There are two main licensing models that apply to SQL Server: SERVER + CAL or core based (PER CORE) licensing.
SERVER + CAL: Provides the option to license users and/or devices, with low cost access to incremental SQL Server deployments.
This licensing model is for servers with a small number of clients.
The highlights:
PER CORE: Gives customers a more precise measure of computing power and a more consistent licensing metric, regardless of whether solutions are deployed on physical servers on-premises or in virtual or cloud environments.
There are two primary virtualization licensing options in SQL Server 2019 – the ability to license individual virtual machines and the ability to license for maximum virtualization in highly virtualized and private cloud environments.
INDIVIDUAL VIRTUAL MACHINES
HIGH DENSITY VIRTUALIZATION
Licensing for High Availability
The passive secondary server used for failover support does not need to be separately licensed for SQL Server as long as it is truly passive. If it is serving data, such as reports to clients running active SQL Server workloads, or performing any “work” such as additional backups from secondary servers, then it must be licensed for SQL Server.
Media for current and previous versions are provided on the Microsoft VLSC website. Before purchasing licenses, please carefully read the SQL Server 2019 Licensing Datasheet.
Standard Edition supports 24 cores and 128 GB of memory and has some functional limitations compared to the Enterprise edition (see editions comparison).
The Standard license grants the right to use SQL Server Standard in 1 physical or 1 virtual environment on a licensed computer (server).
License for one physical server (CALs are required) | |||
228-11477 | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Standard - License - Open License - Linux, Win - Single Language | N/A |
License for 2 cores (minimum purchase - 2 licenses per server, no CALs required) | |||
7NQ-01564 | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Standard - License - 2 cores - Open License - Linux, Win - Single Language | N/A |
Enterprise Edition supports any number of cores and memory. It contains the most complete functionality for data processing (see editions comparison).
The SQL Server Enterprise licensing model is PER CORE only. Client access licenses (CALs) are not required. Licensing of all cores in a physical OSE gives you the right to run any number of instances of SQL Server in physical and virtual OSE. At the same time, the allowed number of OSE on the computer is equal to the number of core licenses assigned to physical cores in the physical OSE. Each additionally purchased core license provides the right to run instances of SQL Server in an additional OSE.
2 core license (minimum purchase - 2 licenses per server, no CALs required) | |||
7JQ-01607 | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 Enterprise - License - 2 cores - Microsoft Qualified - MOLP: Open Business - Linux, Win - Single Language | N/A |
A SQL Server 2019 Device CAL license provides the right to use the server functionality from one device to any number of users. To calculate the required number of User CALs, you need to calculate the number of users on the network using the server functionality. The number of servers used does not matter.
Client access license for one device | |||
359-06865 | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 - License - 1 device CAL - Open License - Linux, Win - Single Language | N/A |
A SQL Server 2019 User CAL license grants the right to use the server functionality to one user using any number of devices. To calculate the required number of User CALs, you need to calculate the number of users on the network using the server functionality. The number of servers used does not matter.
Client access license for one user | |||
359-06866 | Microsoft SQL Server 2019 - License - 1 user CAL - Open License - Linux, Win - Single Language | N/A |