If SQL Servvice runing on VMware, how many core license we must buy?

ShaoChiaLu 20 Reputation points
2023-01-13T03:58:42.0633333+00:00

We have one VMware only for SQL, and have HA (have two esxi server).

It's total 128 Logical Processors.

If buy core license of SQL 2019 STD, and we will buy fully 128 core.

Can we use unlimited of VMs running SQL Server??

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  1. Bjoern Peters 8,781 Reputation points
    2023-01-13T11:22:30.28+00:00

    Hi Shao

    as Olaf already stated, for an official Microsoft statement and a legal advice, please get in contact with MSFT Sales.

    If you just want to have a recommendation aka a personal advice on how other people handle/understand this:

    You have three options:

    1. if you just have that one VM running on your ESXi and you don't want to run several SQL Server VMs additionally, then it is sufficient to just license that one VM. you just need to buy licenses for the number of cores you provided to the VM. (minimum 4 licenses/cores) if you want to use e.g. VMotion feature to move your VM between your cluster nodes => you have to have an active Software assurance for all those licenses
    2. if you plan to run install some more different VMs that might run an SQL Server installations, then you also can license each indiviuell VM properly. you just need to buy licenses for the number of cores you provided to each VM. (minimum 4 licenses/cores) if you want to use e.g. VMotion feature to move your VM between your cluster nodes => you have to have an active Software assurance for all those licenses
    3. You also can license your complete ESXi environment with SQL Server, in order to run - for example - 128 one threaded SQL VMs on your environment... you have to buy licenses for each possible thread which can be provided to a VM with SA.

    For a better understanding, please read the license datasheet:

    [https://download.microsoft.com/download/f/0/d/f0d7004e-9e39-4991-853b-2aa09e4ce456/SQL%20Server%202019%20%20Licensing%20Datasheet.pdf

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  1. Andrew Dello Stritto 85 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2023-01-13T04:36:03.6966667+00:00

    To determine the number of core licenses required for SQL Server running on VMware, you will need to look at the number of physical cores in the underlying hardware and the edition of SQL Server you are using.

    SQL Server 2019 Standard Edition requires a core license for each physical core, therefore, you need to purchase a minimum of 128 core licenses if you have 128 logical processors.

    SQL Server 2019 Enterprise Edition requires a minimum of 4 core licenses per physical processor.

    You can use an unlimited number of VMs running SQL Server on the licensed hardware, but each VM must be properly licensed.