Veeam 9.5 + SQL 2016 Standard Licence

[PariPari]

Hey,

I am planning an environment for a customer. We will backup Databases larger than 10GB, so SQL Express might not be sufficient for the use with Veeam Explorer.
Does anyone know what SQL licence I will need for the physical Veeam Backup Server? Server + 1 Cal?

regards

[Shestakov]

Hi,for database larger 10GB you need Standard license of SQL.
I would suggest reading this section of the best practices book.

[PariPari]

Uhm, yes i know The Question was what SQL Licence model i need for this.
We got the info, that we need a SQL Server Licence + one User Cal per Admin that uses the Veeam Backup Console

[skrause]

The way CAL licensing works, you need one for every application and user that accesses the database. So if you are just using Backup & Replication - 1 for B&R and 1 for each user that accesses the console.

If you are using VeeamONE and Enterprise Manager you would probably need one each for those to not run afoul of MS.

Since SQL CALs are, iirc, for concurrent users you could probably get away with the application ones plus what you think would be the average number of concurrent users and be ok.

[nmdange]

SQL CALs aren't concurrent, it's per named user or device. You can read more about how CALs work here: http://download.microsoft.com/download/ ... _EN_US.pdf

[Buh95]

Are there any "official" Veeam documentations or recommandations about how to licence correctly SQLServer STANDARD for VBR installation.

I mean, information above are interesting, but there are many, many, many subtles points in Microsoft licences model. If you have ever known an audit driven by Microsoft, you will know what I'm talking about...

According to the above MS documentation, it's rather clear that using "SERVER+CAL" model will impose :
=> a SQLServer licence for each OS hosting a SQLserver componant (I would say, at least one for the Veeam BR server itself if it hosts the SQLserver instance)
=> a user CAL (or a device CAL) for each administrator accessing the console.

But...

=> For a "veeam Agent for windows", installed on a workstation or physical server : SQLServer CAL required ? (I'd say yes, because the agent goes to SQL indirectly, and he's iniating the connection to the Veeam Server).

=> For a vSphere environnement, backed up by Veeam, composed a several physical hosts and VMs : SQLServer CAL required ? (I'd say no, because vSphere and all hosts are passively accessed by Veeam, without any agent). But is it true from a Microsoft point of view ?

=> For the Veeam Enterprise Manager client component installed on the same server as the one used for SQLserver and VBR Server Components : SQLServer CAL required (i'd say no, because the server itself is already covered by a SQLServer Server licence).

So, could Veeam be able to formalize it (if it's not already done... of course...) ?

Regards. Thanks
and Happy New Year !

[nmdange]

I would suspect you would need a SQL Server Device CAL for each VMWare or Hyper-V host Veeam is backing up, because they are a device accessing an application (Veeam) that is using a SQL Server database. In most examples on SQL Server licensing, Microsoft often makes it a point that a middleware server does not reduce the need for CALs. The common scenario is a web server with a SQL database. You need a CAL for every end user that access the web application, you can't just get one CAL for the web server. Replace web server with Veeam server, and end user with hypervisor host and it seems pretty likely you need CALs for them.

When in doubt, there is always per-processor licensing!

[Buh95]

Thanks for your reply,

Per-Processor licensing is out of "money range" for me

I'd really appreciate an official Veeam/Microsoft answer about this point.
I'm sure that Veeam, with several thousands of custommers, has already been in the situation of estimating global cost of Veeam infrastructure...

Thanks in advance

[Buh95]

Hi all,

I've just had a return from a Microsoft partner, expert in Microsoft Licensing models.
According to him, we have to take as many SQL CAL as the numbers of backed up VM.

This is an important information to estimate the global cost of a veeam platform.
It's just a big surprise for us. As we have always thought that SQL Express edition will be enough (Veeam guide advices SQL Express under 500 Vms, and we have 300).

But today, we have some SQL timeout issues on our Veeam server and after some diags, Veeam support tells us that the solution to upgrade to SQL STD... Ouch !

[Shestakov]

Hi Buh95,
Thanks for updating the thread. Could you provide the support case number?

[Buh95]

Hi,

I haven't any Veeam case number, It's just an internal reflexion about licensing...
And to be completely honest, I'm not really sure that our partner is complety right about this point.
All this needs to be confirmed by Veeam or Microsoft itself... I'm working on it...

[skrause]

I think your partner is trying to get you to buy more CALs through him :-p

[Shestakov]

You wrote that you had some talks with Veeam support.

But today, we have some SQL timeout issues on our Veeam server and after some diags, Veeam support tells us that the solution to upgrade to SQL STD

So I decided there was a support case. Did you have a webex or just a phone call? I'm wonder why they told you to upgrade SQL license.
Thanks!