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Which licenses would you recommend for our scenario?

Andreas 0 Reputation points
2025-11-18T08:27:47.8033333+00:00

We are a company with 100 employees.

We would like to have 5 virtual SQL servers running on one node. In total, all SQL servers have 24 virtual cores. We have 100 users who need data from the SQL servers. In the event of a failover, the VMs are moved to another node.

  1. Do I need OEM and Open Value licenses? In other words, do I need both, or is one type of license sufficient?
  2. Do I need SA for the failover?
  3. What is the best and most cost-effective way to license the SQL servers?

VMs:

SQL Server 1: 4 vCPUs

SQL Server 2: 8 vCPUs

SQL Server 3: 4 vCPUs

SQL Server 4: 4 vCPUs

SQL Server 5: 4 vCPUs

An IT service provider has sent us the following licenses for the scenario described above

  • 5x MS OPEN Value | Windows SQL Server Standard | 3 years SA
  • 100x MS OPEN Value | 1 Windows SQL User CAL | 3 years SA
  1. Is this licensed correctly?
  2. What licensing options do we have in our scenario?
  3. What would you recommend?
SQL Server | Other
SQL Server | Other

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  1. Andreas 0 Reputation points
    2025-11-19T11:03:54.8433333+00:00

    I researched Microsoft's guides and asked an expert. I found a solution for licensing SQL Server.

    I can license my scenario as follows:

    **
    Option 1 (Server + CAL OEM):

    • 5x OEM Microsoft SQL Server Standard
    • 5x SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard
    • 100x Microsoft SQL Server 1 User CAL
    • 100x SA Microsoft SQL Server 1 User CAL

    After the 3 years have expired, I only need to purchase an extension of the SAs. The OEM license and the user CALs remain valid after the 3 years have expired:

    • 5x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard
    • 100x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server 1 User CAL

    **
    Option 2 (Server + CAL Open Value):

    • 5x Open Value Microsoft SQL Server Standard (3 years SA included)
    • 100x Microsoft SQL Server 1 User CAL
    • 100x SA Microsoft SQL Server 1 User CAL

    After the 3 years have expired, I only need to purchase an extension of the SAs. The Open Value license and the user CALs remain valid after the 3 years have expired:

    • 5x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard
    • 100x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server 1 user CAL

    **
    Option 3 (Core-based OEM):

    • 6x OEM Microsoft SQL Server Standard 4 Core
    • 12x SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2 Core

    After the 3 years have expired, I only need to purchase an extension of the SAs. The OEM license remains valid after the 3 years have expired:

    • 12x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2 Core

    **
    Option 4 (Core-Based Open Value):

    • 12x Open Value Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2 Core (3 years SA included)

    After the 3 years have expired, I only need to purchase an extension of the SAs. The Open Value license remains valid after the 3 years have expired:

    • 12x Extension SA Microsoft SQL Server Standard 2 Core

    **

    In our scenario, Option 1 (Server + CAL OEM) is the most cost-effective option.

    If we did not know the number of accesses (e.g., a web shop where we do not know how many people access it), then core-based licensing would be necessary.

    Since we do not have this, we decide on Server + CAL licensing (Option 1).

    **

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  1. Erland Sommarskog 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-18T17:34:40.7366667+00:00

    I'm not in a position to give you a full answer, because I don't work with licensing myself.

    However, I think there is little reason not to buy Software Assurance, because it comes with quite a few goodies, not with regards to upgrades.

    I recommend that you read the SQL Server Licensing Guide, which I believe should answer some of your questions, if not all. But it may leave you in a better position to make a decision.

    I can't give a direct link, because when I click on the link in the Google search, it's downloaded directly, and the link in my browse is a link on disk. But go to Google, and make this search:

    sql server licensing guide 2022

    SQL Server 2025, but the licensing guide for SQL 2025 does not seem to be available yet.

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  2. Q&A Assist
    2025-11-18T08:28:10.05+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more
    1. For your scenario, you would typically need either OEM or Open Value licenses, but not both. Open Value licenses are generally more flexible and suitable for organizations with multiple users and devices, while OEM licenses are tied to specific hardware. Since you have 5 virtual SQL servers and 100 users, Open Value licenses would likely be sufficient.
    2. Software Assurance (SA) is recommended for failover scenarios, as it provides benefits such as license mobility and the ability to use your licenses on passive failover servers. Without SA, you may face limitations on how you can use your licenses in a failover situation.
    3. The best and most cost-effective way to license your SQL servers would be to use the Open Value licenses for SQL Server Standard, as you have already received a proposal for 5 licenses with 3 years of SA. This allows you to cover your virtual cores effectively while providing flexibility and support.
    4. The licensing proposed by your IT service provider appears to be correct. You have 5 SQL Server Standard licenses, which would cover your 5 virtual SQL servers, and 100 User CALs to accommodate all your users accessing the SQL servers. The inclusion of 3 years of SA adds value for support and failover capabilities.
    5. Your licensing options include:
      • Open Value: This is suitable for your organization as it allows for easier management and flexibility.
      • OEM: This could be an option if you are looking for a more hardware-tied solution, but it may not provide the same level of flexibility as Open Value.
      • Pay-as-you-go: If you prefer a consumption-based model, you can consider this for your SQL Server instances.
    6. Based on your scenario, I would recommend proceeding with the Open Value licenses for SQL Server Standard along with the User CALs. This setup provides the necessary coverage for your virtual servers and users while ensuring you have the benefits of Software Assurance for failover and support.

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