SQL CALs

  • I am a little confused with the SQL licensing. I have read through the EULA's on the MS site and I do not fully understand the 3 types. I have developed a program in VB that accesses a SQL database. This is on a LAN. Will I need to purchase CALs for every workstation that will be using the program That I developed or is a processor license suitable for this situation?


    "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." ~Leaf

  • You need CALs.

    The basic item is if you have users who are authenticating, then they need CALs. If you are on the Internet, with non-authenticated users, then this is a CPU license.

    Steve Jones

    sjones@sqlservercentral.com

    http://qa.sqlservercentral.com/columnists/sjones

    http://www.dkranch.net

  • So, I can purchase SQL Server without a PROC


    "The grass is always greener over the septic tank." ~Leaf

  • Correct me if I am wrong (please). But I have delt with Microsoft quite a bit on this issue. With the latest changes to the licensing here is how I understand it.

    1) Server

    A) The server needs to be licensed if a full version of SQL Server is running (Standard or Enterprise).

    B) MSDE can be ran on the server if you are are licensed developer. (this has limitations on number of concurrent users and size of database, to name a few)

    2) End users

    A) If you purchase CPU license, then all persons and devices that make a connection to the SQL Server database are covered.

    B) CALS

    i) Device cals are any processes or devices (handhelds, computers, print servers,ect, other server software from a different machine) that connect to and use the SQL Server database.

    ii) User cals are for each person that will connect to the database directly or inderectly through a piece of software.

    Standard Edition Cal:

    If multiple people use the same computer (a company running multiple shifts where the employees share a PC) need only 1 Device Cal, as long as there is only on SQL Server instance that it connects to. If there are more than 1 Sql Server instances that the device connects to (1 or more applications) then a Device Cal is required for each SQL Server instance for that computer connect to. This way multiple people can share a device and be coverd by the licnese on that machine.

    The other way is User Cal. This gives a license the person. He/She can use applications that connect to any SQL Server instance the company owns.

    One thing Microsoft has been clear on, is any internet based application (not INTRANET) will be required to have a CPU license if they are not authenticated.

    There are also difference when you by Standard VS Enterprise for a Server. If you go Standard, then each instance on a server needs to be licensed seperately and any "non-active" (StandBy) instance needs licenses. If you go with Enterprise, any number of instances are covered for the server as well as any StandBy instances.

    You will want to check on this (make sure it did not change again), but the main difference between Enterprise CAL and Standard CAL, is Enterprise CAL give that person/device access to all SQL Server instances running in the company/corporation.

    I hope this helps. I would call your Microsoft Purchasing rep, exlpain your setup from Dev/Stag/Prod then Standby/Disaster Recovery point of view as well as a user/device usage.

    Joseph

  • We recently put in a SQL Server Active-Active Cluster for an application that will have 25 users and up to 10 developers. We bought two (2) "MS SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Licenses". That covered the servers with NO users. Then we bought 35 "MS SQL 2000 Client Access Licenses User" We use Softchoice Corporation out of Virginia Beach, VA. http://www.softchoice.com

  • I believe there may be some confusion between CALs required to access the Windows server and CALs vs per processor licensing to access the SQL Server running on the Windows server.

    My understanding is to access any service on a Windows Server by an authenticated user requires a CAL for the Windows Server.

    Once you have a CAL for the Windows Server, you can choose to use either CAL or per processor licensing for SQL Server. The Excel spreadsheet available for download at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/evaluation/compare/pricecomparison.asp shows the cost of licensing SQL Server and the crossover point for CAL versus per processor. (The fact that it compares the pricing to Oracle is irrelevant to this discussion.)

    Additional relevant links are:

    http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/default.asp

    http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/caloverview.mspx

    http://www.microsoft.com/sql/evaluation/compare/Oracle-SQL.xls

    http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/default.asp

    Regards,

    Mike

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