everything you need to know About azure hybrid benefit (AHB)

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When it become available?
in April 2018 Microsoft Announce Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB).
Can it reduces the cost?
Using AUB with Azure reserved instance (RI) Save up to 80% from the total cost.

How I can use it ?
Use Software Assurance for Windows Server or Windows Server Subscription licenses to save with the Azure Hybrid Benefit.

• Azure Hybrid Benefit enables you to migrate to cloud at big savings. Save up to 49% on Windows Server virtual machines by paying reduced1 compute rates. Combine with Azure Reserved Instances to save even more, up to 80% savings.
• You qualify for Azure Hybrid Benefit if you have active Software Assurance on your on-premises Windows Server licenses or Windows Server Subscription.
• Deploy a new virtual machine in minutes using Azure Marketplace images; or upload a custom virtual machine; migrate free with Azure Site Recovery.
• Use with Azure marketplace images, on-premises images, and other cloud providers’ images.
• The Azure Hybrid Benefit is available in all Azure cloud regions.

How I can enable it?
When you want to create new Virtual Machine only make sure to activate AHB Option as the below screenshot

Shall I reactive the Windows after enabling AHB feature?
The answer is NO. As Azure Hybrid Benefit gives customers an entitlement on Azure but does not ask them to "Physically move" a license key to Azure

Can I enable it for the existing VM on Azure?
Diffidently You can, As The "Retroactive tagging" feature enables you to tag your existing VMs to enjoy this benefit.
You can you use the below Powershell script to verify the license type of the VM

$VMs = Get-AzureRMVM -ResourceGroupName XYZ
foreach ($vm in $VMs) {"Name " + $vm.name," Azure Hybrid benefit " + $vm.LicenseType }

How Can I use it with SQL Server ?
For SQL Server AHB allows you to use on-premises licenses to run SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines. If you have Software Assurance, you can use AHB when deploying a new SQL VM or activate SQL Server AHB for an existing SQL VM with a pay as you go (PAYG) license. Bring your own license (BYOL) SQL Images on Azure Marketplace should be used to implement SQL Server AHB when deploying a new SQL VM. However, if you already have a SQL VM with a PAYG license, activating AHB currently requires re-deploying the VM with BYOL SQL imageSuggested Options:

1. SQL Database Managed Instance  and migrate your SQL Server databases without changing your apps.
2. SQL Database Single Database or Elastic Pool and build data-driven applications and websites in the programming language of your choice
   

What is 90 Days Rule?
As per the 90-day license reassignment rule, a customer will not be able to reassign licenses from one server to another within a "server farm" as frequently as needed.

All Microsoft licenses are assigned to physical servers. So if a Virtual Machine is moved to a server without an available license for a given Microsoft application, Microsoft considers the VM movement a license transfer. Once a license is transferred, it could not be reassigned to another physical host for 90 days.

Note : Read more about SQL Hybrid benefit at Microsoft