Updated: July 9, 2020 (November 15, 2000)

  Charts & Illustrations

SQL Server Licensing Models

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Rob Helm by
Rob Helm

As managing vice president, Rob Helm covers Microsoft collaboration and content management. His 25-plus years of experience analyzing Microsoft’s technology... more

The chart below summarizes how each of the four Microsoft server licensing models apply to SQL Server 2000 (SQL 2000) and SQL Server 7.0 (SQL 7).

(All price figures used in the examples are US$ estimates for purchases of English-version products made under Select licensing plans.)



Pricing Model Description Example Status
Concurrent-Use

(also called “Per-Server”)

Organizations pay a fee for each server machine (the amount is independent of server machine configuration) and must purchase enough Client Access Licenses (CALs) for each server to cover the maximum number of simultaneous client connections to that particular server machine. An organization installing a single SQL 7 Standard machine to support up to 25 simultaneous users pays US$800 to install the software on the server and an additional US$125 for each of 25 CALs. The total SQL 7 licensing cost is US$3,900. Available in SQL 7, discontinued in SQL 2000
Per-Seat Organizations

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