1.3 Software Licensing

1.3 Software Licensing

Before installing SQL Server, you need to obtain Microsoft's license. Different versions of SQL Server have different features, not only the price difference, but also the way to get the license is not the same.

Authorization refers to a user purchasing a license from Microsoft (license). The way to obtain a license is to sign the corporate Agreement (Enterprise Agreement, EA), the Application Platform licensing program (enrollment for application Platform, referred to as EAP), and purchase the optional additional license (select Plus), Open License (open License), OEM, etc.

When the user obtains the license of the Microsoft product, the user can log on to Microsoft's official website to view the license mode, quantity, expiration date and other information of the Microsoft product.

Tips:

Product licensing and genuine software are different concepts. For example, if a user obtains a license that is only granted to install the product on a single computer and is actually installed on 2 computers, the product on these 2 computers may be genuine (through Microsoft's genuine authentication), but an unauthorized product is installed on the 2nd computer. Therefore the installation of the product on the 2nd computer is illegal to use the act.

1.3.1 Licensing Mode

There are two basic authorization (License) modes for SQL Server.

"Per processor" or "per core" mode

The per Processor licensing mode calculates only the number of physical processors, regardless of the number of cores in the physical processor. This licensing model has been used in SQL Server R2.

Starting with SQL Server 2012, the licensing mode has been adjusted. Counts per core and also calculates the number of physical processors (slots), requiring a minimum of 4 cores to be purchased for a single slot.

This licensing model simplifies the complexity of authorization without having to count how many users (or devices) will access SQL Server, and whether it is internal to the firewall or external connections from the Internet.

This licensing mode is suitable for the following scenarios:

You cannot or do not want to calculate the number of users/devices.

The number of users/devices is large enough, and the "per processor" or "per-core" approach is more cost-effective than the "server/Client Access License" approach.

SQL Server is used for external Web sites or applications, and the number of users cannot be counted.

"Server+cal" mode

A CAL is a Client Access License (License), which is divided into two categories: Device access licenses (Devices CALs) and user access licenses (Users CALs). SQL Server and its components (such as Reporting Services) provide services, and clients are the devices or users that access those services.

When purchasing a CAL, you need to consider how many clients need to access SQL Server and get data from it, and the client is calculated in the middle tier regardless of the data in the SQL Server server that ultimately has the ability to obtain (including browsing, modifying, deleting data, etc.). When computing clients, you need to pay special attention to the following scenarios:

Front-end multiplexing (that is, users connecting to the backend SQL Server database through a front-end application server) or pooling does not reduce the number of CALs required. For example, clients in an enterprise do not directly access SQL Server but are centrally accessed through a single Web server, and the CALs should still be purchased separately for each client.

Data is transferred manually between employees and employees, and CALs are not required for employees of the receiving party. For example, if an employee accesses SQL Server and generates an Excel version of the report and then sends it to another employee, the employee who receives the Excel version of the report does not need a CAL (provided that the Excel report no longer accesses the SQL Server service).

Users who choose "server+cal" mode need to purchase SQL Server server licenses on the server side and purchase CALs for clients. Each client requires only one CAL to access an unlimited number of SQL Server databases in the enterprise.

This licensing mode is suitable for the following scenarios:

You can calculate the number of users and devices.

The number of users/devices is low enough that the cost of using this licensing mode is lower than per processor or per Core mode.

Users need access to multiple SQL Server databases.

1.3.2 Purchase Authorization

SQL Server 2014 Enterprise Edition uses only "Per-core" licensing mode and requires at least 4 cores to be purchased. The Business Intelligence Edition can only use the server/Client Access licensing licensing mode. The Standard Edition is available in both licensing modes.

The development version is licensed on a "per user" basis and is relatively inexpensive.

The web version needs to be ordered by Microsoft's SP (service provider) and ISV (Independent software vendor) via SPLA (Microsoft Service Provider License Agreement).

ISVR SQL Server can only be used to package an ISV solution purchased from an ISV with SQL Server and cannot be used for other applications. For example, an enterprise buys a set of financial software that already contains a set of Isvr SQL Server. In this case, the SQL Server can only be used for the application of the financial software itself, and other business applications developed within the enterprise cannot directly use this SQL Server as a database system in the background.

Tips:

　　ISV The English name is Independent Software Vendor refers to enterprises that specialize in the development of software or solutions and do not manufacture hardware components of computer systems.

　　IsvrthatISV Royalty Licensingplan, it willSQL Serverlicense and only withISVproducts are sold together, the user can only passISVpackaged purchase solutions withSQL Server, the user must add theIsvr SQL Serverwith theISVof the products used together.

　　SPLA The English name is Services Provider License Agreement . Users do not need to purchase the copyright of the software but pay the monthly fee as a subscription.

1.3.3 Licensing Methods in virtualization

Users can install SQL Server in a virtual machine. Licensing in virtualization more complex, detailed licensing and procurement methods, please consult the dealer.

As a general rule, when you purchase a license through a "per-core" model, you must purchase a separate license for each virtual core in the virtual machine, and each virtual machine should purchase at least 4 "per-core" licenses. For example, if a virtual machine uses 2 virtual cores to run SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition, the user will need to purchase 4 "per-core" licenses for this virtual machine.

When Hyper-threading is disabled, the hardware thread (hardware thread) equals the number of physical cores, and when Hyper-threading is enabled, the hardware thread equals twice times the number of physical cores. For licensing purposes, a virtual kernel is mapped to a hardware thread.

When authorizing a single virtual machine, the kernel factor is not considered. When SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition runs in a virtual environment that is licensed in a "per-core" mode, authorization for each independent virtual machine is the only valid licensing method.

1.3.4 upgrading a product or version

If you have SA (Software Assurance) at the time of purchasing your license, you can automatically upgrade to a new product version within the SA coverage. For example, if you purchase a SQL Server 2012 Enterprise Edition with SA, you can upgrade to SQL Server 2014 Enterprise Edition within the validity period of the SA.

Some versions of the licensing method can be migrated to a higher version by purchasing the SA Step-Up SKU during the SA's validity period. For example, upgrade from Standard Edition to Enterprise Edition.

If an existing SQL Server authorization is not within the SA scope, then the upgrade must purchase a new full license for the required version of SQL Server.

Tips:

　　SAThe English name isSoftware Assurance, Microsoft is a volume licensing (Volumelicense,VLuser-provided a solution to protect the software assets. SAcan allow the user to protect the validity period (2years or3upgrade to the latest software version, depending on the license. Microsoft will provide some specificSAsubscriptions, adding more value to the user.

1.3.5 product downgrade and reduced version

Product demotion refers to replacing the licensed version of SQL Server 2014 that is currently purchased with a previous version of SQL Server 2014. Most authorizations are allowed to be degraded. For example, if you purchased an authorization for SQL Server 2014, you can downgrade the installation of SQL Server 2008. However, Microsoft does not provide a degraded version of the relevant installation media.

Starting with SQL Server R2, a new user's entitlement to lower versions within the scope of authorization is added, allowing users to replace the currently licensed version with a lower version. For example, if you purchased an Enterprise Edition license, you can install the standard version of the product in your current location.

This article from "SQLServer2014 series" blog, declined reprint!

1.3 Software Licensing