Microsoft News & Updates:

1: Microsoft CSP Program Update – What CSP Partners Need to Know:
 

Starting October 1, 2025, Microsoft is implementing new authorization and incentive eligibility requirements for Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners.
These updates are designed to elevate partner capabilities and ensure a secure, high-performing ecosystem.

Insight’s Commitment to Compliance and Support:

We’re proud to confirm that Insight will remain fully compliant with Microsoft’s updated requirements and will continue to operate as both a Direct Bill Partner and a Distributor (formerly Indirect Providers) in the Europe region and market.

If your current Distributor does not meet the new eligibility criteria, Insight is here to support you through a seamless transition. Our team is ready to ensure continuity, compliance, and expert guidance so your business remains fully empowered within the Microsoft ecosystem.

More information can be found here

2: Microsoft Online Services - Pricing Consistency Update:
 

Beginning November 1, 2025, Microsoft will take the next step in standardizing its pricing approach for Online Services purchased through volume licensing programs. This update builds on the consistent pricing model already in place for services like Azure and reflects Microsoft's ongoing commitment to greater transparency and alignment across all purchasing channels. The information below is intended to help customers understand how this change may affect their organization and what steps they can take to prepare ahead of implementation.

What’s changing?
Microsoft will expand the set of products that have a single consistent price across Price Levels A-D to include all online services, for the following agreements:

• Enterprise Agreement (EA) - including Online Services Premium Agreement (OSPA) unique to China
• Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA)

This new pricing will align with the pricing published on Microsoft.com.

When will It take effect?
The change applies at the customer’s next agreement renewal or when customers purchase new Online Services products not already priced on their Customer Price Sheet, starting November 1, 2025.

What’s not changing?

• There are no changes to on-premises software pricing.
• Customers purchasing through the U.S. Government price lists and the Agreement for Online Services- Government (AOS-G) program are not impacted by this change. Also, Education customers are not impacted by this change.

What does it mean?

• Insight Cloud Care for CSP will become even more attractive, even for large EA customers.
• The Insight EMEA team will work proactively with all EA customers to provide an overview of the impact and plans to mitigate.

More information can be found here

3: GPT-5 in Microsoft 365 Copilot - Available from August 7, 2025: 
 

GPT-5 OpenAI’s newest generative AI model, released August 7 2025, is coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Studio. GPT-5 is OpenAI’s smartest and most intuitive model yet. It combines the best chat model (GPT-5 conventional model) and a new reasoning model (GPT-5 advanced reasoning) into a cohesive experience. 

Starting August 7, 2025, all users with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license have immediate access to GPT-5 in Copilot Chat. There will be a phased rollout for Copilot Chat users (without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license) starting now

Additionally, Copilot Studio now supports selecting GPT-5 as the model for agent orchestration, as well as for use in custom prompt tools.

More information can be found here

4: Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESUs) available in CSP from September 1, 2025: 

Support for Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. Organisations are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11, which offers enhanced security, faster performance, and new AI-powered features.

For those organisations needing more time, Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESUs) will be available to purchase through the CSP program from September 01, 2025, offering protection for one, two, or three years.

This helps Windows 10 devices remain secure during the transition to Windows 11.

To simplify the experience, ESU will shift from a software subscription to a perpetual offer type. With this change, customers can purchase all three years of ESU at once, with separate SKUs for each year.

More information can be found here

5: Microsoft Sovereign Cloud in Europe and New Sovereign Cloud Specialisation in the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program:

Microsoft has announced the expansion of its Sovereign Cloud solutions in Europe, aimed at providing greater data privacy, control, and digital resilience for European organisations.

This initiative includes the introduction of Data Guardian for enhanced data access control, External Key Management for customer-controlled encryption, and Regulated Environment Management for simplified configuration.

The Sovereign Cloud offerings span public and private cloud infrastructures, ensuring data remains within Europe and under European law.

More information can be found here

6: Microsoft Sentinel is now in Microsoft Defender portal:

If you're still operating from the Azure portal, now is the time to transition and unify your SIEM and XDR experience. By onboarding to the Defender portal, your SOC gains a single pane of glass across Microsoft security signals—blending the best of Sentinel’s analytics and hunting capabilities with Defender’s correlation engine, automation, and threat intelligence.

More information can be found here

Insight's Cloud Commerce Platform – Improvements and Developments:

Cloud Commerce Platform - CCx on https://buy.insight.com - August 02, 2025:

The August 2025 release includes no major customer facing additions. It is aimed at improving the user experience and system functionality and preparing the system for changes that will follow.

Cloud Consumption Reporting - CCR on https://ccr.insight.com - August 14, 2025:

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