License Models for Microsoft SQL Server
Introduction
Over the last couple of years, Microsoft SQL Server licensing has undergone many changes and adjustments. The different license models provided through License Intelligence Service (LIS) reflect these changes with a dedicated license model for each state. The question, which license model is the right one for your license compliance depends on your purchase history and possible transformations based on the development of your relevant volume license agreements with Microsoft.
The name of each license model provides the information to allocate it in the history of SQL Server licensing terms.
Naming convention is: <SQL Server Edition> <product version with which terms have become effective> | <metric> ([SPLA]; <valid virtualization policy>; <license mobility policy>)
Example: The license models "SQL Standard 2016..." were introduced with that version but apply also for SQL Server 2019.
License Models per Edition
SQL Server Enterprise
| Name | Assignment | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Enterprise 2005 | CPU (Full Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software during minimum entitlement period. Virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. If all physical processors are licensed all virtual instances hosted on the hardware are also entitled. |
| SQL Enterprise 2005 | CPU (SPLA; No Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software. Virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. |
| SQL Enterprise 2005 | Server + CAL/EC (Full Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license per server with unlimited virtualization considering minimum entitlement period. |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 | CPU (Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software during minimum entitlement period. Virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. If all physical processors are licensed all virtual instances hosted on the hardware are also entitled. |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 | CPU (SPLA; Full Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software. Virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. If all physical processors are licensed all virtual instances hosted on the hardware are also entitled. |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 | Server + CAL/EC (Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per server with unlimited virtualization |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 R2 | CPU (Ltd. Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical processor or each 4 operating system environments running the software. Alternatively one license for each logical processor of each operating system environment running the software where virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 R2 | CPU (SPLA; Ltd. Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical processor or each 4 operating system environments running the software. Alternatively one license for each logical processor of each operating system environment running the software where virtual processors take hyper-threading from physical processors into account. |
| SQL Enterprise 2008 R2 | Server + CAL/EC (Ltd. Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per four operating system environments running the software. |
| SQL Enterprise 2012 | Core (Full Virtualization on SA; Mobility on SA) | Device | One license for each physical core with core factor applied or virtual core in each operating system environment running the software. Virtual environments require a minimum of four core licenses. While every license includes one virtual operating system environment running the software every additional virtual operating system running the software requires one additional license. SA entitles for unlimited virtual instances running the software. |
| SQL Enterprise 2012 | Core (SPLA; Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical core with core factor applied or every logical core in each operating system environment running the software. Virtual environments require a minimum of four core licenses. When all physical cores are licensed number of virtual operating systems running the software is unlimited. This license model applies to SPLA only. |
| SQL Enterprise 2012 | Core w/SA (Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical core with core factor applied or virtual core in each operating system environment running the software. Virtual environments require a minimum of four core licenses. While every license includes one virtual operating system environment running the software every additional virtual operating system running the software requires one additional license. SA entitles for unlimited virtual instances running the software. |
| SQL Enterprise 2012 | Server + CAL/EC (Ltd. Virtualization; Mobility on SA) | Device | One license per 4 operating system environments running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. Software Assurance limits licensing to current hosts only (license mobility). Entitlement "per Server" is not allowed if the software is using more than 20 physical hardware threads. In this case, use "per Core" entitlement. |
| SQL Enterprise 2012 | Server + CAL/EC w/SA (Ltd. Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per 4 operating system environments running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. Software Assurance limits licensing to current hosts only (license mobility). Entitlement "per Server" is not allowed if the software is using more than 20 physical hardware threads. In this case, use "per Core" entitlement. |
| SQL Enterprise 2016 | Core (Full Virtualization on SA; Mobility on SA) | Device | Amount of processor cores of operating system environment where software is running. In virtual machines a total minimum of four cores applies. With every license for a physical core one virtual instance is included. With Software Assurance the number of virtual instances is unlimited and license mobility is granted. |
| SQL Enterprise 2016 | Core (SPLA; Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | Amount of processor cores of operating system environment where software is running. In virtual machines a total minimum of four cores applies. With every license for a physical core one virtual instance is included. With Software Assurance the number of virtual instances is unlimited and license mobility is granted. |
| SQL Enterprise 2016 | Core w/SA (Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | Amount of processor cores of operating system environment where software is running. In virtual machines a total minimum of four cores applies. With every license for a physical core one virtual instance is included. With Software Assurance the number of virtual instances is unlimited and license mobility is granted. |
Physical Cores vs. Virtual Cores
With licenses for SQL Server Enterprise, Microsoft grants customers the right to license a server by counting either all physical cores or all virtual cores, whatever is more convenient. The license models above for SQL Server Enterprise already implement this valuable option, by applying the more beneficial variant automatically.
