SQL Server EE Licensing Question

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SQL Server EE Licensing Question

dave 67553

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September 23, 2014 at 9:48 am

#290950

If I licensed SQL Server EE for production work on one server, SA allows me a free failover replica on another server if not used even R/O during normal operation. MSDN allows me to run SQL Server EE for development and testing. Can I use the developer instance of SQL Server EE as the replica partner for production AlwaysOn AGs if no access was ever made to production data unless a failover had occurred? If I am allowed to do this, and it works, this would save me the associated cost and maintenance with setting up a 3rd VM for the SQL Server partner replica. If not allowed by the license, please provide a reference that covers this scenario. If not desired or possible to do this technically, please explain why. Thanks so much, Dave

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Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 234013 More actions · Answer 1

dave 67553 (9/23/2014)
Can I use the developer instance of SQL Server EE as the replica partner for production AlwaysOn AGs if no access was ever made to production data unless a failover had occurred?

The developer edition licensing clearly states that it's not allowed in production use whatever the reason\scenario. Enterprise Edition has allowances for failover partners as you have already mentioned.

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dave 67553 SSC-Addicted Points: 410 More actions · Answer 2

This would be from MSDN not a Developer Edition per se, and would not be used for production during normal use, but only if failed over to, which Software Assurance would allow.

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 3

Please, do not rely on answers from people on the internet. If you want to know what can or can't be done with regard to licensing you should contact Microsoft or your software vendor. Remember, Microsoft has the final say on what is allowed, and even they may give you conflicting answers.

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 4

dave 67553 (9/23/2014)
This would be from MSDN not a Developer Edition per se, and would not be used for production during normal use, but only if failed over to, which Software Assurance would allow.

That's considered production usage.

See the licensing guide here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server/buy.aspx

Pertinent quotes:

SQL Server Developer Edition
SQL Server 2014 Developer Edition is a full-function version of SQL Server software—including all of the features and capabilities of Enterprise Edition—licensed under the Developer Tools model, which is a “per user” model. One license is required for each person that accesses or uses the software.

Customers cannot use the software in a production environment, and any test data that was used for design, development or test purposes must be removed prior to deploying the software for production use.

Note: A production environment is defined as an environment that is accessed by end-users of an application (such as an Internet website) and that is used for more than gathering feedback or acceptance testing of that application. Other scenarios that constitute production environments include:
* Environments that connect to a production database.
* Environments that support disaster-recovery or backup for a production environment.
* Environments that are used for production at least some of the time, such as a server that is rotated into production during peak periods of activity.

and

MSDN Subscriptions
Customers can also choose to license SQL Server software for non-production use through certain MSDN subscription offerings, including the Visual Studio Professional, Premium and Ultimate subscription levels. Similar to the standalone SQL Server Developer editions, MSDN subscriptions are licensed on a per user basis and the software cannot be used in a production environment.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

dave 67553 SSC-Addicted Points: 410 More actions · Answer 5

@Lynn, agreed. I wanted to be some prepared though by having some opinions from folks that may researched this before. Thanks, Dave

dave 67553 SSC-Addicted Points: 410 More actions · Answer 6

@GM thanks! That seems explicit enough to actually be clear.

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 234013 More actions · Answer 7

As gail pointed out its in black and white if you want to read it, doesnt need a call to MS!

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