February 1, 2016 at 6:50 am
I've searched and read similar topics about licensing questions for more than a few hours, but couldn't find any to answer my question.
Basically I'm planning to use a Developer Edition for the following purposes:
1. Mainly testing database backups: restoring database backups, checking the recovered databases with checkdb and then dropping the databases. This will be production data.
2. Testing and developing TSQL scripts. Might be testing those on copies of production databases.
3. Monitoring production databases: e.g. gathering information on database growth, capturing errors/warnings in error logs. This is done by making the server with Developer Edition a linked server on the production servers. Data is gathered in an 'admin' database on the Developer Edition.
I'm pretty confident #1 and #2 won't pose a problem with Microsoft, but I'm unsure if #3 will be allowed, although the data gathered is purely to monitor health on our production databases/instances.
Is there anyone who could shed some light on this please? or should I give MS a call?
Thanks! 😎
February 1, 2016 at 7:00 am
Developer is licensed for development and testing purposes only, and it's licensed per user, not per server, so anyone why uses the server must have a developer license.
2) is testing, that's OK
1) is iify, you're not developing or testing code, you're using the server as part of your production backup process.
3) is not testing, unless you're only using it to develop and test your monitoring scripts. If you're using the scripts to gather real data and make real decisions based on it, it's not testing.
Give MS a call for the final word, but personally I wouldn't use developer edition for that.
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
February 1, 2016 at 8:02 am
Thnx for your 2 cents, Gila.
#1: Hmm I guess you might be right about testing backups being part of the production environment, but the question remains how MS will see this, because the data is only used to verify the integrity of the backup file.
No, #3 is not testing. Like I said it is actually monitoring health on production servers, hence my suspicion it might not allowed, because it supports production. But then again, I don't see it as production data. I'm curious how MS will see this.
And of course I would only use a Developer Edition until I'm positive MS is okay with it.
Anyone else have some thoughts on this?
February 1, 2016 at 8:28 am
It's not whether you see it as production data or not. Developer edition is licensed for development and testing only.
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
February 1, 2016 at 8:33 am
No it's like I said I'm curious how MS sees it, it doesn't matter how we see it.
Anyone else comments?
February 1, 2016 at 8:36 am
JonnoJ (2/1/2016)
No it's like I said I'm curious how MS sees it, it doesn't matter how we see it.
Then call Microsoft and ask. No one here can tell you the official Microsoft point of view.
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
February 1, 2016 at 8:41 am
Anyone else comments?
February 1, 2016 at 8:47 am
I would think this is considered against the licensing for Developer edition. As Gail said if you are uncertain then maybe you should ask Microsoft directly. However I am taken back to school and a class on business ethics. The basics of which are "if it feels like it might not be ok then chances are it isn't". Given that you are uncertain if you are edging the line a little close is probably a really good indication that you are. If that was my system I would not use Developer edition for that because in my mind that is not development, it is monitoring production.
This may not be the answer you are looking for but is my opinion on the topic.
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February 1, 2016 at 8:50 am
Sean Lange (2/1/2016)
I would think this is considered against the licensing for Developer edition. As Gail said if you are uncertain then maybe you should ask Microsoft directly. However I am taken back to school and a class on business ethics. The basics of which are "if it feels like it might not be ok then chances are it isn't". Given that you are uncertain if you are edging the line a little close is probably a really good indication that you are. If that was my system I would not use Developer edition for that because in my mind that is not development, it is monitoring production.This may not be the answer you are looking for but is my opinion on the topic.
I agree with this and with Gail's posts. What you are proposing goes beyond the spirit of the Developer licence.
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February 1, 2016 at 8:53 am
JonnoJ (2/1/2016)
1. Mainly testing database backups: restoring database backups, checking the recovered databases with checkdb and then dropping the databases. This will be production data.
Pretty sure this falls outside of the developer licence, call MS if you're unsure.
JonnoJ (2/1/2016)
2. Testing and developing TSQL scripts. Might be testing those on copies of production databases.
This is fine under the developer licence.
JonnoJ (2/1/2016)
3. Monitoring production databases: e.g. gathering information on database growth, capturing errors/warnings in error logs. This is done by making the server with Developer Edition a linked server on the production servers. Data is gathered in an 'admin' database on the Developer Edition.
Pretty sure this falls outside of the developer licence, call MS if you're unsure.
February 1, 2016 at 8:55 am
Thank you Phil, Cadavre and Sean, I guess you guys are right.
February 1, 2016 at 9:27 am
Late, but I'll agree with
#1 - Not allowed
#2 - allowed
#3 - Not allowed.
If you verify the integrity of the backup, you're doing production work. You are checking, actively, how your production server runs. You might be able to argue this, but I'd say if the restore isn't being used for development (refresh from prod), this violates the agreement.
#3 - you're doing production work. Monitoring is production work. No difference in what you're doing and putting up an instance that backs SQL Monitor, Openview, etc.
February 1, 2016 at 9:44 am
JonnoJ (2/1/2016)
I've searched and read similar topics about licensing questions for more than a few hours, but couldn't find any to answer my question.Basically I'm planning to use a Developer Edition for the following purposes:
1. Mainly testing database backups: restoring database backups, checking the recovered databases with checkdb and then dropping the databases. This will be production data.
2. Testing and developing TSQL scripts. Might be testing those on copies of production databases.
3. Monitoring production databases: e.g. gathering information on database growth, capturing errors/warnings in error logs. This is done by making the server with Developer Edition a linked server on the production servers. Data is gathered in an 'admin' database on the Developer Edition.
I'm pretty confident #1 and #2 won't pose a problem with Microsoft, but I'm unsure if #3 will be allowed, although the data gathered is purely to monitor health on our production databases/instances.
Is there anyone who could shed some light on this please? or should I give MS a call?
Thanks! 😎
One option that hasn't been mentioned yet is SQL Server Express Edition. Yes, it's limited to 10 GB sized databases, but it has no limitations for use in a production environment, and it supports multi-user access.
SSEE could handle #2, testing stored procedures, although the 10 GB database cap will limit the amount of data you can practically copy from production. However, keep in mind that SSEE supports multiple databases, each capped at 10 GB, so you can do something like vertical paritioning. Of course you would be limited to functional testing, because how a stored procedure performs on SSEE would have no bearing on how it performs in the production server.
SSEE can certainly handle #3, gathering production monitoring data.
As for #1, restoring and performing checkdb on production backups, you might consider just keeping this on the existing production server. So long as you allocate dedicated storage for containing the BackupTest database, and then perform the restore / checkdb off hours or on the weekend, it might not present a noticable load on the normal production processing.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
February 1, 2016 at 9:59 am
Asking on a forum probably isn't going to get you the right answers, only the MS licensing people really know the answer and they are the only ones who really count.
I do pretty much agree with what everyone else has said, though.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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February 1, 2016 at 10:09 am
I agree with everyone else. Development and test are development and test. If it feels like production at all, then it's probably production. Monitoring production is production.
Then again, like multiple people have also said, I'm not Microsoft. They're the only source for the official answer, whether any of us like it or not.
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