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Microsoft Software Assurance

Extended Hotfix Support

Make it easier to get the support you need as your software transitions from Mainstream Support to Extended Support.

If your organization has a Premier Support contract, the Extended Hotfix Support benefit available through Microsoft Software Assurance can make it easier to get the support you need as your software transitions from Mainstream Support to Extended Support.

The Extended Hotfix Support benefit provides:

Greater savings: With annual fees for the Extended Hotfix Support benefit included in the Software Assurance program, you pay only the per-hotfix fee for new, non-security hotfixes when you need them.
Peace of mind and flexibility: As a Software Assurance customer, you can enroll in the Extended Hotfix Support program (on selected products*) at any time during the Extended Support phase in order to request new, non-security hotfixes.

As always, security fixes are automatically available to all customers during the Mainstream and Extended Support phases.

*The Software Assurance Extended Hotfix Support benefit covers Microsoft Office Professional, Windows, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (formerly known as Microsoft Operations Manager), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Systems Center Configuration Manager (formerly Microsoft Systems Management Server), and Windows Server.

About the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy

Microsoft provides a minimum of five years of Mainstream Support and five years of Extended Support for business and developer products.
During the Mainstream Support phase, all support options are available, including all paid and complimentary support options. Security updates and non-security hotfixes are provided at no additional charge.
During the Extended Support phase, paid support options continue to be available and security updates continue to be provided at no additional charge. However, customers who want new, non-security hotfix support during the Extended Support phase must sign up for Extended Hotfix Support.
The Extended Hotfix Support benefit for Software Assurance customers includes the annual fee for Extended Hotfix Support on specific products covered by Software Assurance.
Customers are not required to sign an Extended Hotfix Support agreement within 90 days of a product's transition from Mainstream to Extended Support. Instead, they can enroll at any time during the Extended Support phase for selected products for which they have Software Assurance coverage.
Learn more about the Microsoft Support Lifecycle

The fee for Extended Hotfix Support is included with Software Assurance, so all you pay for is the actual hotfix. You must sign up for Extended Hotfix Support within 90 days of product purchase, except on selected products.

The following Volume Licensing programs are eligible for this benefit:

Open License
Select License
Select Plus
Open Value
Open Value Company-Wide/Subscription
Select License with Software Assurance Membership
Select Plus with Software Assurance Membership
Enterprise Agreement/Subscription
Campus, School and Select Academic Agreement
Campus, School and Select Academic Agreement with Software Assurance Membership

After it is determined, typically by a Support Engineer, that the resolution to a customer-reported issue will likely require a hotfix for a product in the Extended phase of the support life cycle, contact your Technical Account Manager (TAM). The TAM will work with the appropriate problem resolution team to initiate the process of creating the hotfix.

After it is confirmed that a hotfix can be created and provided to you, the TAM will work with you to sign you up for an Extended Hotfix Support Account (EHSA) or add coverage to your existing EHSA for the affected product.

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