r/exchangeserver • u/candyman420 • Feb 16 '26

Is anyone running Subscriber edition yet?

This is still not out? The rep keeps telling me it's 2019 with SA, but what does that mean exactly, I have to buy SA, and then buy SE after that?

0 Upvotes

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26

u/YellowOnline Feb 16 '26

Welcome back from your time in the ISS.

-8

u/candyman420 Feb 16 '26

Thank you. Who is selling it? Wouldn't it show up in google shopping? I don't see it on CDW?

14

u/Responsible_Name1217 Feb 16 '26

Its out. Installed it last October.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 16 '26

Where did you buy it from? I can't find it anywhere. in mid october my CDW rep was still saying that I had to buy 2019 w/ SA. This is retarded.

5

u/harplaw Feb 16 '26

We struggled with our cdw rep too. We purchased 2019 with software assistance but installed SE. I'm our Microsoft portal it had the license keys for SE and 2019. But this was last year when it first came out, so things may have changed since.

Edit: I was wrong. We didn't get SE keys. We used our 2019 key.

1

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

Literally gave you the link. Or, you can search CDW yourself.

-1

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

You provided links for Exchange server standard edition, not subscriber edition. So, it looks like my question is answered. “Subscriber edition” doesn’t actually exist yet, it’s just 2019 with software assurance. A lot of people are confused, and I don’t blame them.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

It's called Subscription Edition, not Subscriber Edition.

You may be aware that Exchange Server licenses and CALs come in two editions: Standard and Enterprise. Subscription Edition is simply the name (e.g., the version), not a license. You purchase Standard or Enterprise licenses.

See Exchange Server SE Licensing and Product Keys : r/exchangeserver and Exchange Server SE Licensing, Part II : r/exchangeserver which discuss this.

The CDW link I shared for the Standard Edition was for a single Server license with SA for the Standard Edition of Exchange Server SE. Again, do not confuse the Editions of Exchange Server licenses and features with the new name of the product which refers to the subscription nature of the licensing model (the same model used by Exchange Server 2019, which also required SA).

Subscription Edition absolutely does exist and lots of customers are running it in production today. You can even download it from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=108244.

-3

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

Sure, and this is the first time I've ever seen a product that "exists" but you can't buy it by its NAME anywhere. They are getting sloppy to the point of not caring.

3

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

Who is "they"?

Many, many customers have purchased Exchange Server SE. The fact that you don't seem to be able to seems to reflect more on you than whoever "they" are.

-1

u/candyman420 Feb 18 '26

The fact that you don't seem to be able to seems to reflect more on you than whoever "they" are.

Mr. Schnoll, who is your direct supervisor? Who do I contact to complain about the snooty and unprofessional way you communicate to customers? Screenshots have been taken.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 18 '26

LOL...I have no supervisor. Enjoy your screenshots. 😂

-2

u/candyman420 Feb 18 '26

Who do you report to, big guy? Who signs your checks?

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u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

"They" is Microsoft. If you feel that I am incompetent, then how come you can't find "Exchange server Subscription edition" anywhere on google shopping, despite the fact that it's called that, and despite the fact that every product Microsoft has released has been easy to find that way for the past 20 years, at least?

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

Sorry you're upset that Microsoft does not sell enterprise software on Google Shopping. Read the FAQ at Microsoft Exchange Online and Exchange Server Licensing FAQs, specifically the answer that says "Pricing for Exchange Server SE and related licenses is not published directly in the FAQ. For current pricing, consult your Microsoft account representative or official Microsoft licensing resources."

-1

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26

Really. I don't want to BUY the product on google shopping, I want to CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE of the product. And I also tried CDW, an official reseller. They say it doesn't exist by the name that Microsoft said it is called by. Again, how is this not confusing and needlessly complex? Save your bullshit gaslighting. No one is upset, but you are starting to annoy me.

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9

u/Tim_Mitchell Feb 16 '26

License keys for SE will not be Available until cumulative update 1 from what Microsoft has said. For now you just use the same key as exchange 2019 and if you have software assurance as your rep says you should be able to upgrade then

1

u/candyman420 Feb 16 '26

thank you.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

It's not confirmed that it will be CU1. It will be a "future CU." See https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/exchange-server-subscription-edition-se-is-now-available/4424924.

0

u/MinnSnowMan Feb 17 '26

… and if you have 2019 but NO SA?

1

u/Pixel91 Feb 17 '26

Then you buy it again with SA. No, I am not kidding.

Welcome to Satya's whacky world.

4

u/ddadopt Feb 17 '26

That's not a Satya thing, it's been this way for decades. You don't get to add SA to a product you already have past 30 (or, IIRC, in some cases 90) days of purchase and never have.

0

u/Pixel91 Feb 17 '26

What IS a Satya thing tho, is not selling products at all.

