SQL Server Licensing
This topic describes provides an overview of how License Analytics supports analysis of Microsoft SQL Server licensing. For complete details on how Microsoft licenses SQL Server or any other product, please see the Microsoft website.
What's Supported?
License Analytics supports analysis of the SQL Server products and licensing models shown in the table below that are discovered by the CAM Agent (not by the CAM External Connector). Note that capacity-based licensing (processor and core) are handled interchangeably based on contract terms. This means that if a version was originally released under the processor licensing model, it gets converted to core-based licensing if provided for under a volume contract.
| Title | License Model |
|---|---|
| SQL Server 2005 Enterprise | Processor, Server+CAL (client access license) |
| SQL Server 2005 Standard | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2005 Workgroup | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 Enterprise | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 Standard | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 Workgroup | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 Standard Edition for Small Business | Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 Datacenter | Processor |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 Standard | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 Workgroup | Processor, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2008 R2 Small Business | Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2012 Enterprise | Processor, Core, Server+CAL* |
| SQL Server 2012 Standard | Core, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2012 Business Intelligence | Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2014 Enterprise | Core, Server+CAL (upgrade only) |
| SQL Server 2014 Standard | Core, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2014 Business Intelligence | Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2016 Enterprise | Core, Server+CAL (upgrade only) |
| SQL Server 2016 Standard | Core, Server+CAL |
| SQL Server 2017 Enterprise | Core, Server+CAL (upgrade only) |
| SQL Server 2017 Standard | Core, Server+CAL |
* Purchasers of this edition have the option to purchase Server+CAL licenses until Software Assurance (SA) renewal. Enterprise Agreement (EA) purchasers can purchase processor licenses until next renewal of EA contract. All processor licenses under SA are converted to core licensing model at renewal. See the Microsoft website for information on conversion rules.
SQL Server Contract Licensing Transitions and License Rules
SQL Server licensing has changed over time:
- In 2012, capacity licenses changed from per-processor to per-core.
- Enterprise edition Server+CAL licenses were not sold after the 2008 R2 version.
Based on the above, the basic processor-to-core transition rules are:
- Volume contracts with SA effective after April 1, 2012 use core licenses for all capacity-based licensing.
- Volume contracts without SA, as well as retail and OEM contracts, use processor licensing (pre-2012) or core licensing (2012 and later).
In determining compliance, several rules may apply in some situations. License Analytics enforces the rules as follows:
- If SQL Server was acquired under a contract with SA, the licensing rules for the title are those of the latest contract in force (either current or expired). License terms for previously-purchased software may change as contracts with SA are renewed.
- If SQL Server was acquired under a contract without SA, the licensing rules are those from the contract in force at the time of acquisition.
See Examples: SQL Server Licensing for more on how these rules are applied.