Bundles That Include SQL Server

Whenever possible, customers who purchase Microsoft server products that also require SQL Server should consider buying a bundle that includes both the server product and SQL Server. While some bundles impose restrictions on how SQL Server can be used, these bundles are almost always less expensive than licensing SQL Server separately.

The two most common groups of server products offering SQL Server bundles are System Center management products and server suites targeted at small and midsize businesses.

System Center Bundles

In addition to being available without SQL Server, four products in the System Center line—Configuration Manager, Essentials, Mobile Device Manager, and Operations Manager—offer bundles that include SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition. (At press time, none had yet been updated to include the latest version, SQL Server 2008, which shipped in Aug. 2008.) All four have lengthy names, such as “System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 with SQL Server 2005 Technology.” One other System Center product, Data Protection Manager 2007, does not offer a bundle because the regular package already includes SQL Server Standard Edition. In all five cases, SQL Server’s use is restricted to supporting the particular System Center application—for example, it can’t be used to provide database services to a customer relationship management (CRM) application.