SQL Standard licensing

[Andre_H]

Hello, according to a Microsoft statement, the virtual machines backed up with Veeam must be equipped with a SQL-CAL license when using a Microsoft SQL Server Standard or higher in the background. I have the situation that the SQL Express is no longer sufficient.
Does anyone have experience here? What is the common solution here?
Thanks in advance for your feedback!
VG
André

[HannesK]

Hello,
please understand that, we cannot officially comment on Microsoft licensing. There are too many options how to license SQL.

I got exactly the same question yesterday from an Veeam SE and he told me that Microsoft said the following: "all backed-up VMs are connecting to the SQL DB, which means every backed-up VM needs a CAL". This statement is wrong as backed up VMs are NOT connecting to the SQL DB. Only the Veeam backup server connects to the database and stores its configuration there. Enterprise Manager self-service portal could be a different story, because it is used by multiple users.

Best regards,
Hannes

PS: I have seen several situations where SQL Express (recommended up to 500 VMs) was not the limit, but the issue was that the VM running the backup server as configured with virtual sockets instead of virtual cores. Also SQL 2014 and newer give a performance advantage. Maybe that could help you to stay on express anyway

[Andre_H]

Hello, according to a SAM Consultant also every indirect access has to be licensed with a SQL-CAL. Even if the VM does not manage the access. The reasoning of the SAM Consultant lies in the meta data, which are stored in the SQL Server and contain information from the VM. I can not find this statement again either at VEEAM or at Microsoft. Does anyone have reliable sources / statements here?

[HannesK]

Hello,

you can tell the consultant: our backup files are self contained. If you loose the SQL database, that's no issue for the backups. Just use the standalone extract tool on any machine - done. Probably that's one of the reasons why you cannot find any statement in that direction.

Best regards,
Hannes

[Andreas Neufert]

No there is no such statement as Microsoft just point to their licensing terms.

Important point to know here is that we do not have Agents on the VMs that schedule anything. So the start point is our B&R Server not the „Agent“. If you look at the licensing FAQ you need to only license the server/user that start anything and not the server in between. But as Hannes said, contact a Microsoft license specialist (for partners there are some at the distributors) and discuss this with them. Important points that help to get the licenses:

1) Only B&R start (scheduler) something. All the other servers including the VMs carry out the functionality (backup). There are exceptions when you use unmanaged agents, managed agent when you run them with the scheduler there and plug-ins (RMAN/SAP).

2) There are users that use the Veeam Console and Enterprise Manager

3) If you license per core there are no user/device CALs.

As the license specialists don‘t know how our software work, these points are helpful and should help them to select correct licenses. Important point is that the license partners have a very clear view on what needs to be licensed and they work close together with the companies that do the reviews for microsoft to be able to license and consult customers correctly.

[Andre_H]

Hello, thank you for your quick feedback!

[mikeely]

We need to get past the 10GB limit on SQL express and that means forking over money to Microsoft, and of course their profit-taking licensing model is as confusing as always, and as always designed to add to their bottom line by confusing users into buying the wrong license either by paying too much up front for an overprovisioned license or by juking people into buying too low-end a license up front and then charging them 3X whatever the cost of the appropriate license is after an audit. I really despise them for their business practices in this regard.

Assuming we only run this instance on the Veeam server, do you think 1 server + 1 user CAL is appropriate, or are we looking at a per-socket cost (staggeringly expensive) or what? How did you solve this question?

[HannesK]

Hello,
I merged your question with a similar one. Please see the answers above.

Best regards,
Hannes

[strivoli]

I've opened a Support Ticket and asked for help: "...SQL will be used only for Veeam. I have 2 DBs as I’m running B&R and One on the same SERVER on which I have SQL too. I’m the only “IT guy” in our company...". Veeam Support replied "...I would recommend SQL 2017 Server CAL with 2 CAL licensing...".

[veremin]

Veeam support is not allowed to make recommendations on 3rd party licensing .

So, you'd better reach Microsoft sales representative, because even with the points given above only they (not we) can comment on their licensing terms and conditions.

Thanks!

[phiaramos]

How should we address to the customer that we do not recommend cal and core of MS SQL?

[HannesK]

Hello,
I'm not sure what the question means, but for V12 we will support PostgreSQL as configuration database, that should solve the licensing question.

Best regards,
Hannes

[phiaramos]

Hi Hannes,

We have customer who are going to upgrade from MS SQL express to MS SQL Standard, they are asking what is the recommended core and cal for the SQL. Is the recommendation will come from Veeam or on Microsoft side?

[HannesK]

Hello,
The recommendation will be from Microsoft side, because we don't know which licensing model is best for the customer. That depends on the customer contracts (which we don't know).

Best regards,
Hannes

[DeronBraun]

The issue you run into is in that Microsoft licenses all server products based on the end clients serviced. In the case of licensing SQL for a Veeam backup solution you must consider all end clients that use services on the servers you are backing up. A CAL is required for each user or device managed by an application that reads or writes data on a SQL server on their behalf.
So, when licensing for Microsoft SQL Server for Veeam, you must count all users or all client devices.

• Users are considered each unique Human, not user account

• Devices are considered each unique physical device which the users interface with

There is a huge misconception out there that you only need CALs for those users who directly log into the SQL Server, OR for any device connection to the SQL server. If this were the case, a company with 1000 users and three DBAs would be barely spending more on SQL than a company with 10 users and a single DBA.
Microsoft does offer the ability to license based on the number of Cores assigned to the VM or the number of physical cores in the case of a bare metal install.
Also, note. for most environments, SA is required as well since many times the SQL Server may need to be run on a different host temporarily for fail-over/redundancy. SA gives you Licensing Mobility Rights to move the licenses for those temporary situations without this you do not have the legal rights to temporarily move the SQL Server to another host.

[karsten123]

god bless, postresql is coming . msft licensing sucks