Saturday, January 29, 2011

SQL Server Management Studio licensing

We have a SQL Server 2008 server, licensed per processor.

If I want to install SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) on a couple of desktop PCs (in order to connect to the server), do I need more licenses?

I can't find much about this in the SQL licensing FAQs.

  • No. You can install as many instances of SSMS as you want (it doesn't require a license)...provided you have the CALs to access SQL server.

    Having said that, I am not a Microsoft Licensing Scheme(tm) expert...

    Edited to add:

    Q. Do I need a separate license to run the SQL Server tools and analysis services?

    A. No, a separate license is not required. However, any device that has SQL Server tools or technologies installed must have a valid SQL Server license.

    From here

    codeulike : And with processor licensing CALs are not an issue, presumably?
    codeulike : If you can find a source for 'SSMS doesn't require a license' that would be handy, too.
    GregD : Edited my answer above.
    GregD : And to answer your question about the "processor" license. That particular license covers all devices that access THAT processor.
    codeulike : Thanks for the edit, but that bit of the Licensing FAQ is about as clear as mud to me. 'Any device that has SQL server tools ... must have a valid SQL Server license'. I think you are saying we should interpret that as "CAL is sufficient"?
    GregD : As long as you have the processor license, you're covered with any device that you install SSMS on, because the processor license is essentially an "unlimited" device CAL license for devices accessing that processor...
    codeulike : Right, I get it now! thanks a lot : )
    From GregD
  • There's no license requirement for the SQL Tools beyond having the needed CALs (or a CPU license for the servers) so that you can connect without issue.

    Now any computer which has the server components on it (SQL Engine, SSAS, SSRS, etc) will need to be fully licensed. So if you have one CPU license for one server running the database engine with 1 physical CPU and a second server with 1 physical CPU running SSAS then you need to buy another CPU license for the SSAS server.

    From mrdenny

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