SQL Server WEB edition for a Public website with password protected CMS

Question

SQL Server WEB edition for a Public website with password protected CMS

Marco Giorgi 0

I need to migrate a public website with its own Content Management System to the cloud. Currently, the web application is using SQL Server and I'm trying to understand if I can use the SQL Server WEB edition license offered by both AWS and Azure. None of the two has been able to provide an answer.

The website is public, exposed to the internet, and freely available to anyone. To configure and upload the data shown on this website, we use a web application available on the internet. Obviously, it is password-protected to prevent people from inserting fake data or defacing public web pages.

The database is therefore filled in with data from the password-protected web application, and read by the public website.

Can I use the SQL Server Web edition for this purpose?

Please consider that:

The website is no-profit.
The web applications are made with .NET and are the only applications that access the database.
We don't own an SQL Server license now as we are currently using a third-party service that is closing the business.
No need for any CAL licenses

Oury Ba-MSFT 20,911 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2024-11-27T20:35:56.7133333+00:00

@Marco Giorgi Thank you for reaching out.

You can use an Azure SQL Database for your public website scenario. Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that offers high availability, security, and scalability, making it suitable for web applications.

Azure SQL Database can be configured to allow connections from the internet, making it accessible for your public website. Azure SQL Database provides robust security features, including encryption, firewall rules, and integration with Azure Active Directory (AAD) for authentication. Azure SQL Database offers various pricing tiers and performance levels, allowing you to scale resources based on your workload needs

You can easily connect your .NET web applications to Azure SQL Database using standard connection strings. Azure SQL Database supports ADO.NET, Entity Framework, and other data access technologies commonly used in .NET applications

No Need for CAL Licenses: Similar to SQL Server Web edition, Azure SQL Database does not require Client Access Licenses (CALs), simplifying the licensing process

Please explore

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/sql-database-paas-overview?view=azuresql

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/database-overview
Sai Raghunadh M 4,635 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2024-11-29T10:44:23.89+00:00

Hi @Marco Giorgi,

Just checking in to see if the below answer helped. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

1 answer

Your answer

Oury Ba-MSFT 20,911 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2024-11-27T20:35:56.7133333+00:00

@Marco Giorgi Thank you for reaching out.

You can use an Azure SQL Database for your public website scenario. Azure SQL Database is a fully managed relational database service that offers high availability, security, and scalability, making it suitable for web applications.

Azure SQL Database can be configured to allow connections from the internet, making it accessible for your public website. Azure SQL Database provides robust security features, including encryption, firewall rules, and integration with Azure Active Directory (AAD) for authentication. Azure SQL Database offers various pricing tiers and performance levels, allowing you to scale resources based on your workload needs

You can easily connect your .NET web applications to Azure SQL Database using standard connection strings. Azure SQL Database supports ADO.NET, Entity Framework, and other data access technologies commonly used in .NET applications

No Need for CAL Licenses: Similar to SQL Server Web edition, Azure SQL Database does not require Client Access Licenses (CALs), simplifying the licensing process

Please explore

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/database/sql-database-paas-overview?view=azuresql

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/static-web-apps/database-overview
Sai Raghunadh M 4,635 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2024-11-29T10:44:23.89+00:00

Hi @Marco Giorgi,

Just checking in to see if the below answer helped. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

Answer 1

Hi @Marco Giorgi,

Thanks for the question and using MS Q&A platform

Based on your description, SQL Server Web edition seems like a suitable option for your needs. The SQL Server Web edition is specifically designed for web-facing applications and websites1. It supports public and internet-accessible webpages, websites, web applications, and web services.

Here are a few key points to consider:

Public Access: Since your website is public and internet-accessible, SQL Server Web edition is appropriate.

No CALs Needed: SQL Server Web edition does not require Client Access Licenses (CALs), which aligns with your requirement.

Non-Profit Use: While SQL Server Web edition is typically used by web Hosters or web value-added providers, it should still be suitable for a non-profit website.

Hope this helps. Do let us know if you any further queries. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know.

Sai Raghunadh M 4,635 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2024-12-02T09:18:46.0466667+00:00

Hi @Marco Giorgi,

Following up to see if the above answer was helpful. If this answers your query, do click Accept Answer and Yes for was this answer helpful. And, if you have any further query do let us know

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SQL Server WEB edition for a Public website with password protected CMS

1 answer

Your answer