On November 3rd 2011, Microsoft announced both the release and licensing changes coming with SQL Server 2012.
Microsoft will re-align the functionality of the SQL 2012 across three main editions, namely Enterprise, Business Intelligence and Standard Edition. Furthermore, It will also align the licensing across those three editions.
- Enterprise – Mission critical applications and data warehousing
- Business Intelligence – Premium corporate and self-service Business Intelligence (BI)
- Standard – Basic database capabilities, reporting and analytics.
As part of that realignment of functionality, Microsoft will consolidate and therefore remove the following:
- Datacenter – features will now be available in Enterprise Edition
- Workgroup – features will be available in Standard Edition.
- Standard for Small Business – features will be available in Standard Edition.
Please be aware that I now work at a Microsoft Partner – BT Engage IT and will now be providing my licensing expertise through our new Licensing Services . So please do get in contact with me directly if you would like to have a bespoke review for your organisation (available to organisations with UK operations).
– Tony Mackelworth
- Web Edition – Available via Services Provider License Agreement (SLPA)
In addition, non-commercial releases of SQL will continue.
- Developer, Express and Compact Editions will also continue to be distributed without licensing or pricing changes.
Licensing Per Core
Microsoft will re-align the licensing model for SQL 2012 to remove Per Processor as a commercial charging mechanism for their enterprise database software. In response to evolution of the number of cores per physical processor and the future expected consolidation of the number of processors, Microsoft has re-aligned it’s commercial model for SQL Server.
Licensing by cores is a better way to align pricing to hardware capacity. In addition, cores provide a precise and flexible measure of capacity across both physical and virtual environment. This will support both mobility and hybrid environments.
Enterprise and Standard will be available under core-based licensing. However, Microsoft will not extend the core model to the Business Intelligence (BI) Edition.
Enterprise Edition will include the full capabilities of SQL Server 2012, so a customer who wants to license a BI Server on a per core basis can do so by buying Enterprise Edition. Enterprise Edition will be the preferred way to license advanced SQL Server BI capabilities when users are uncountable (For instance, external facing workloads) or when there is a very large number of users.
The New Core Licensing Model
Physical The licensing requirement for licensing Per Core will be to count the physical number of cores on the hardware. Microsoft have caveated a minimum of 4 Core licenses per physical processor. Additionally, Enterprise Edition when licensed with Active Software Assurance (SA) will have Unlimited Virtualization rights.
To license a physical server properly, an organisation would license all the cores in the server with a minimum of 4 core licenses required for each physical processor in the server.
Virtual The licensing requirement for licensing Per Virtual Core will be to count the number of virtual cores per VM. Microsoft have caveated a minimum of 4 virtual Core licenses per VM. Additionally, when licensed with Active Software Assurance (SA) will provide flexibility of License Mobility across both on-premise and cloud deployment scenarios.
Cost Implications
Microsoft have modelled the price of a Core license at circa ¼ the cost of SQL Server 2008 R2 Processor License. Accordingly, Microsoft state that there would be limited impact on a physical processor with 1-4 cores. The impact going forward would be that as compute capacity increases so will the licensing requirement.
Please be aware that the net price impact to an individual customers will depend on both correctly licensing the existing SQL footprint and understanding current and planned capacity and functionality requirements. Working with only an excellent Microsoft Partner will support an optimum procurement model for your organisation.
Server and CAL Model
Server + CAL model, available with Business Intelligence (BI) and Standard Editions, is appropriate for business intelligence workloads and scenarios in which users can be counted accurately.
Server + CAL model would support a Business Intelligence (BI) solution as It would align to the number of devices using Office and SharePoint. This would have a defined number of accessing devices.
To access a licensed SQL Server, the SQL Server CAL should be the same version or newer. For instance, a deployment of SQL Server 2008 R2 Server will need a SQL 2008 R2 CAL or SQL 2012 CAL.
Each SQL Server 2012 CAL can provide access to any SQL Server database, regardless of Platform or Edition. This includes all licensed SQL Servers, including the new Business Intelligence Edition as well as Standard Edition Servers and legacy Enterprise Edition Servers.
The SQL Server 2012 CAL price will increase by about 27%
SQL Virtualization – Per Core
The updated licensing model for SQL Server 2012 will support both Virtualization and Cloud deployment scenarios.
- High Number of Virtual Machines (VM) The licensing requirement for licensing Per Core will be to count the physical number of cores on the hardware. Microsoft have caveated a minimum of 4 Core licenses per physical processor. Enterprise Edition with Active Software Assurance (SA) for all the physical cores on the server (or server farm) and leverage deploying any number of VMs on the licensed hardware.
- SQL Without Active Software Assurance (SA) VM density is limited to one VM per physical Core. VM Density can never rise above the hardware footprint.
