For many organisations, the CSP relationship plays a key role in shaping their Microsoft strategy, from cost management to compliance and adoption. Yet despite its importance, it often lacks strategic attention.

A well-run CSP relationship should deliver structured, strategic engagement. At a minimum, your CSP should be conducting quarterly reviews that examine licensing, consumption, optimisation, compliance, and future planning.

As I explored in The hidden cost of a reactive cloud solution provider (CSP), many CSP partnerships drift from strategic to purely operational, resulting in missed optimisation, unnecessary licensing costs and increased risk.

At the heart of this is a simple issue: the absence of proactive, structured guidance. Let’s take a look at the five activities your CSP should be doing quarterly, but probably isn’t.

What “good” looks like: the quarterly CSP review checklist

1. Microsoft licensing optimisation

Microsoft licensing environments change constantly; users move, workloads evolve, and Microsoft licensing models shift.

A proactive CSP should perform a quarterly licensing optimisation review that examines:

  • Microsoft 365 license allocation
  • Azure Hybrid Benefit usage
  • Unused or underutilised licenses
  • Overlapping product capabilities
  • Changes in Microsoft licensing programs

For example, many organisations continue assigning high-tier licenses like Microsoft 365 E5 to users who only require E3-level capabilities. Others overlook bundled capabilities already included in their subscriptions, leading to duplicate third-party tool spend.

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€150,000 in annual licensing savings (approx.)
Professional services firm (2,200 employees) 

During a quarterly licensing review, we identified that over 20% of Microsoft 365 E5 licenses were assigned to users who did not require advanced security capabilities. By realigning license tiers with actual usage profiles, the organisation reduced unnecessary E5 allocation while maintaining security coverage for higher-risk roles.

2. Azure cost optimisation and FinOps reviews 

Azure environments rarely stay static. Development teams deploy new services, scale workloads, and create temporary environments that often remain active long after projects finish. Without governance, cloud spend can increase quickly. 

A proactive CSP should therefore conduct a quarterly Azure FinOps review that focuses on consumption patterns, optimisation opportunities, and financial governance. 

Key areas should include: 

  • Reserved Instance and Savings Plan opportunities 
  • Underutilised or idle resources 
  • Storage tier optimisation 
  • Rightsizing virtual machines 
  • Workload scheduling opportunities 
  • Cost anomaly detection 

Cloud environments require continuous financial management, not one-time optimisation. 

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23% reduction in monthly
Azure compute costs.
European retail organisation
(900 employees)

A quarterly FinOps review revealed several development environments running continuously outside working hours, along with multiple overprovisioned virtual machines. By rightsizing workloads, introducing automated shutdown schedules, and applying Azure Savings Plans, we reduced unnecessary compute spend.

3. Microsoft roadmap and feature adoption  

Microsoft evolves its cloud platforms rapidly. New security capabilities appear in Microsoft 365, Azure introduces new services, and licensing bundles expand with additional features. 

A strategic CSP should provide quarterly Microsoft roadmap and adoption reviews to help customers understand: 

  • Newly released Microsoft features 
  • Capabilities already included in existing licenses 
  • Retired or changing services 
  • Opportunities to replace third-party tools 
  • Upcoming licensing changes 

Many organisations already own powerful capabilities they never deploy. 

For example, Microsoft 365 E5 includes advanced security tools such as Microsoft Defender and identity protection features. Yet many organisations continue purchasing separate security solutions simply because they are unaware of what is already included in their subscriptions. 

 4. Licensing compliance and risk posture  

Microsoft licensing complexity means compliance risks often go unnoticed until they become urgent. 

Changes in user counts, cloud workloads, hybrid infrastructure, and licensing program transitions can all introduce compliance exposure. 

A proactive CSP should therefore perform quarterly compliance posture reviews, focusing on areas such as: 

  • Alignment between deployed software and purchased licenses 
  • Hybrid licensing benefits and eligibility 
  • Azure usage tied to on-premise licenses 
  • Licensing changes related to mergers or acquisitions 
  • Preparation for potential Microsoft audits
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Improved audit readiness and
reduced compliance risk
Financial services organisation
(3,000 employees)

Following several acquisitions, the organisation’s Microsoft licensing estate had become fragmented across hybrid infrastructure and multiple user groups. A quarterly compliance review identified gaps in server licensing coverage and unused licenses assigned to inactive users. We helped realign licensing with the deployed environment.

5. Consumption forecasting and commercial planning 

Microsoft licensing has become increasingly consumption-driven. 

Azure is usage-based, while Microsoft 365 subscriptions fluctuate as organisations grow or restructure. Without forward planning, commercial decisions often become reactive. 

A proactive CSP should conduct quarterly consumption forecasting and commercial planning sessions that examine: 

  • Upcoming Azure consumption trends 
  • Workforce growth or reduction 
  • New workload deployments 
  • Renewal planning for Microsoft subscriptions 
  • Licensing model changes 
What a quarterly CSP review should include 

A proactive CSP engagement should include a structured quarterly review covering both technical and commercial aspects of your Microsoft environment. 

A typical review should include: 

  • Microsoft 365 licensing optimisation analysis 
  • Azure consumption and FinOps review 
  • Compliance and licensing posture assessment 
  • Updates on Microsoft roadmap changes 
  • Forward-looking consumption and licensing forecasts 
 The CSP gap: provisioning isn’t the same as proactive guidance 

Many CSPs are structured primarily around license provisioning and billing rather than ongoing advisory engagement. While some providers offer strong technical expertise in cloud deployment and infrastructure management, fewer have dedicated Microsoft licensing specialists focused on optimisation, compliance, and commercial strategy. 

Without that expertise, structured quarterly reviews often don’t happen. 

Customers receive licenses and invoices — but little guidance on how to continuously optimise their Microsoft investment. 

Version 1 CSP approach 

Our approach to CSP is different. 

As a leader in technology transformation with dedicated Software Asset Management (SAM), FinOps, and Microsoft licensing specialists, we combine commercial expertise with technical cloud optimisation capabilities. 

This allows us to provide customers with structured quarterly engagement that includes: 

  • Licensing optimisation reviews 
  • Azure FinOps and cost governance 
  • Compliance and audit readiness assessments 
  • Strategic planning for Microsoft platform adoption 
A quick self-assessment for your CSP relationship 

If you’re unsure whether your current CSP is delivering this level of engagement, consider the following questions: 

  • When was the last time your CSP reviewed your Microsoft licensing estate for optimisation opportunities? 
  • Do you receive regular insight into Azure consumption trends and cost-saving opportunities? 
  • Has your CSP recently assessed your environment for potential licensing compliance risks? 
  • Are you receiving guidance on new Microsoft capabilities already included in your licenses? 
  • Do you have visibility into how upcoming projects may affect your Microsoft licensing or cloud consumption? 

If your CSP isn’t engaging proactively, you may be missing out on genuine strategic value.  

As a Cloud Solutions Provider, we continuously optimise investments, manage risk, and unlock platform value, going beyond license sales to truly enhance your Microsoft ecosystem. 

Take a look at our FAQ on Microsoft CSP or contact us to find out where we can create value.