April 3, 2007 at 2:34 pm
We user Reporting Services for our intranet/extranet. Users access a page on our site that lists all of the available reports, select a report, fill in the parameters and click run. The code behind page calls the reporting services web service to retrieve the report and displays it. Reporting Services is installed on our database server which has 2 processors and therefore, 2 SQL Server licenses.
I was on an interview recently and talked about our report solution and one of the people interviewing me told me that we did not have proper licenses. The funny thing is, he didn't ask what kind we had. I think he based his comment on the fact that we don't use Windows authentication for each user. We have a generic report user on the database server and our website passes that info for the credentials.
Is there anything wrong with what we're doing? According to this link http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/howtolicensers.mspx, a per processor license is needed for internet/extranet deployments.
I appreciate any insight anyone is able to give.
April 5, 2007 at 9:42 am
If Reporting Services, including Report Manager (the IIS portion) is installed on the same server as your production database, and if my memory doesn't fail me, I think you're fine. Reporting Services does require you to have a SQL Server license for the box it runs on, but if that is already taken care of via having a fully licensed SQL Server instance, I'm pretty sure you're covered. Maybe one of our MS types will chime in and verify.
Where it does get sticky is if you have your Reporting Services database on one server, and the IIS portion on a different server. From my memory of the licensing scheme, this actually required separate licenses for each server. My take is that Reporting Services is treated as a portion of SQL Server, so if already licensed on the same machine, you're fine, but even if you want just a small portion of it on a different server, you need to license that as well.
April 5, 2007 at 11:05 am
Thanks David. That was my understanding as well. We have all of the Reporting Services components installed on our database server which sits behind the firewall. And our web servers call the reporting services web service(on the DB server) to retrieve the reports for the users.
I spent a lot of time researching the licensing documentation and was so happy when I found this solution. It would be great if someone from Microsoft could confirm that what we're doing is ok.
April 5, 2007 at 11:37 am
hi Kathleen,
I'm not from MS and this comment isn't specifically about your licensing structure... but...
>>
I was on an interview recently and talked about our report solution and one of the people interviewing me told me that we did not have proper licenses. The funny thing is, he didn't ask what kind we had. I think he based his comment on the fact that we don't use Windows authentication for each user. We have a generic report user on the database server and our website passes that info for the credentials.
<<
It sounds to me like the person with this issue (your interviewer) is not comfortable with the idea of a proxy architecture. Is that because s/he didn't understand the idea, or thinks it doesn't apply to Reporting Services? Either way, not such a good sign for the prospect of working with him/her <g>.
FWIW, I would be surprised if using Sharepoint Services + Reporting didn't use some approach like this. You might even be able to find a MS document that described Sharepoint-Reporting Services integration in exactly this way. It might make you more comfortable with /provide some confirmation for what you are doing.
>L<
April 2, 2008 at 10:13 am
HI,
I have situation where we have production server where all database are resides and planning to have seprate Reporting server on other machine but it will connect to production server to get all the data from different databases.
Do I need 2 sperate liences for each machine ?
We have installed Enterprise Edition on production server.
I am looking around every where find solution to my problem.
Thanks in advance.
Nick
April 2, 2008 at 10:38 am
Lisa Slater Nicholls (4/5/2007)
hi Kathleen,
I'm not from MS and this comment isn't specifically about your licensing structure... but...
>>
I was on an interview recently and talked about our report solution and one of the people interviewing me told me that we did not have proper licenses.The funny thing is, he didn't ask what kind we had. I think he based his comment on the fact that we don't use Windows authentication for each user. We have a generic report user on the database server and our website passes that info for the credentials.
<<
It sounds to me like the person with this issue (your interviewer) is not comfortable with the idea of a proxy architecture. Is that because s/he didn't understand the idea, or thinks it doesn't apply to Reporting Services? Either way, not such a good sign for the prospect of working with him/her <g>.
FWIW, I would be surprised if using Sharepoint Services + Reporting didn't use some approach like this. You might even be able to find a MS document that described Sharepoint-Reporting Services integration in exactly this way. It might make you more comfortable with /provide some confirmation for what you are doing.
>L<
Well - there might be some confusion. The first might be that you used the word "server license" instead of "processor license". Assuming your reporting server is licensed with 2 PROCESSOR licenses, and assuming your server only has 2 processors, then you're right, you are covered.
On the other hand, if you really do only have 2 SERVER licenses, then no - you are NOT covered. In the "how to license", you'll note that it states that SQL Server and/or each of its components need to be licensed appropriately according to all "direct and indirect" users. The fact that you have an IIS server between your data and 200 users doesn't mean you get to license for 1 user (the ASP.NET user or the SSRS account), it means you need 200 user licenses (or processor licensing).
You'll see it specifically notes that a proxy architecture does NOT apply (sorry Lisa). Per the "How to Buy" page:
Sometimes organizations develop network scenarios that use various forms of hardware and/or software that reduce the number of devices or users that directly access or use the software on a particular server, often called "multiplexing" or "pooling" hardware or software. Use of such multiplexing or pooling hardware and/or software does not reduce the number of client access licenses (CALs) required to access or use SQL Server software. A CAL is required for each distinct device or user to the multiplexing or pooling software or hardware front end. This remains true no matter how many tiers of hardware or software exist between the server running SQL Server and the client devices that ultimately use its data, services, or functionality. An exception to this includes the manual transfer of data from employee to employee. For example, if an employee sends a Microsoft Excel version of a report to another employee, the receiving employee does not require a CAL. An additional exception is communication exclusively between the servers running SQL Server.
