Merge pull request #227024 from bandersmsft/ri-exchange-policy-change

MCM - Adding RI exchange policy change article

Author: JamesJBarnett

articles/cost-management-billing/reservations/exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ ms.service: cost-management-billing
 ms.subservice: reservations
 ms.custom: ignite-2022
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 01/27/2023
+ms.date: 02/10/2023
 ms.author: banders
 ---
 
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ However, you can't exchange dissimilar reservations. For example, you can't exch
 You can also exchange a reservation to purchase another reservation of a similar type in a different region. For example, you can exchange a reservation that's in West US 2 region for one that's in West Europe region.
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> Exchanges will be unavailable for Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations **purchased on or after January 1, 2024**. Microsoft launched Azure savings plan for compute and it's designed to help you save broadly on predictable compute usage. The savings plan provides more flexibility needed to accommodate changes such as virtual machine series and regions. With savings plan providing the flexibility automatically, we’re adjusting our reservations exchange policy. You can continue to exchange VM sizes (with instance size flexibility) but we'll no longer support exchanging instance series or regions for these Azure reserved instances. Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations purchased **prior to January 1, 2024** will reserve the right to **exchange one more time** after the policy change goes into effect. 
+> Exchanges will be unavailable for all compute reservations - Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations - purchased on or after **January 1, 2024**. Compute reservations purchased **prior to January 1, 2024** will reserve the right to **exchange one more time** after the policy change goes into effect. Microsoft launched Azure savings plan for compute and it's designed to help you save broadly on predictable compute usage. The savings plan provides more flexibility needed to accommodate changes such as virtual machine series and regions. With savings plan providing the flexibility automatically, we’re adjusting our reservations exchange policy. You can continue to exchange VM sizes (with instance size flexibility) but we'll no longer support exchanging instance series or regions for these compute reservations.  For more information about the exchange policy change, see [Changes to the Azure reservation exchange policy](reservation-exchange-policy-changes.md).
 >
-> For a limited time you may [trade-in](../savings-plan/reservation-trade-in.md) your Azure reserved instances for compute for a savings plan. Or, you may continue to use and purchase reservations for those predictable, stable workloads where you know the specific configuration you’ll need and want additional savings. Learn more about [Azure savings plan for compute](../savings-plan/index.yml) and how it works with reservations.
+> For a limited time you may [trade-in](../savings-plan/reservation-trade-in.md) your Azure compute reservations for a savings plan. Or, you may continue to use and purchase reservations for those predictable, stable workloads where you know the specific configuration you’ll need and want additional savings. Learn more about [Azure savings plan for compute](../savings-plan/index.yml) and how it works with reservations.
 
 When you exchange a reservation, you can change your term from one-year to three-year.
 

articles/cost-management-billing/reservations/index.yml

@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ landingContent:
         url: manage-reserved-vm-instance.md
       - text: Exchange and refund reservations
         url: exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md
+      - text: Changes to the reservation exchange policy
+        url: reservation-exchange-policy-changes.md
 
   # Card (optional)
   - title: Report costs after purchase

articles/cost-management-billing/reservations/media/reservation-exchange-policy-changes/exchange-timeline-diagram.png

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+---
+title: Changes to the Azure reservation exchange policy
+description: Learn how changes to the Azure reservation exchange policy might affect you.
+author: bandersmsft
+ms.author: banders
+ms.reviewer: nitinarora
+ms.service: cost-management-billing
+ms.subservice: reservations
+ms.topic: conceptual
+ms.date: 02/14/2023
+---
+
+# Changes to the Azure reservation exchange policy
+
+Exchanges will be unavailable for all compute reservations - Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations - purchased on or after **January 1, 2024**. Compute reservations purchased **prior to January 1, 2024** will reserve the right to **exchange one more time** after the policy change goes into effect.
+
+Microsoft launched Azure savings plan for compute and it's designed to help you save broadly on predictable compute usage. The savings plan provides more flexibility needed to accommodate changes such as virtual machine series and regions. With savings plans providing the flexibility automatically, we’re adjusting our reservations exchange policy.
+
+You can continue to exchange VM sizes (with instance size flexibility). However, Microsoft is ending exchanges for regions and instance series for these Azure compute reservations.
+
+The current cancellation policy for reserved instances isn't changing. The total canceled commitment can't exceed 50,000 USD in a 12-month rolling window for a billing profile or single enrollment.
+
+You may [trade in](../savings-plan/reservation-trade-in.md) your Azure reserved instances for compute for a savings plan. You can continue to use and purchase reservations for those predictable, stable workloads where you know the specific configuration and need or want more savings.
+
+Learn more about [Azure savings plan for compute](../savings-plan/index.yml) and how it works with reservations.
+
+:::image type="content" source="./media/reservation-exchange-policy-changes/exchange-timeline-diagram.png" alt-text="Diagram showing the exchange policy timeline." border="false" lightbox="./media/reservation-exchange-policy-changes/exchange-timeline-diagram.png":::
+
+## Example scenarios
+
+The following examples describe scenarios that might represent your situation.
+
+### Scenario 1
+
+You purchase a one-year compute reservation between October 2022 and January 2024. The compute reservation can be exchanged one more time through the end of its term, even after January 2024. Before January 2024, you can exchange it under current policy. However, when the reservation is exchanged after January 2024, the reservation is no longer exchangeable because exchanges are processed as a cancellation and new purchase. You can still trade in the reservation for a savings plan.
+
+### Scenario 2
+
+You purchase a three-year compute reservation before January 2024. You exchange the compute reservation after January 2024. Because an exchange is processed as a cancellation and new purchase, the reservation is no longer exchangeable. However, you can still trade in the reservation for a savings plan.
+
+### Scenario 3
+
+You purchase a one-year compute reservation after January 2024. It can’t be exchanged. However, you can trade in the reservation for a savings plan.
+
+### Scenario 4
+
+You purchase a three-year compute reservation after January 2024. It can’t be exchanged. However, you can trade in the reservation for a savings plan.
+
+## Next steps
+
+- Learn more about [Self-service exchanges and refunds for Azure Reservations](exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md).
+- Learn more about [Self-service trade-in for Azure savings plans](../savings-plan/reservation-trade-in.md).

