Microsoft is back in court in the UK over unfair cloud licensing claims

• Microsoft accused of imposing barriers to discourage customers from running Windows Server on rival clouds
• UK businesses could have lost tens of thousands of pounds due to unfair licensing
• The trial, set to cost an estimated £18.4 million, could see Microsoft having to pay £2 billion in compensation if found guilty

Microsoft has once again found itself in trouble in the UK over unfair cloud licensing practices, with Dr Maria Luisa Stasi accusing the company of overcharging UK organizations to run Windows Server on rival clouds (such as AWS and Google Cloud).

Dr Stasi alleges Microsoft has used its dominance in server software to force customers towards its Azure cloud platform.

The case is being heard by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), with around 59,000 British organizations included in the proposed class.