What is Extended Hotfix Support?
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, during the Extended Support phase we no longer provide non-security hotfixes without enrollment in the Extended Hotfix Support program.  Simply put, the Extended Hotfix Support program provides the ability to request non-security hotfixes for products that are in the Extended Support phase.

Remember, Extended Hotfix Support (EHS) only provides the opportunity to request a non-security hotfix for a new bug discovered during the Extended Support phase.  It has no impact on a customer’s ability to request support, security updates, or other non-security hotfixes created during the Mainstream Support phase.

To enroll in EHS, customers must already have Premier Support.  In addition, enrollment in the program must occur within the first 90 days of the product entering the Extended Support phase.  If the customer misses this deadline, there may not be an opportunity to enroll in EHS again Microsoft MCITP Certification.

The only exception to the 90 day enrollment rule is for customers with Software Assurance (SA).  Customers with Software Assurance on select products are eligible for a benefit which includes the program fee for Extended Hotfix Support and allows enrollment at any time.  Essentially, this means that the SA customers only need to sign the appropriate paperwork and pay the per hotfix fee.  The products that are included in this benefit are: Microsoft Office Professional, Microsoft Windows Client, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft MCTS Training Operations Manager (MOM), Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS), and Microsoft Windows Server.

Pricing for Extended Hotfix Support consists of an annual program fee, plus an additional fee for each non-security hotfix they receive.  Non-security hotfixes produced during the Extended Support phase will not be made available to other customers in the program, without enrollment in EHS or the per hotfix fee.  This is to ensure that all customers are treated equal and are being charged the same fees for each hotfix.

Whew…  That’s a lot of stuff to cover.  I hope it makes the program easier to understand, though.  🙂