Examples:
| Scenario 1 | Scenario 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Host | 32 physical cores | 32 physical cores |
| Virtual Machines | 6 VM with 4 cores each (=24 virtual cores) | 10 VM with 4 cores each (=40 virtual cores) |
| Calculated effective Quantity | 24 cores | 32 cores |
SQL Server Standard
| Name | Assignment | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Standard 2005 | CPU (No Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software. Virtual processors take hyperthreading from physical processors into account. |
| SQL Standard 2005 | Server + CAL/EC (No Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license per operating system environment running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. |
| SQL Standard 2008 R2 | CPU (No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software. Virtual processors take hyperthreading from physical processors into account. |
| SQL Standard 2008 R2 | Server + CAL/EC (No Virtualization; No Mobility) | Device | One license per operating system environment running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Core (No Virtualization; Mobility on SA) | Device | One license per core used by all operating systems running the software. Core factor applies to physical processors while virtual processors take hyperthreading of physical cpu into account. |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Core (No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per core used by all operating system environments running the software on the device now or during minimum entitlement period. Core factor applies to physical processors while virtual processors take hyperthreading of physical processors into account with a minimum of 4 virtual cores. |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Core (SPLA; No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per core used by all operating systems running the software. Core factor applies to physical processors while virtual processors take hyperthreading of physical cpu into account. |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Core w/SA (No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per core used by all operating systems running the software. Core factor applies to physical processors while virtual processors take hyperthreading of physical cpu into account. |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Server + CAL/EC (No Virtualization; Mobility on SA) | Device | One license per operating system environment running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. Software Assurance limits licensing to current hosts only (license mobility). |
| SQL Standard 2012 | Server + CAL/EC w/SA (No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license per operating system environment running the software including virtual machines hosted now or during minimum entitlement period. Software Assurance limits licensing to current hosts only (license mobility). |
| SQL Standard 2016 | Core (No Virtualization; Mobility on SA) | Device | Number of processor cores of physical machine where the software is installed. At least 4 cores have to be licensed per CPU. Number of logical processors assigned to the virtual machines where the software is installed. At least 4 processors have to be licensed per virtual machine. |
| SQL Standard 2016 | Core (SPLA; No Virtualization ; Mobility) | Device | Number of processor cores of physical machine where the software is installed. At least 4 cores have to be licensed per CPU. Number of logical processors assigned to the virtual machines where the software is installed. At least 4 processors have to be licensed per virtual machine. |
| SQL Standard 2016 | Core w/SA (No Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | Number of processor cores of physical machine where the software is installed. At least 4 cores have to be licensed per CPU. Number of logical processors assigned to the virtual machines where the software is installed. At least 4 processors have to be licensed per virtual machine. |
Other Editions
| Name | Assignment | Description |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Big Data Node 2019 | Core | Device | When running Big Data node in a physical OSE, all physical cores on the server must be licensed. If all the physical cores of a physical server are licensed with Big Data node core licenses, customers can use unlimited virtualization rights. Software partitioning does not reduce the number of core licenses required, except when licensing individual virtual machines (VMs) or containers. No minimum Big Data Node core licenses are required for physical processor or virtual OSE. |
| SQL Datacenter 2008 R2 | CPU (Full Virtualization; Mobility) | Device | One license for each physical or virtual processor from operating system environments running the software. Virtual processors take hyperthreading from physical processors into account. If all physical processors are licensed all virtual instances hosted on the hardware are also entitled. There is a minimum of two licenses required per device. |