Release Notes for Azure Hybrid Benefit

Improvements in Azure Hybrid Benefit compliance for Windows Server 

The compliance for Windows Server virtual machines has become more transparent. Now a minimum of 8 virtual cores needs to be entitled for each virtual machine that uses less than 8 CPU cores. If a VM has more than 8 CPU cores, the number of required virtual cores corresponds to the number of assigned CPU cores. On the Windows Server object preview, you can see how many virtual cores are required for entitling all VMs and how many virtual cores are available from all related licenses.

Fixed problem

PRB37777: Azure Hybrid Benefit / SQL Server - Inconsistent numbers for required cores

Support of new terms for Windows Server Datacenter licenses

In March 2023 new terms were introduced for Windows Server Datacenter licenses. From this point on, licenses for Windows Server Datacenter with active Software Assurance (SA) may only be used to cover Azure Hybrid Benefits enabled in Azure.

Fixed problem

• PRB37727: The update installation of the Azure Hybrid Benefit extension fails if the currently installed data provider has no configuration

Please check your matching criteria for the "Azure Hybrid Benefit - Virtual Machine" data provider (see Configuring and running the Azure Hybrid Benefit data providers)

Introduction of Azure Hybrid Benefit compliance for SQL database services

The extension now contains the Azure Hybrid Benefit - Database Services data provider, which imports Azure SQL servers, databases, elastic pools, and managed instances. These resources are included into the compliance calculation for SQL server resources used in Azure.

Fixed problems

• PRB37651: Azure Hybrid Benefit Data Provider - error handling must be improved for error 400 and all collected VMs must have SubscriptionId

Fixed problem

• PRB37520: Azure Hybrid Benefit Data Provider fails with error 400

A minimum of four cores is counted for Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server

According to terms, a minimum of four cores needs be be counted for Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server. If an instance uses less than four cores, four cores are allocated by a license.

Import of SQL virtual machines

The data provider collects SQL Server Enterprise virtual machines and SQL Server Standard virtual machines and retrieves the usage of Hybrid Use Benefits by these machines.

Compliance of Azure Hybrid Benefit for SQL Server

The system determines the number of vCores allocated to SQL Server Enterprise virtual machines and SQL Server Standard virtual machines separately. Then it uses SQL Server Enterprise licenses and SQL Server Standard licenses to entitle SQL Server Enterprise and SQL Server Standard vCores correspondingly. At the next step, system tries to entitle SQL Server Enterprise vCores with SQL Server Standard licenses and then vice versa.

Grace period for concurrent usage of SQL Server licenses

During the period of 180 days, SQL Server Enterprise and SQL Server Standard licenses can be used to entitle both on-premise license requirements and Azure Hybrid Benefits. When this period expires, all SQL Server Enterprise and SQL Server Standard licenses that are linked to the SQL Server Azure Hybrid Benefit object can no longer be used for any entitlements except Azure Hybrid Benefits.

Preview for Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server

We have optimized the layout reporting about Hybrid Benefit compliance with Windows Server. The key criteria "number of resources" and "number of virtual cores" are now aligned in a more user friendly way. Also we have added an aggregated view looking at the assigned licenses.

The extension is implemented using the service connection and Generic Inventory features

The extension is developed using a service connection to the Azure Hybrid Benefit service. It is based on the Generic Inventory Data Provider extension.

Import of virtual machines

When executed, the data provider connects to Azure and retrieves the data about virtual machines and usage of Hybrid Use Benefits by these machines. The data provider imports only virtual machines with Windows Server OS.

Import of SKUs

The data provider creates new stock keeping units if no match has been found in the database.

Compliance of Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server

Using the imported data, the system determines the number of vCores and OS instances that use Azure Hybrid Benefits and compares them with the number of vCores and OS instances from licenses that are available for Azure Hybrid Benefits. 

For the compliance of Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server, the system takes into account only licenses of specific software products imported by License Intelligence Service.