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Microsoft Software Assurance 24×7 Problem Resolution Support Ends Feb 1, 2023.

MS Software Assurance 24x7 problem resolution support ends Feb 1, 2023. See how it impacts your on-premise Microsoft support and options.
Mike Jones
Written by:
Mike Jones
Published Feb 07, 2023
Microsoft software assurance 24x7 problem resolution support

24x7 Support Benefit Retired from Microsoft SA on Feb 1, 2023

Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) 24×7 problem resolution support is being retired Feb 1, 2023. See how this change impacts you if it makes sense to continue on with MS Software Assurance. If you stay with SA, what on-premise Microsoft support options are available?

Audience: CIO and IT Executives | Sourcing, Procurement and Vendor Management

Microsoft software assurance 24x7 problem resolution support

Microsoft Official Statement on Software Assurance Support

Per Microsoft:

  • New – Software Assurance 24×7 Problem Resolution Support incidents won’t be allocated starting February 1, 2023.
  • Current – Software Assurance 24×7 Problem Resolution Support incidents can be used or transferred to a Microsoft Premier or Unified Support contract before February 1, 2023. Unused incidents will not be available starting February 1, 2023.
  • Microsoft Professional Support is available as pay-per-incident or a pack of five incidents.

Read the rest of Microsoft’s statement here.

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What is Microsoft Software Assurance?

Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) is a comprehensive program that includes a unique set of technologies, services, and rights for using a minimum of 5 Microsoft products for on-premise use (not Cloud). Software Assurance helps keep your business up to date and ready to respond quickly to change and opportunity.

Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) Benefits

Software Assurance Support Benefit Types


Phone incident award

You may submit a request via the web or by phone to receive a call back from support. Initial response time will be 2-8 business hours depending on the severity of your issue.

Your phone support incident will be decremented from your Software Assurance total phone incident award entitlements.

Unlimited email support

Email support is available only for server products and non-critical issues. In order to submit a request for email support, your organization must have the required Software Assurance coverage for server software and related CALs.

Responses to your email support requests will occur during support team business hours which may be in a different time zone than your own.

How do I transfer Unused SA Support to My Premier/Unified Support Contract?

You can convert Software Assurance (SA) Problem Resolution Support (PRS) incidents to Premier Problem Resolution Support until February 2023 by reserving the incidents for Premier through the VLSC and contacting your Technical Account Manager (TAM). The conversion ratio will depend on local Premier list prices and can vary by country/region.

Starting February 1, 2023, Problem Resolution Support incidents can no longer be transferred to a Microsoft
Support contract.

If I Keep Software Assurance What Are My On-Premise Support Options?

For many the benefits of Software Assurance including step-up licensing, license mobility and disaster recover rights are important parts of their Microsoft roadmap.

Unified Support’s growing year-over-year support costs for comprehensive support are not a fit for most but the largest of enterprises.

Microsoft business support (formerly Professional) sold by incident have the slowest resolution times and may not suffice for some organizations. For those who need something between incidents and Unified support, they should consider Microsoft third-party support.

Mike Jones
Mike Jones
Mike Jones stands out as a leading authority on Microsoft enterprise solutions and has been recognized by Gartner as one of the world’s top subject matter experts on Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA) and Unified (formerly Premier) Support contracts. Mike's extensive experience across the private, partner, and government sectors empowers him to expertly identify and address the unique needs of Fortune 500 Microsoft environments. His unparalleled insight into Microsoft offerings makes him an invaluable asset to any organization looking to optimize their technology landscape.
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