Executive Focus: SQL Server License Consolidation Provides Tangible Benefits

 

• SQL Server license consolidation is a low-risk effort that delivers cost, compliance, and administrative benefits.
• Analysis and planning require specialized skills and deep understanding of Microsoft technology and licensing.
• Server license consolidation relocates VMs, which has minimal impact to applications.
• Hardware replacement, workload balancing, and other efforts can further increase cost benefits of consolidation projects.

Organizations typically have a diverse server environment to run a variety of business-related applications that regularly grow and sprawl naturally over time to meet business demands. This is frequently the case with Microsoft’s SQL Server database software, Windows Server, and other server technologies. However, because server environments are typically deployed and managed by administrators not educated on licensing optimization, the growth results in a situation called licensing sprawl. This means servers are deployed inefficiently from a licensing perspective and could cost organizations hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars each year in unnecessary licensing. It can also open organizations to expensive license compliance risks. Server license consolidation projects are a low-risk spring-cleaning-like effort that offer a high return for organizations looking to reduce cost.