by managing software use rights for your customers.
web hosting, hosted applications, messaging, Pay as you go with no up-front costs. Pay only for the products that you made available to your customers to use
collaboration, and platform infrastructure. the previous month. There are no startup costs or long-term commitments.
Access the most current product versions. Give your customers the most current and capable Microsoft platform.
Download your products at no charge through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) instead of
Licensing model ordering physical media.
Licenses under the SPLA are subscription licenses Offer software services worldwide. Use Microsoft products to deliver software services to end customers in any part
that can be used during the agreement term. of the world where distribution is legally allowed.
Per subscriber. A Subscriber Access License (SAL) Expand distribution capabilities through Software Services Resellers. Expand business reach to small- and
is required for each unique individual user or medium-sized end customers by providing software services through additional resellers.
device that is authorized to access or otherwise use Use Data Center Providers for infrastructure capabilities. Have the option to focus on hosting your application
the licensed products. You do not need a separate solutions and acquire infrastructure as a service (IaaS) from a Data Center Provider.
server license. Take advantage of Data Center Outsourcing. Install Microsoft products on servers under the day-to-day
Per core. Includes Per Core (Application) and Per management and control of an outsourcing company to deliver your software services based on your capacity and
Core (OS). Core Licenses allow an unlimited server management capabilities. The outsourcer can then perform data center administration, testing, and
number of users to access the server software maintenance support services on the end customer’s behalf.
installed on the licensed server, with a determined Try before you buy licenses. Test and evaluate products internally before offering them to your customers as a
number of physical (or virtual*) cores. Windows service.
Server requires SALs for certain server roles. Install at customer facilities. Install Microsoft products on servers located on an end customer’s premises under your
*Per Core (Application) only management and control.
Per proc. Each Processor License allows an Offer demonstrations and evaluations. You can have up to 50 active user IDs for service/product demos and give
unlimited number of users to access the product your customers a free 60-day trial period.
that is installed on the server without a separate Include your affiliates under a single agreement. Your affiliates do not have to sign a separate SPLA.
SAL. Expand your reach to academic institutions. Potentially expand your business with specific price offerings available
to your academic customers through the SPLA.
 SPLA, Commercial Licensing and other partner-hosted licensing options
Services Provider License License Mobility through Software
Agreement Self-Hosted Application Right Assurance Flexible Virtualization Benefit

 The Services Provider License  Self-Hosted ISVs with qualified  Customers are qualified for License  Customers with subscription licenses
Agreement is the primary licensing Unified Solutions may choose the Mobility when eligible Microsoft or licenses with active Software
program for all service providers, “Self-Hosted Applications” Software Commercial Licensing software Assurance may deploy software on
including ISVs, offering their Assurance-based use right available products and CALs (Client Access any Authorized Outsourcers’ servers
applications as software services to as stated in the Microsoft Product Licenses) are licensed with Software (shared or dedicated) solely for
their customers through servers Terms. Assurance coverage. internal use.
connected to the Internet or a private  The “Self-Hosted Applications” use  Customers can deploy their eligible  Same use rights apply as when
network. right is a licensing option separate licensed server applications in an software is deployed on-premises.
 Microsoft licensed products are used to from SPLA and has qualification Authorized Mobility Partner (AMP)  The option to deploy to Authorized
provide these services, such as: criteria, specific licensing shared data center whose Outsourcers’ shared servers under the
requirements, and a limited set of infrastructure is licensed through a
Website hosting. Flexible Virtualization Benefit is most
Program scenarios

▪
products included in the offering. SPLA. relevant when licensing by virtual
▪ Application hosting.
 The customer must create a Unified  Requirements: machine.
▪ Messaging service (for example, Solution with its own software and
email services).
▪ SPLA partner must be an Authorized  Customers need subscription licenses
any eligible Microsoft product License Mobility Partner. See your or licenses with active Software
▪ Platform Infrastructure software identified in the Product Terms. Microsoft representative or reseller Assurance for both server licenses
services. Customer’s software must add for information. and access licenses for Products that
primary and significant functionality require both.
▪ Streaming media services. to Microsoft products, and follow any ▪ Customer to complete license
additional requirement detailed in .verification form to identify licenses  Authorized Outsourcers include only
the Product Terms. to be deployed at the AMP. service providers who are not Listed
Resubmit form as appropriate. Providers or using a Listed Provider
 The customer remains the licensee of for infrastructure services.
the Microsoft product(s). The ▪ SPLA partner keeps completed
customer must have active Software verification forms on file and reports  Listed Providers means any entity
Assurance on all Microsoft licenses all other products under SPLA. identified by Microsoft at
used to create the Unified Solution. http://aka.ms/listedproviders or a
successor site, as may be updated
from time to time.

Case I – Company A uses Microsoft SQL Case I – Company A (e.g., ISV) creates Case I – Enterprise Agreement customer Case I – Company A deploys virtual
Server database software and the and delivers their own intellectual Company A moves an LOB application machines licensed for and running
Windows Server operating system to store property integrated as a Unified Solution that uses Exchange Server to a service Windows Server and SQL Server on an
and display its customers’ (Company B) with a SQL Server database (eligible provider’s data center. Company A Authorized Outsourcer’s shared servers.
Business cases

website content. product for self-hosted applications) deploys the Exchange Server VL Customer maintains Software Assurance
licensed through a traditional instances in the service provider‘s hosted on the licenses. Customer is licensing by
Case II – Company C delivers an LOB
application that runs on Windows Server Commercial Licensing program. environment through License Mobility. virtual machine, so licenses may move to
with a SQL Server database. This Company A hosts its Unified Solution to The LOB application is hosted on a any server in the outsourcer’s same
its end users, and keeps Software shared server with a dedicated instance server farm as needed. Software is
application is available to Company B’s
customers as software services. Assurance active for Microsoft products for Company A. The service provider available for Company A’s internal use
integrated in the Unified Solution. provides Windows Server access through only.
their SPLA.

SPLA information: Microsoft Commercial Licensing information: Questions:

Resources partner.microsoft.com/licensing/ www.microsoft.com/licensing/ Contact your SPLA reseller or Microsoft Account Manager.
©2022 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft provides this material solely for informational and marketing purposes.