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Licensing SQL Server for web access
Hi, If a system is to be made available over the internet to a number of offices of a partner company where the staff in each office will simply share a login to reference data what SQL Server Licensing will be required please? The staff are not employed by the same companies. There are 20+ offices with 4 or 5 staff in each office. There will only be a single login for each office. Multiple connections from each office are likely at any time. This is for a 2008 server but I am not sure that that matters - we will have to obey SQL Server 2012 licensing rules? The server currently has 2xCPU licenses but serves data to staff within one company only . Will we need 2012 CALs for each office (20ish) or for each user/seat (100ish), or does this not apply anymore.
As with anything licensing you best off speaking to your MS reseller or MS directly. Don't take a public forum as the truth as rules can change. But typically if your SQL server is going to be internet facing via a web page etc, then you cannot say there will be X amount of people accessing the server so it has to be licensed on a CPU or Core based method.
fair point well made, I'm looking for experience as much as anything while waiting for reseller reply!
I agree with @anthony.green - this scenario will require you to have Core based licensing as the system is externally facing. The other point to note is that for each CPU you have there, will be a minimum of 4 core licenses needed, so.... if the 2 CPUS are dual core = 8 SQL2012 core licences if the 2 CPUS are quad core = 8 SQL2012 core licenses if the 2 CPUs are hex core = 12 SQL2012 core licenses
If that server is already licensed for 2 CPU's then yes you are covered. Its only when you upgrade to 2012 that you would need to look at moving to core based licenses, unless you have software assurance where you can upgrade your CPU licenses to 4 core licenses
No Kev is right. There is a minimum 4 core license per CPU, not per server. So if you have 2 CPU's and they are dual core CPU's, you need 8 2012 Core licenses, even though you only have 4 cores in the server. If you had 4 CPU's which are dual core, then you need 16 core licenses even though you only have 8 cores in the server. Granted its a bummer, but thats the new rules with 2012.
Soooo, essentially we are covered as the SQL Server version is 2008 and we have 2xCPU licenses. ~still waiting for official response~
my worry was that the licenses we have wont cover the use we are now putting it to (ie its never faced the web and served data to staff of a different Co. before) and we would have to now buy 2012 licenses to supplement what we have. Hope the reseller has the same story. Thanks all
Good source for the licensing overview is the [Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Licensing Guide][1]. For SQL 2008R2: [Licensing Quick Reference Guide][2] And in general if an unknown number of users will access SQL server, you will need a CPU or Core based license. This relates also to multiplexing, unless there is a manual step. All is clearly described in the guide mentioned. Anyway your license reseller should be able to provide you the definitive and exact information related to you environment. [1]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/3/C/73CAD4E0-D0B5-4BE5-AB49-D5B886A5AE00/SQL_Server_2012_Licensing_Reference_Guide.pdf [2]:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/7/0/270B6380-8B38-4268-8AD0-F480A139AB19/SQL2008R2_LicensingQuickReference-updated.pdf
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