Efficient SQL LicensingDave HardingSenior Product Manager, 1E

Microsoft SQL LicensingEntitlement

Microsoft Auditing Concerns

What’s Installed and What are the rights

Product

SQL Server

Edition

Enterprise

Version

2012

Rights based on licensing model

Retail – Fully Packaged Product (FPP)

Volume Licenses

Optional add-on Software Assurance (SA)

Partner Licenses

Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA)

SQL 2014 Specific Licensing DetailsEntitlement

Editions

Enterprise – large scale data warehousing

Business Intelligence Edition – focus is Business Intelligence/OLAP

Standard Edition – basic DB, reporting, analytics

Parallel Data Warehouse Edition

Parallel Data Warehouse Edition for Developers

Developer – not used for production – demo and development only

Web – limitations on various resources

Express – free with significant limitations

Eight Editions (Six for production use)

SQL Server Channel Options

Editions vary based on the distribution channel

SQL Server Licensing Options

20 core limit

SQL Server Limits

20 core limit

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143760(v=sql.120).aspx

Core Factor Table

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143760(v=sql.120).aspx

When to use different licensing models

Server + CAL

Deploying SQL Server BI

Deploying Standard Edition with ability to count users/devices

Utilizing numerous SQL Servers within the organization

Standard $900 + $200/user

CAL details – per product and suites

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/product-licensing/client-access-license.aspx

Per Core

Certain editions (Enterprise, Parallel or Web)

Deploying to Internet or Extranet

When counting users/devices is impractical

Note – routing requests to minimize count is NOT allowed (multiplexing)

Standard $3,500

Differences between SQL 2012 and SQL 2014

There are two main differences in licensing between SQL 2012 and SQL 2014:

1. Passive fail-over rights are now a Software Assurance Benefit

2. Multiplexing Rules relaxed for BI Edition CAL requirements

No longer require CALs for ‘batched’ processes.

Entitlement Gotcha’s

Things to keep in mind when licensing

Every OSE requires a minimum of 4 cores

Many rights – passive failover, license migration for Virtualized environments, downgrade, etc. require SA

If using SQL Standard on virtual machines, you must license each Virtual OSE (i.e. you cannot license the physical cores and have unlimited Virtual OSEs)

SQL Core licenses are sold in packs of 2

Hyper threading is not counted – only the physical cores are counted

Core factors do not apply to virtual OSEs

Development license must not be used for production

CAL’s can be a major impact if not tracked properly

Watch out for the following

SQL Inventory Challenges

An example with SQL licensing

Standard Edition

Standard Edition

Express Edition

Standard Edition

Standard Edition

Enterprise Edition

Standard Edition

Standard Edition

Standard Edition

2008

2005

2005 2008

2014 2014

20122012

2012

An example with SQL licensing

SQL Server 2008Standard Edition

SQL Server 2012Standard Edition

SQL Server 2012Enterprise Edition

SQL Server 2014Enterprise Edition

4x Physical Machines, each with 2x 8core Hyper-threaded Xeon Processors

4x Physical Machines, each with 2x 8core Hyper-threaded Xeon Processors

4x Physical Machines, each with 2x 8core AMD Processors

4x Virtual Machines, each with 2 virtual cores

Software Installed Hardware Profile Licensing Metric

Per Processor

Per Core

Per Core

Per Core

Licensing Calculation

8 processor licenses

64 core licenses

48 core licenses

16 core licenses

Inventory Gotcha’s

Things to keep in mind when licensing

Determine the difference between Editions

SCCM Requires MOF extensions to be able to accurately determine SQL Server Edition

Make sure you are counting Cores or Processors where appropriate. Check your inventory tool is accurately identifying processor type

Take Core Factors into account for AMD

Make sure you correctly identify Demo and Development systems

Make sure you identify Versions correctly

Watch out for the following

Optimizing SQL for Licensing

Analyse what you have

Optimize for Cost and Reliability

Microsoft SQL Server 2014 – Optimization ExampleGoal – lower licensing costs, maximize resource utilization and

be compliant

Core Assigned to SQL Server Enterprise

Product Cores Systems Calc Total

SQL Enterprise 10 1 10 * 1 10

SQL Enterprise (VM) 2 2 4 Lic min * 2 8

Total Cores needed 18

Core with SQL Server Express

Product Cores Systems Calc Total

SQL Enterprise + SA 8 VM 1 8 * 1 8

Passive Failover 8 VM 1 0 (SA Benefit) 0

Total Cores needed 8

Title (SKU) Qty Y1 Y3 Y5 Total

SQL Ent Core (7JQ-00750) 9 $121,257 $121,257 $121,257 $363,771

Title (SKU) Qty Y1 Y3 Y5 Total

SQL Ent Core (7JQ-00252) 4 $80,836 $26,945 $26,945 $134,727

Cost Model• Open License• 1 SQL Core License covers 2 cores• No payment on even years• Updates every other year to keep current

SQL ResourcesWhere to get more information

Resources

• Belarc has an excellent summary of SQL licensing details for older versions• http://www.belarc.com/SQL_Server.html

• Microsoft Links for SQL Server• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server/

• Each version of SQL has a licensing guide and a licensing datasheet (on right column of web page):• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/product-licensing/sql-server-2014.aspx

• Microsoft Product Terms (previously PUR) (per region/sector/volume program)• http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/userights/DocumentSearch.aspx?Mode=3&DocumentT

ypeId=1

• SQL pricing details are available from Microsoft website• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server/purchasing.aspx

• Volume Licensing Calculator (must have access to MS Partner site)• http://mla.microsoft.com/default.aspx

DiscoveryTHE SIMPLE NEXT STEP

ANALYSIS

An objective, forensic, quantitative analysis against objectives (we can

help with the objectives as well)

BENCHMARK

How you compare to industry averages

ASSESSMENT

An assessment of whether we can help