Add-on license SQL Enterprise into exist SQL Server

Question

Add-on license SQL Enterprise into exist SQL Server

Phong Võ 60

Hi, teams,

Our company expected to buy SQL Server enterprise for 2 Servers with 64 Cores each.

But the funding is too big, so I need to know if we can separate into 2 phases to buy the license.

Can anyone help me if the license SQL Server can be added to the existing Server for the second buy?

3 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Erland Sommarskog 121.4K MVP Volunteer Moderator

This is a technical forum, and licensing is a legal matter. You cannot get any authoritative answers about licensing here.

Here follows my layman answer: If you have a server that is running a production workload, that server needs to be licensed. But if you are only buying the machine and do not install SQL Server on it, you can add the license later. The license is not tied to the machine - it's basically only a piece of paper.

Would it be the case, that on one server you only want to run testing, but not be in production, you could run Developer Edition in that phase. Developer Edition has all the features of Enterprise, but is not licensed for production.

For more a authoritative answer, you need to contact your local Microsoft representative.

Erland Sommarskog 121.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-15T09:27:15.7666667+00:00

It occurred to me that there is one option that you may want to investigate and that is Pay-as-you-Go. To use this option, you will need an Azure subscription and then you Arc-enable your instance. I will have to admit that I don't know exactly how the commercial part of this works, but the gist is that rather than paying a hefty license fee up front, you will pay a monthly fee or something like that. And if you decide to decommission the server, you stop paying that fee.
Phong Võ 60 Reputation points

2023-10-16T01:20:21.0233333+00:00

I appreciate your answer. Thanks for the response. I have something issues with the key license here.

Answer 2

Olaf Helper 47,436

if the license SQL Server can be added to the existing Server

You have SQL Server licenses only on paper. nothin you could "add" to anything.

Phong Võ 60 Reputation points

2023-10-16T01:10:01.25+00:00

Sorry, but I meant the keys of SQL Server. As far as I know when you use the phase 1 key for the server it is not used again. And when you buy the phase 2 keys, it will not combine with the existing ones.
Erland Sommarskog 121.4K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2023-10-16T20:54:05.07+00:00

Huh? I will have to admit that I never really deal with SQL Server licenses myself, but I've never heard of "phase 1 keys" and "phase 2 keys".
Phong Võ 60 Reputation points

2023-10-17T07:23:22.6233333+00:00

I meant if we could use 2 different keys to add them into 1 server.

Answer 3

LiHongMSFT-4306 31,566

Hi @Phong Võ

For detailed information about the license issue, you can call 1-800-426-9400, Monday through Friday, 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (Pacific Time) to speak directly to a Microsoft licensing specialist. Or you can go to Volume Licensing Service Center support. Please choose region/language and choose to call or have web.

Best regards,

Cosmog Hong

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Add-on license SQL Enterprise into exist SQL Server

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