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Licensing High Availability - DR

  • May 5, 2017 at 6:34 am

    #342763

    HI,

    Not sure if this is the correct forum but here it goes:

    We have server A and server B they are connected via High Availability. We don't use server B for anything but DR.

    My understanding is that legally we are allowed to user our server B without buying additional SQL 2014 enterprise licenses because we are using it only for DR purposes. Is that true even tho it has H/A transactions going to it?

  • May 5, 2017 at 6:44 am

    #1941258

    Taken from the MS 2016 Licensing Guide

    Licensing for High Availability

    SQL Server software can be configured so that if one server fails, its processing will be picked up, recovered and continued by another server.  Each active server licensed with SA coverage allows the installation of a single passive server used for failover support.  ?

    The passive secondary server used for failover support does not need to be separately licensed for SQL Server as long as it is truly passive. If it is serving data, such as reports to clients running active SQL Server workloads, or performing any “work” such as additional backups from secondary servers, then it must be licensed for SQL Server. ?

    The active server license (s) must be covered with SA, and allows for one passive secondary SQL Server, with up to the same amount of compute as the licensed active server, only.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/product-licensing/sql-server.aspx

    But as with anything licensing, speak to MS or your reseller directly as you may have different rules in place.

  • May 5, 2017 at 6:49 am

    #1941260

    Not to be obtuse, but just to clarify - the server is still considered passive even tho it's in H/A? we aren't using it for anything but H/A.

  • May 5, 2017 at 6:54 am

    #1941265

    As long as it is truly passive then yes.

    But if it is doing any sort of workload, either user work or admin work, reports, backups etc then its active and needs to be licensed.

    Also note if you haven't bought SA (Software Assurance) with your licenses your not covered.

    But again, speak with Microsoft and/or your reseller, you may have other restrictions in place.

  • May 5, 2017 at 7:01 am

    #1941271

    thank you!

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