Licensing - CALS

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Licensing - CALS

marchanje

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October 15, 2003 at 6:54 am

#162572

Can I get a definitive answer on this or an email address to someone at MS who can answer this? I'm having a little difficulty understanding CALS.
Are CALS assigned to specific client PC's or can any PC connect as long as I don't exceed the number of CALs at any one time?
Thanks...Marc

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Jonathan SSC-Insane Points: 20427 More actions · Answer 1

It depends. There are two types of CAL: User or Device.

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/sqlserverlicensing.asp

--Jonathan

marchanje SSC Veteran Points: 257 More actions · Answer 2

Thanks.

I've read about User or Device CALS, but am still not 100% clear on if they are reserved/assigened to specific users or to a specifics device.

Maybe the best way to get my answer is to re-ask the question:

Can I use CALS (User or Device) for an unlimited/unknown number of users, from an unknown number of devices but limit the number of device connections to my number of CALS? IE: 50 CALS, 100 users, 100 devices but only 50 connections at any one time?

Thanks... Marc

Jonathan SSC-Insane Points: 20427 More actions · Answer 3

quote:
Thanks.
I've read about User or Device CALS, but am still not 100% clear on if they are reserved/assigened to specific users or to a specifics device.

Welcome to the Microsoft licensing universe, otherwise known as the Twilight Zone. A good rule of thumb is to assume whatever is best for Microsoft is the way it works. This is also an effective strategy on Microsoft certification exams.

quote:
Maybe the best way to get my answer is to re-ask the question:
Can I use CALS (User or Device) for an unlimited/unknown number of users, from an unknown number of devices but limit the number of device connections to my number of CALS? IE: 50 CALS, 100 users, 100 devices but only 50 connections at any one time?
Thanks... Marc

You would need 100 CALs of one type or the other (no mixing). If some of the users also have more than one computer, then get User CALs; if some of the users share the same workstation, then get Device CALs. The upside is that you can add more SQL Servers without buying any more CALs.

If there will be only one server (and it will not have many processors), the other choice is Processor licensing, which may be used by an unlimited number of users and devices.

Previous versions of SQL Server did allow for your scenario by having "per server" (as opposed to "per seat") licensing...

--Jonathan

Edited by - Jonathan on 10/22/2003 06:58:43 AM

--Jonathan

marchanje SSC Veteran Points: 257 More actions · Answer 4

Jonathan, Thanks for the reply.

Honestly, that's what I assumed (big software corporate mucky-muck). Sadly I was hoping for the best!!!

I wish we could afford the per CPU licensing (we have 1 4-way server running standard addition). So our bottom line is 1 CAL per user.

Since our site is so small, I should probably suggest IT downgrades my server to a 2-way (argh! can’t believe I said that!) and trade the CALs in for per CPU licensing. Anyway, that's another story...

Again... Thanks

marchanje SSC Veteran Points: 257 More actions · Answer 5

Jonathan,

Something I almost missed. You said: "(no mixing)"...

Does that mean if we have user CALS we can't use device CALs?

Hopefully that's not the case!!!

Marc

ldaled SSC Enthusiast Points: 164 More actions · Answer 6

But, what about CALs for a webserver/database server that runs SSL for secure credit card processing. All users would be anonymous cause it is over the internet, would you still need CALs or just apply to a scenario involving a corporate intranet?

Regards,

L.D. Dupuis

Regards,
L.D. Dupuis

marchanje SSC Veteran Points: 257 More actions · Answer 7

You would purchase Per CPU licensing. It would cost more, but you can have unlimited users.

Our applications are non web and don't have that many users. I do wish the company had choosen to spend more so I didn't have to worry about being legal!

Jonathan SSC-Insane Points: 20427 More actions · Answer 8

quote:
Jonathan,
Something I almost missed. You said: "(no mixing)"...
Does that mean if we have user CALS we can't use device CALs?
Hopefully that's not the case!!!
Marc

Sorry, Marc. The way Microsoft puts it is that you have three choices for licensing: processor license, server plus device CALs, or server plus user CALs. There is no choice of Server plus device CALs and user CALs.

--Jonathan

Jonathan SSC-Insane Points: 20427 More actions · Answer 9

quote:
But, what about CALs for a webserver/database server that runs SSL for secure credit card processing. All users would be anonymous cause it is over the internet, would you still need CALs or just apply to a scenario involving a corporate intranet?
Regards,
L.D. Dupuis

Marc is correct. Even if the only "user" that connects to SQL Server is a web server (or any other intermediate tier server), the licensing applies to each distinct device or user that will ever access the front-end. Unless you can strictly control the actual number of users or devices that will ever use the application, the only solution is to use processor licensing. Microsoft explains this very thoroughly in the document I linked above (they call it multiplexing). Note that, as in Marc's hypothetical question, the license does not refer to the number of simultaneous connections, but instead refers to the cumulative number of distinct users or devices, so limiting concurrent web connections to, say, 100, does not mean you only need that many user CALs.

--Jonathan