- License Individual Virtual Machines (VM) The licensing requirement for licensing Per Virtual Core will be to count the number of virtual cores per VM ( The number of threads of physical cores assigned to VM)
- License for Virtual Machine (VM) Mobility this is to support both private and public clouds. VM license mobility will be a benefit of Active Software Assurance (SA). Without SA, licenses can be moved from one server to another only once every 90 days. This is important for customer who are using VMware v-Motion and are intending to virtualize SQL.
SQL Virtualization – Per Server / CAL Model
The updated licensing model for SQL Server 2012 will support
To license a Virtual Machine (VM) with a Server license (for Business Intelligence or Standard only) an organisation must procure the server license and buy corresponding SQL Server CALs.
Each licensed Virtual Machine (VM) that is covered with Active Software Assurance (SA) can be moved frequently within a server farm or to a third party hoster or cloud services provider without buying additional SQL Server licenses.
License Migrations – Server + CAL
Microsoft has stated that new server licenses for Enterprise Edition will only be available for purchase through 30th June 2012.
Customers on an ‘Active’ Enterprise Agreement (EA) w. Enrolment for Desktop /Enrolment for Application Platform (EAP) Enrolment can continue to buy server licenses until renewal of the Agreement after June 30, 2012.
SQL Server Enterprise Licenses purchased with Active Software Assurance (SA) will upgrade to SQL Server 2012 at no additional cost.
Microsoft customers who have licensed SQL on the Server model, with Active Software Assurance (SA) will receive SQL 2012 under New Version Rights at no additional cost.
Microsoft have stated that the migration will be subject to a 20 core per server license maximum. This applies to both net new requirement for SQL Server or existing footprint with Active Software Assurance (SA). In the event SQL Server Enterprise Edition on the Server + CAL model is running on a Server with > 20 physical cores, It is recommended that you work with your Microsoft Partner who will contact the Licensing Sales Specialist within your local Microsoft subsidiary.
Moving forward, If your organisation has procured Enterprise Edition server licenses without Software Assurance can maintain existing SQL Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition Server licenses as legacy licensing for existing workloads. The alternative is to buy net new Enterprise Edition on the Per Core model or Business Intelligence (BI) on the Server + CAL model.
License Migrations – Per Processor to Core Model
Customers with processor licenses under Active Software Assurance (SA) can upgrade to SQL Server 2012 at no additional cost.
At the end of the Software Assurance (SA) term, processor licenses will be exchanged for core licenses and customers can renew their Software Assurance (SA) on core licenses. This will maintain New Version Rights and License Mobility for Software Assurance to move Volume Licensing (VL) licensed applications to shared hardware clouds.
It is recommended that you review your SQL environment at the end of the Software Assurance (SA) Term. This will provide the basis for the core licenses you will own, and will confirm the requirements for renewal of Software Assurance (SA) going forward.
Microsoft will provide access to the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit as one way to help track and document deployments. This tool can help you plan the transition from processor-based licenses to core-based licenses by counting both processors and cores across deployments. Microsoft are actively encouraging SQL customers to work with a Microsoft Partner to determine an optimal transition plan. This will include both review of existing physical and virtual deployments and mapping onto existing and planned SQL requirements going forward
Please be aware that I now work at a Microsoft Partner – BT Engage IT and will now be providing my licensing expertise through our new Licensing Services . So please do get in contact with me directly if you would like to have a bespoke review for your organisation (available to organisations with UK operations).
– Tony Mackelworth
- SQL Enterprise and Standard processor licenses under SA will be exchanged for a minimum of 4 core licenses per processor or for the actual number of cores in use.
- SQL Server Datacenter processor licenses will be exchanged for a minimum of 8 Enterprise Edition core licenses per processor or for the actual number of cores in use.
Customers with an Active Enterprise Agreement or Active Enterprise Agreement Subscription with a desktop Enrolment or an Active Enrolment for Application Platform will be able to continue to purchase Enterprise Edition server and processor licenses until the end of the Agreement Term.
However, please be aware that this can lead to a two-tier licensing model spanning both new procurement on Select Agreements and legacy procurement in an Enterprise Agreement. An organisation will need to ensure license compliance under the Product Use Rights under SQL 2008 R2. Please see my previous article to support.
Customers with an Active Enterprise Agreement or Active Enterprise Agreement Subscription with a desktop Enrolment or an Active Enrolment for Application Platform can add Core licenses mid-term and can engage via the Microsoft Reseller or Microsoft Account Team.
Microsoft have stated that the migration will be subject to a 20 core per server license maximum. This applies to both net new requirement for SQL Server or existing footprint with Active Software Assurance (SA). In the event SQL Server Enterprise Edition on the Per Processor model is running on a Server with > 20 physical cores, It is recommended that you work with your Microsoft Partner who will contact the Licensing Sales Specialist within your local Microsoft subsidiary.
Renewal Software Assurance (SA) will attach Deployment Planning Services and Technical Assistance.
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