CSP is for any organisation that wants to benefit from flexible, pay-as-you-go IT services. Microsoft programs can now be acquired on a transactional basis and consumption-based billing for Azure services improves cashflow. You can also choose to pay for on-premises software licenses through an Enterprise Agreement (EA) or on an as-needed basis through CSP.

The CSP program covers Microsoft Public Cloud as well as on-premises licenses and software subscriptions including Microsoft 365, Enterprise Mobility and Security, Dynamics 365 and Azure.

• Password and credential management policies which specify complexity, authentication and credential management requirements.
• Microsoft Roles Based Access Control (RBAC) which limits authorisation to associated Microsoft systems.
• Multi-factor identify verification grants secure access to associated systems. Robust Data^#3 security policy requires staff to receive training on security awareness.
• Policy compliance is also a contractual requirement.

For user-licensed online services (i.e. non-Azure consumption services), your service will be billed either monthly or annually upfront, depending on your preference. Your subscription billing type (i.e. monthly or annually) cannot be changed, however additional subscriptions can be created to accommodate for changes to billing. The creation of new subscriptions will result in a new, separate 12-month subscription term. This subscription term will be charged at the daily list price and locked for a 12-month period. More information on this term is available in ‘How It Works’.

For Azure consumption services, billing is based on monthly consumption in arrears. There is no price lock offered on Azure consumption services in the CSP program, and service pricing may fluctuate at any time and without notice. To help you keep track of your Azure spend, Data^#3 offers monthly spending alerts for a nominated dollar value. If the nominated value is reached, you will receive an email notification. Note that this is strictly a courtesy email and your service will continue as normal when your limit is met or exceeded. Data^#3 does not provide a guarantee of capped monthly spend amount.

For Server software subscriptions, you will be billed upfront in full for your nominated 1 or 3 year term. No annual billing option is currently offered by Microsoft. No refund is offered on any subscriptions cancelled on Microsoft for more than 60 days from the purchase date. For perpetual licenses, you will be fully billed upfront at the time of ordering.

Additional licenses can be added to an existing subscription at any time. The end date of the subscription does not change. The price of the licenses remains consistent for the duration of the subscription. Payments are pro-rated on the day and added to the invoice on the next billing date.

Licenses may be reduced in an existing subscription at any time. Currently, there is no penalty for reducing licenses and money is refunded. Refunds are pro-rated on the day and invoiced at the next billing date.

A suspended status puts the subscription into a data-retention mode. Only administrators can access data associated with the subscription. The subscription moves to a deprovisioned state 90 days after it is suspended. All the data is then removed. Each subscription may be suspended independently and can be reactivated after suspension. Suspending a subscription can help you move to a higher license type. For example, if you had 27 Microsoft 365 E3 licenses and wanted to move to Microsoft 365 E5 licenses, the Microsoft 365 E3 subscription would be suspended and a new subscription would be created for Microsoft 365 E5.

Monthly billing:

• The first invoice is issued on the next billing date after the subscription was created. This invoice covers the period from when the subscription was created and 30 days onward.

Annual billing:

• The first invoice is issued on the next billing date after the subscription was created. This invoice covers the period back to when the subscription was created, and forward to 365 days from the creation date.
• The next invoice is issues on the next billing date.

When an annually billed subscription is changed to monthly, the term and price protection are reset.

Free trials are available for some license types in CSP, such as Microsoft 365 Business Premium. 

Free trial rules:

• Each customer is eligible for one free trial per offer.
• You are not eligible for a trial if you already have a subscription to a product.
• A trial duration is for 30 days and may not be extended.
• A trial is valid for 25 licenses and seats may not be added or removed.

Converting to paid subscriptions:

• Free trials do not automatically convert to paid subscriptions.
• Data^#3 does not notify you of trials ending.
• Data is retained in line with data retention standards.
• The paid subscription end date will be 12 months from the date of conversion.

A subscription is created for each license type that you require. Subscriptions are for 12 months and are aligned to the subscription’s creation date. All subscriptions automatically renew. When a subscription is created, the price of the license is fixed for the duration of the subscription.

Perpetual licenses are a single, upfront payment made for perpetual ownership of the license. No software assurance is available to purchase, and no Software Assurance benefits are included as part of the license rights. Use rights are detailed in the product terms and are consistent across the different ways that licenses can be purchases.

Partners are charged for perpetual licenses via a single, upfront payment. Invoices are aligned to the calendar month. There is a separate invoice and recon file for each currency. For a full refund, software orders may be cancelled within 60 days. You will be refunded on the next invoice and license keys will be deactivated.

A validation service analyses what you can and can’t move across to Azure, informed by a risk assessment of your existing subscription. The assessment will be made of the compatible workloads, reserved instances, and marketplace items. This activity will take approx. 2 hours and will be completed by the Azure Specialist CSP team. In some instances, a professional services engagement may be required to move a workload, reserved instance, or marketplace item across to Azure (Plan). In this case a Services Proposal will be created which will detail the requirements to move forward.

Cloud Optimiser is an all-in-one solution to help you manage the complexities of Azure, optimise usage, support business continuity and prevent unnecessary overspend. It can be purchased on its own or under the CSP Gold Support option. 

The Data^#3 Cloud Optimiser Service includes: Cloud Visibility, Security & Health, Cost Optimisation, Governance & Reporting, Cost Allocation, ‘tagging’ repair resources, and Cloud Automation.