articles/cost-management-billing/reservations/reservation-exchange-policy-changes.md

@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@
     items:
     - name: Exchange and refund reservations
       href: exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md
+    - name: Changes to the reservation exchange policy
+      href: reservation-exchange-policy-changes.md
   - name: Renew reservations
     items:
     - name: Renew a reservation

articles/cost-management-billing/reservations/toc.yml

@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ The benefit is first applied to the product that has the greatest savings plan d
 
 A savings plan discount only applies to resources associated with Enterprise Agreement, Microsoft Partner Agreement, and Microsoft Customer Agreements. Resources that run in a subscription with other offer types don't receive the discount.
 
-## Savings plans and VM reserved instances
+## Savings plans and VM reservations
 
-If you have both dynamic and stable workloads, you likely will have both Azure savings plans and VM reserved instances. Since reservation benefits are more restrictive than savings plans, and usually have greater discounts, Azure applies reservation benefits first.
+If you have both dynamic and stable workloads, you likely will have both Azure savings plans and VM reservations. Since reservation benefits are more restrictive than savings plans, and usually have greater discounts, Azure applies reservation benefits first.
 
 For example, VM *X* has the highest savings plan discount of all savings plan-eligible resources you used in a particular hour. If you have an available VM reservation that's compatible with *X*, the reservation is consumed instead of the savings plan. The approach reduces the possibility of waste and it ensures that you’re always getting the best benefit.
 

articles/cost-management-billing/savings-plan/discount-application.md

@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ The following reservations aren't eligible to be traded in for savings plans:
 - SUSE Linux plans
 
 > [!NOTE]
-> Exchanges will be unavailable for Azure reserved instances for compute services purchased on or after **January 1, 2024**. Azure savings plan for compute is designed to help you save broadly on predictable compute usage. The savings plan provides more flexibility needed to accommodate changes such as virtual machine series and regions. With savings plan providing the flexibility automatically, we’re adjusting our reservations exchange policy. You can continue to exchange VM sizes (with instance size flexibility) but we'll no longer support exchanging instance series or regions for Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations. For a limited time you may trade-in your Azure reserved instances for compute for a savings plan. Or, you may continue to use and purchase reservations for those predictable, stable workloads where you know the specific configuration you’ll need and want additional savings. For more information, see [Self-service exchanges and refunds for Azure Reservations](../reservations/exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md).
-
+> Exchanges will be unavailable for all compute reservations - Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations - purchased on or after **January 1, 2024**. Compute reservations purchased **prior to January 1, 2024** will reserve the right to **exchange one more time** after the policy change goes into effect. Azure savings plan for compute is designed to help you save broadly on predictable compute usage. The savings plan provides more flexibility needed to accommodate changes such as virtual machine series and regions. With savings plan providing the flexibility automatically, we’re adjusting our reservations exchange policy. You can continue to exchange VM sizes (with instance size flexibility) but we'll no longer support exchanging instance series or regions for Azure Reserved Virtual Machine Instances, Azure Dedicated Host reservations, and Azure App Services reservations. For a limited time you may trade-in your Azure compute reservations for a savings plan. Or, you may continue to use and purchase reservations for those predictable, stable workloads where you know the specific configuration you’ll need and want additional savings. For more information, see [Self-service exchanges and refunds for Azure Reservations](../reservations/exchange-and-refund-azure-reservations.md).
 
 - You must have owner access on the Reservation Order to trade in an existing reservation. You can [Add or change users who can manage a savings plan](manage-savings-plan.md#who-can-manage-a-savings-plan).
 - Microsoft isn't currently charging early termination fees for reservation trade ins. We might charge the fees made in the future. We currently don't have a date for enabling the fee.