March 22, 2017 at 10:20 am
I have a client with an in-house database which is being ported to SQL Express. They have around 25 users and the CPU usage / data sizes are such that there is no need for Standard Edition SQL to run the load.
I am planning two SQL instances either on the same VM or possibly on two VMs.
We will use SSIS on the SQL Standard Instance to push data into database from a range of other sources (Access / Excel / XML). Add probably also since its available also use SQL Agent to orchestrate maintenance and backup jobs (of the Express instance) from the standard instance (for convenience - yes I know we can run these from other job schedulers)
Does anyone know if 2 CALs will be sufficient for the standard instance please?
I have read the licensing documentation and not been able to reliably determine what "access" means. Is this being on the same network as a box please? Of does it mean actually being able to log in / access data / or access data indirectly, none of which will be possible for non-admin users.
Microsoft and a Software Vendor have so far answered a different question and confirmed we would need 25 CALs if we were to use the Express instance as a "piggy in the middle" to consolidate access to the Standard Instance. But that is not what we are proposing to do - there is no access to the Standard Instance via the Express Instance. Would appreciate any guidance as I have no experience at all of licensing issues having come to DBA work from a Data Analysis background.
March 22, 2017 at 10:35 am
Your best bet is going to be to work with both the MS Licensing and Software Vendor together to sort out the licensing requirements.
Arguably, it might be less painful to simply buckle down and by Standard + 25 CALs, as you then won't need to futz around with getting the "management" instance to reliably talk to the "data" instance, etc.
Last time I had to look at prices, SQL CALs were ~$70/ea, I think.
But, if you're going to stick with the plan you laid out, I'd get both the MS and Vendor reps on a conference call, in very particular detail spell out exactly how you're planning to use the Standard instance, and let them sort it out.
March 22, 2017 at 10:56 am
Thanks Jasona,The conference call approach might be worth a try. Though as you say it may just be easier to just buy the CALs. Sadly they now seem to be more like $200 each (over £4000 for 25 CALs)
March 22, 2017 at 3:06 pm
Its a choice, but paying for SQL Server just to use SSIS is not what I would consider a good choice.
Without even considering some of the free ETL tools available on the market processing any of the file types you mentioned is easily done with C# or other languages.
And for scheduling there are also some free tools on the market.
Regarding VM - if you stick both on the same VM you open yourself to licensing liabilities so do not do it - and when talking to Microsoft make sure to state that you will use separate VM's.
And I would be curious how they come up with those 25 licenses - its not a minimum requirement (they even sell a Bundle of Standard + 10 CAL's on Microsoft store)
If you do go this route you need to ensure that the Express edition does not in any situation whatsoever connect to the licensed server - e.g. do not setup a linked server from Express->Standard. The other way is fine.
March 22, 2017 at 4:27 pm
This kind of thing comes up frequently. You can't use Express or a web server to act as a 'user' so as to only buy one CAL. The Standard edition server is processing data (from Express) to 25 users, hence you need 25 CALs for it.
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
March 23, 2017 at 3:31 am
GilaMonster - Wednesday, March 22, 2017 4:27 PMThis kind of thing comes up frequently. You can't use Express or a web server to act as a 'user' so as to only buy one CAL. The Standard edition server is processing data (from Express) to 25 users, hence you need 25 CALs for it.
Thanks for the answer, however, we are not using express as a "piggy in the middle" user, the only data the Express users would access (directly or indirectly) is the data in the Express instance. We just want to use SSIS to get data into there from other places.
March 23, 2017 at 3:34 am
And for scheduling there are also some free tools on the market.
Thanks Frederico, I sort of agree, but we have confidence and experience using SSIS but agree its a lot to pay just for that. The scheduling agree, but if we already had SSIS then running the scheduling from one place would not cost anything extra.
March 23, 2017 at 3:39 am
frederico_fonseca - Wednesday, March 22, 2017 3:06 PMRegarding VM - if you stick both on the same VM you open yourself to licensing liabilities so do not do it - and when talking to Microsoft make sure to state that you will use separate VM's.
Thanks Frederico,
If we do go down the route of two instances then "keep them on separate VMs" sounds like a key bit of advice. It also means we have an additional Server OS License to buy ... and setup ... and maintain.
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