I'm thinking he latched on to the word "Server" (entailing server+CAL model).
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
April 2, 2008 at 10:51 am
I'm not with Microsoft eithr, but based on my multiple readings of the licensing for SQL Server 2005, if you install Reporting Services on another server (other than the one where you installed the SQL Server Engine), yes you need another license for that server.
Best thing, contact your MS rep and ask the horse directly.
😎
April 3, 2008 at 2:42 am
Hi,
Please let me clear my existing set up and further requirements.
1.Sorry I have SQL server 2005 standard edition not Enterprise edition.
2.Our currenct production server have 4 processors.
3.Other server where planning to install seperate Reporting server have aslo 4 processors.
I think Reporting server is very CPU intensive so thought to keep it seperate then production server.
Also please let me know how and where I can cotnact MS rep.
Please clear me on these issues.
Thanks
Nick
April 3, 2008 at 9:11 am
Nick123 (4/3/2008)
Hi,Please let me clear my existing set up and further requirements.
1.Sorry I have SQL server 2005 standard edition not Enterprise edition.
2.Our currenct production server have 4 processors.
3.Other server where planning to install seperate Reporting server have aslo 4 processors.
I think Reporting server is very CPU intensive so thought to keep it seperate then production server.
Also please let me know how and where I can cotnact MS rep.
Please clear me on these issues.
Thanks
Nick
You would then need to license the reporting server for its own SQL Server license. Whether you should go with Processor licensing or Server+CAL would depend on how many reporting users you have. Notice I didn't say *concurrent* - that's not a concept that flies in SQL Server world: you have to license per distinct report user.
You'd also want to look at the feature matrix to figure out whether any of the enhancement in the version of SSRS included with Enterprise Ed is something you would need. You may well find that you can "get away" with buying Standard Edition for your Reporting Server, assuming you don't need things like infinite click-through (which I've yet to see actually implemented in prod).
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
April 3, 2008 at 10:13 am
I also think it depends on the type of reports created as well. If the reports used by users are static, you may not need to count those users. I do know that if the reports are dynamic, and access the database for drill through reporting, etc, then the users have to be licensed.
Again, contact Microsoft. Best thing you could do is start on thier website and go from there.
😎
April 3, 2008 at 10:29 am
Lynn Pettis (4/3/2008)
I also think it depends on the type of reports created as well. If the reports used by users are static, you may not need to count those users. I do know that if the reports are dynamic, and access the database for drill through reporting, etc, then the users have to be licensed.Again, contact Microsoft. Best thing you could do is start on thier website and go from there.
😎
The only exception listed in the "official documents" is when the report is dumped to an external format, and that external format is sent manually to someone else.
So - an assistant logs in to SSRS, exports a report to Excel, and e-mails that to 200 people, that's one license. However - if the assistant "gets lazy" and subscribed all 200 people to getting the report e-mailed in Excel by the report server, then that's 201 licenses....
The document I rely on a lot is here:
Lynn's right though - talk to the licensing specialists.
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
April 3, 2008 at 10:47 am
Well, that last bit of info may be a bit old, but it was valid at my last employer. The reports were run on an automated schedule then dumped to a web site where those who needed them could get them. The reports were static, and they didn't log in to RS to get them. Exactly how that was implemented, I have no idea, as I was not involved in the reporting aspect there.
I'm sure as we move forward here we will run into those same issues, but at least I know we are covered having purchased SQL Server 2005 EE on a per processor license. Makes it easier, don't have to count users (other than to determine that per processor was way cheaper than buying CAL's!).
😎
April 3, 2008 at 10:54 am
Lynn Pettis (4/3/2008)
Well, that last bit of info may be a bit old, but it was valid at my last employer. The reports were run on an automated schedule then dumped to a web site where those who needed them could get them. The reports were static, and they didn't log in to RS to get them. Exactly how that was implemented, I have no idea, as I was not involved in the reporting aspect there.I'm sure as we move forward here we will run into those same issues, but at least I know we are covered having purchased SQL Server 2005 EE on a per processor license. Makes it easier, don't have to count users (other than to determine that per processor was way cheaper than buying CAL's!).
😎
Well no - worded that way - it works. It's a manual delivery (the user has to "go get them"), and disconnected from SSRS. That was how they worded the "exception".
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Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?
October 16, 2008 at 3:48 am
Hi guys,
Hope you guys will be able to assit. I have much the same question as I've seen in this topic.
I just need to know the following:
If I have an IIS box(the db sever is seperate and licensed) for my SSRS 2005 that has 4 CPUs, must I purchase 4 processor licenses or is there a way that I can setup SSRS to use only 1 CPU?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Regards
J
October 17, 2008 at 7:34 am
We are looking at a similar usage. EE with CPU licensing, with an external connector license, was what I recall being told we needed.
Remember that at SQL 2005 launch they said 'it's all in the box'. But not if you want to run some pieces on another box.:w00t: And that is the recommended architecture - don't run IIS/RS on your SQL server.
A chat with a Micro$oft rep would be wise. Lots of fine print, and they should be able to outline your options. It's not just SQL server, but the OS they are running on that can also factor in. That's where I think the external connector came into play.
The only thing simple is the CPU (per socket) licensing, not per core. All we can hope for is that when the 8 cores start coming out, they leave it as is and not confuse us anymore.
Greg E
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