Microsoft Introduces Charge for Hotpatching in Windows Server 2025
Microsoft does not plan on imposing a $1.50 fee for upgrading to Windows 11.
Microsoft has announced that it will be implementing a subscription fee for the hotpatching feature in its upcoming Windows Server 2025 edition. This feature assists IT departments in sharing a collective cloud space across a network while enhancing security for connected devices.
Set for release on July 1, 2025, hotpatching enables updates to be installed without the need for a server reboot, although occasional reboots may still be necessary. This convenience is expected to reduce the frequency of required reboots from an average of 12 per year to about four.
Hotpatching has been available in the pre-release version of Windows Server 2025 since 2024, offering a potential advantage for organizations that participate in the preview program, as they will be automatically charged a subscription fee of $1.50 per CPU core per month upon the official release. Users wanting to avoid this charge must disenroll from Azure Arc in preview on or before June 30.
It is worth noting that Windows Server 2025 costs $1,176 for the Standard edition and $6,771 for the Datacenter edition, or $33.58 per CPU core per month if opting for a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model. The new subscription fee, therefore, may be viewed as an additional charge.
While the hotpatching feature applies only to Windows Server 2025, it raises questions about the potential future monetization of similar services in other Microsoft ecosystems, such as the Windows 11 desktop platform. Organizations and consumers might face increased costs for security updates if Microsoft were to extend the subscription model to other platforms.
This news comes amid continued efforts by Microsoft to strengthen its cloud services and integrate its cloud management tools with on-premises infrastructure. The use of Azure Arc is an integral part of this strategy, facilitating cloud migration and fostering hybrid cloud strategies for businesses.
In terms of its impact on organizations, the added subscription fee could lead to extra operational expenses. For instance, a deployment of 100 servers with 64 cores each could cost over $100,000 annually for hotpatching alone. The reduction in required reboots, although securing increased uptime and improved security posture, adds to the complexity of Microsoft's licensing models.
Overall, the move to charge for advanced features like hotpatching in Windows Server 2025 signifies Microsoft’s strategy to monetize value-added services and encourage cloud adoption. While no current plans have been announced to extend this model to regular Windows users, the precedent sets the stage for future paid services in the Microsoft ecosystem, potentially reshaping the approach towards security, updates, and licensing for both organizations and individual users.
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- As data-and-cloud-computing needs continue to evolve, Windows Server 2025 offers advanced features like hotpatching to manage servers more efficiently.
- The hotpatching feature, available in Windows Server 2025, allows for updates without rebooting servers, reducing the annual reboot frequency from 12 to 4.
- While the cost of Windows Server 2025 is substantial, the additional subscription fee for hotpatching must be considered as part of the ongoing operational expenses.
- Microsoft's decision to monetize the hotpatching feature in Windows Server 2025 could serve as a precedent for charging for similar services in other Microsoft ecosystems, like the Windows 11 desktop platform.
- As technology advances, the potential for increased costs for security updates exists, especially if Microsoft extends the subscription model to other platforms, such as regular Windows users.
