By Alan Swahn
The world of Microsoft SQL Server licensing1 and pricing is changing as per Microsoft’s recent announcement2. Reading through the SQL Server 2012 licensing datasheet3, I found multiple ways to license SQL Server Standard Edition (SE) and the treatment of virtual machines (VMs) of particular interest. The Standard Edition has basic database, reporting, and analytic capabilities.
There appear to be two ways to license VMs for the Standard Edition. (1) License individual VMs with core licenses—one core license per virtual core with a minimum of four core licenses per VM; and (2) license individual VMs with server licenses and license each user or device with a client access license (CAL). Considering these models, I decided to delineate the cost advantages of each model over a range of VMs and users. The results are pretty interesting.
I used the demonstration pricing in the datasheet3 as follows:
SE Core License $1,793 per core
CALs $209 per CAL
SE Server License $898 per VM
For my test case, I chose a range of 250-25,000 users and 4-256 VMs. I allocated 4 VMs per server with 4 cores per VM, as there is a minimum of 4 core licenses per VM. Core-based licenses don’t depend on the number of users and the calculation is straight forward. Example: 4 VMs x 4 cores per VM x $1,793 per core = $28,688.
Core-based license cost:
|
|
VMs |
||||
|
Users |
4 |
16 |
64 |
128 |
256 |
|
250-25,000 |
$28,688 |
$114,752 |
$459,008 |
$918,016 |
$1,836,032 |
The core-based cost per user directly falls out as:
|
|
VMs |
||||
|
Users |
4 |
16 |
64 |
128 |
256 |
|
250 |
$114.75 |
$459.01 |
$1,836.03 |
$3,672.06 |
$7,344.13 |
|
500 |
$57.38 |
$229.50 |
$918.02 |
$1,836.03 |
$3,672.06 |
|
750 |
$38.25 |
$153.00 |
$612.01 |
$1,224.02 |
$2,448.04 |
|
1000 |
$28.69 |
$114.75 |
$459.01 |
$918.02 |
$1,836.03 |
|
2500 |
$11.48 |
$45.90 |
$183.60 |
$367.21 |
$734.41 |
|
5000 |
$5.74 |
$22.95 |
$91.80 |
$183.60 |
$367.21 |
|
7500 |
$3.83 |
$15.30 |
$61.20 |
$122.40 |
$244.80 |
|
10000 |
$2.87 |
$11.48 |
$45.90 |
$91.80 |
$183.60 |
|
25000 |
$1.15 |
$4.59 |
$18.36 |
$36.72 |
$73.44 |
The cost profile spikes as the number of VMs goes up.
Server + CAL License:
The Server + CAL license model is a little more complicated. I assumed 4 VMs per server and the SE Server License demonstration pricing of $898 per VM. Each CAL was $209. The cost is (#VMs x $898/VM) + (# CALs * $209/CAL) with 1 CAL per user. Example: for 16 VMs (4 Servers) and 1000 users the cost calculation is: (16 x $898) + (1000 x $209) = $223,368
|
|
Servers |
||||||
|
|
1 |
4 |
16 |
32 |
64 |
||
|
|
VMs |
||||||
|
Users |
4 |
16 |
64 |
128 |
256 |
||
|
250 |
$55,842 |
$66,618 |
$109,722 |
$167,194 |
$282,138 |
||
|
500 |
$108,092 |
$118,868 |
$161,972 |
$219,444 |
$334,388 |
||
|
750 |
$160,342 |
$171,118 |
$214,222 |
$271,694 |
$386,638 |
||
|
1000 |
$212,592 |
$223,368 |
$266,472 |
$323,944 |
$438,888 |
||
|
2500 |
$526,092 |
$536,868 |
$579,972 |
$637,444 |
$752,388 |
||
|
5000 |
$1,048,592 |
$1,059,368 |
$1,102,472 |
$1,159,944 |
$1,274,888 |
||
|
7500 |
$1,571,092 |
$1,581,868 |
$1,624,972 |
$1,682,444 |
$1,797,388 |
||
|
10000 |
$2,093,592 |
$2,104,368 |
$2,147,472 |
$2,204,944 |
$2,319,888 |
||
|
25000 |
$5,228,592 |
$5,239,368 |
$5,282,472 |
$5,339,944 |
$5,454,888 |
||
The cost profile is fairly flat for 2,500 users and above, but grows significantly when the number of VMs is high and the number of users is below 2,500.
Server + CAL cost per user:
|
|
Servers |
||||
|
|
1 |
4 |
16 |
32 |
64 |
|
|
VMs |
||||
|
Users |
4 |
16 |
64 |
128 |
256 |
|
250 |
$223.37 |
$266.47 |
$438.89 |
$668.78 |
$1,128.55 |
|
500 |
$216.18 |
$237.74 |
$323.94 |
$438.89 |
$668.78 |
|
750 |
$213.79 |
$228.16 |
$285.63 |
$362.26 |
$515.52 |
|
1000 |
$212.59 |
$223.37 |
$266.47 |
$323.94 |
$438.89 |
|
2500 |
$210.44 |
$214.75 |
$231.99 |
$254.98 |
$300.96 |
|
5000 |
$209.72 |
$211.87 |
$220.49 |
$231.99 |
$254.98 |
|
7500 |
$209.48 |
$210.92 |
$216.66 |
$224.33 |
$239.65 |
|
10000 |
$209.36 |
$210.44 |
$214.75 |
$220.49 |
$231.99 |
|
25000 |
$209.14 |
$209.57 |
$211.30 |
$213.60 |
$218.20 |
Showdown—Which is better from a cost perspective, Core or Server + CALs licensing?
It is less expense to go with core-based licenses for a total of 4 VMs, regardless of the number of users. Server plus CALs licensing creeps in as the better choice for 16 VMs and 250 users or less.
64 VMs is a mixed bag, for 1000 users or fewer, Server plus CALs is cheaper. But for 2500 users or greater, core-based licenses are less expensive.
Jumping out to 256 VMs, Server plus CALs has the advantage for 7500 users and under.
All in all, you have to take a close look at the number of users and VMs to achieve the lowest licensing cost for your estate.
|
VMs |
4 |
16 |
64 |
128 |
256 |
|
Users |
|||||
|
250 |
Core |
Server |
Server |
Server |
Server |
|
500 |
Core |
Core |
Server |
Server |
Server |
|
750 |
Core |
Core |
Server |
Server |
Server |
|
1000 |
Core |
Core |
Server |
Server |
Server |
|
2500 |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Server |
Server |
|
5000 |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Server |
|
7500 |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Server |
|
10000 |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
|
25000 |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
Core |
References:
1. SQL Server 2012 Licensing Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/future-editions/sql2012-licensing.aspx
2. SQL Server 2012 Announcement
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2011/oct11/10-12PASS1PR.mspx
3. SQL Server 2012 Licensing Datasheet
http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/5/D/A5D112E1-78FF-491F-9364-F1BC6FAE7D57/SQL_Server_2012_Licensing_Datasheet_Nov2011.pdf
4. Related Blog
http://blogs.flexerasoftware.com/elo/2011/11/revolutionary-changes-to-microsoft-sql-server-2012-license-models.html