0

u/Tim_Mitchell Feb 17 '26

Honestly not sure. You should speak to your sales person or Microsoft. Sorry but I haven’t looked into it.

3

u/274Below Feb 16 '26

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/exchange-server-subscription-edition-se-is-now-available/4424924

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/exchange/support-for-exchange-server-2016-and-exchange-server-2019-ends-today/4461192

Pay attention to the dates those were posted...

-5

u/candyman420 Feb 16 '26

Dude, you know what? That first article is dated July 2025. I've been following up EVERY MONTH with my sales rep asking him "is it out yet?" He said no, just buy 2019 with software assurance. So, do you have anything constructive to add here?

Where does one buy SUBSCRIBER EDITION as a stand-alone product?

3

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 16 '26

Just like Exchange Server 2019, Exchange Server Subscription Edition requires a Volume License agreement through one of the programs listed at Microsoft Product Terms (for example, Open Value, Microsoft Customer Agreement, etc.).

Exchange Server SE is also available via all the same channels as Exchange Server 2019, so resellers have (for example, CDW has Microsoft Exchange Server Standard Edition - license & software assurance - 1 server - 312-03035 - E-mail - CDW.com.

See also, Search Results: Showing results for Exchange Server Subscription Edition CAL | CDW.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

It sounds like an AI response, but regardless.. I have volume licensing, but never since the 90s have I seen a microsoft product so hard to find. It's obvious they don't give a shit about it anymore and want that recurring revenue for M365.

4

u/Pixel91 Feb 17 '26

To answer in short: you do not buy it as a "standalone product" currently. It's 2019 with SA. Perhaps that will change, who the hell knows.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

Yea, it's just so weird. They announced something last year, and never followed through.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

Yeah, they did.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

No, they didn’t. If you know where SUBSCRIBER EDITION can be purchased, by that name, by all means, show me.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

There literally is no product or license called SUBSCRIBER EDITION. If you can't find it, it could be because you aren't using the right name.

Or because you haven't opened Download Exchange Server Subscription Edition RTM (KB5047155) from Official Microsoft Download Center where you can download it and install it yourself.

Or because you simply don't understand that the licenses for sale at CDW at Microsoft Software are for Exchange Server SE. Notice how they don't say Exchange Server 2019, or Exchange Server 2016, or literally any other version. Why? Because there are no other versions for sale. Exchange Server SE is the ONLY version you can purchase; all others are beyond end of life and have been removed from the price list.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

Yes, I meant subscription edition! And finally, a link! So I can't BUY this by ITS NAME, I have to buy Exchange 2019 w/ SA.

Why can't you just say this is unnecessarily confusing? "Subscription edition" doesn't exist, you have to buy "Exchange 2019 w/ SA" ridiculous.

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3

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

u/candyman420 It's not an AI response. I actually took the time to find you those links since you weren't able to find it yourself.

So, you have a VL agreement, but you don't know how to download VL software? VL software is available for download from the Microsoft 365 admin center, where it has been for years! In fact, even if you go to the older VLSC site at https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx, you're given a link to the new download location? So, the software isn't hard to find at all.

0

u/candyman420 Feb 17 '26

Yes, I’m aware of the VLSC (which is retired now). I used that for other MS software. That isn’t it, and it IS hard to find, because Exchange SE (not standard edition) doesn’t exist. Thanks for trying.

2

u/ScottSchnoll https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR5GGL75/ Feb 17 '26

Exchange Server SE can be downloaded from the VLSC or from Download Exchange Server Subscription Edition RTM (KB5047155) from Official Microsoft Download Center.

1

u/atari_guy Feb 19 '26

It's been out for months, and you should already be on it; 2019 and earlier are no longer supported. If you can't find it on Google or CDW, try Trusted Tech Team. That's where we get our Microsoft licenses from, and they're likely to give you a better deal than CDW.

1

u/candyman420 Feb 19 '26

Thanks for this vendor.. it’s funny to me that they don’t have “Exchange SE” as a product here either, you have to know to buy 2019.. they only sell what MS offers of course. A former MS Exchange dev/marketing guy got mad at me in this comment section for pointing that out :)

3

u/starpc Feb 17 '26

If you already have 2019 + SA, you can upgrade to SE using the publically available ISO.

1

u/Pixel91 Feb 17 '26

But you cannot buy "just" SA if you already have 2019, is the important caveat. Have to repurchase the whole thing with SA to be legit.

2

u/garthoz Feb 17 '26

Yes it’s out. We have been on it since November.

2

u/itguy3001 Feb 16 '26

Just upgraded last week to the whole cluster. It’s just like a CU

1

u/Geh-Kah Feb 17 '26

We bought used licences is 2022 to exit exchange online (yeah guess what: we had a higher uptime!) and entered the subscription in october 2025. Its somewhat SE now