Installed SQL License Question

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Installed SQL License Question

BABs

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Points: 258
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February 9, 2005 at 7:49 am

#185065

When SQL Server is installed, one must pick a license type....processor or per seat(device). How do I find out what type of license choice was made at install time? How would I change that information, should it be necessary?

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sswords SSCrazy Eights Points: 8207 More actions · Answer 1

From Query Analyzer, run this:

select serverproperty ('LicenseType')

It will either return Per-Processor or Per-Seat depending on the type that was originally chosen. Hope this helps.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

sswords SSCrazy Eights Points: 8207 More actions · Answer 2

Oops...hit 'post' before I attempted to answer your second question. AFAIK, there's no way to change the licensing method without re-installing SQL Server.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

BABs SSC Veteran Points: 258 More actions · Answer 3

Tried this ....

select serverproperty('LicenseType')

and get the following message.....

Server: Msg 195, Level 15, State 10, Line 1

'serverproperty' is not a recognized function name.

Am I missing something?

BABs SSC Veteran Points: 258 More actions · Answer 4

Figured it out.....does not work on version 7 SQL Server but does work on SQL 2000.

THANKS!

sswords SSCrazy Eights Points: 8207 More actions · Answer 5

I was going to ask the version next. SQL Server 7 was licensed 'per server' and 'per seat'. Not sure if this is the best way, but one way to tell with 7 is to look at the SQL Server log from the last startup. In the first 8 to 10 lines you will have a statement like:

"initconfig: Number of user connections limited to 32767"

If 32676 is the number, then you have per server licensing. If the number is something else like "25" or "50" then it's been set to per seat.

Hope this helps.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

sswords SSCrazy Eights Points: 8207 More actions · Answer 6

Oops again...dyslexia kicking in. The number is 32767.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

BABs SSC Veteran Points: 258 More actions · Answer 7

What does disabled indicate? I know we installed one server with processor 2 because that is the license we had but the serverproperty indicated that it was disabled. We are trying to do a 'true up' of our licenses and our servers to validate we have the correct number of licenses for all the installations. Thanks in advance.

sswords SSCrazy Eights Points: 8207 More actions · Answer 8

This from to Books On Line:

LicenseType

Mode of this instance of SQL Server.

PER_SEAT = Per-seat mode

PER_PROCESSOR = Per-processor mode

DISABLED = Licensing is disabled.

Base data type: nvarchar(128)

Meaning that licensing is disabled on this server. I'm not sure but it's possible this setting is invoked if you have selected Per Processor licensing, but then selected 0 processors. It could also have been done explicitly by someone.

You should still be able to check on your licensing settings on the server. Open the server Control Panel and click on the SQL Server 2000 Licensing set up icon (not to be confused with the regular Windows Licensing icon). You cannot change licensing modes from here, but you can add or remove processors from your licensing set up.

My hovercraft is full of eels.

BABs SSC Veteran Points: 258 More actions · Answer 9

Got it ...thanks....but I am still confused as to why the serverproperty is coming back disabled when the Control panel tells a different story! But does not matter really .... just the little things that make you go ....Hmmmmmmmm!

Thanks again !!!!!

hoo-t SSChampion Points: 12713 More actions · Answer 10

Just a little FYI -

This comes from Microsoft's website

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/faq.asp

A Processor license gives you the right to install any number of copies of SQL Server 2000 on a single computer, as long as you have purchased Processor licenses for all of the processors on that computer. If you have made a processor inaccessible to all operating system copies on which the SQL Server software is set up to run, you do not need a software license for that processor.

Steve

kozloski SSC Eights! Points: 804 More actions · Answer 11

A little more info:

FIX: SERVERPROPERTY Returns Incorrect Value for LICENSETYPE

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291332

The workaround is to re-confirm the licensing in the SQL Server 2000 licensing control panel applet, but I haven't been able to get that to work on any of my boxes that have this problem.

-- J.Kozloski, MCDBA, MCITP

Jpotucek SSCoach Points: 18583 More actions · Answer 12

I'm getting conflicting results too...

When I do select serverproperty ('LicenseType') against my SQL Server 2000 Instance it is returning 'disabled' but when I go into the Control Panel and it is indicating 50 SQL Server per seat liscences..

go figure!