Cluster licencing

#1

I have a question regarding licencing on a sql server active/passive cluster. If we have more than 1 instance of the sql server do we have to have to buy another licence for each additional instance?

#2

A Single-instance cluster requires licensing for a single host node.
Multi-instance clustering requires licensing for all host nodes. I am
assuming you are licensing per-processor.

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"Robert" <anonymous (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Quote:

I have a question regarding licencing on a sql server active/passive
cluster. If we have more than 1 instance of the sql server do we have to

have to buy another licence for each additional instance?

#3

So is it true to say

Server based licens
If you have Active/Passive, and you have 4 instances, each in it's own cluster group, but on the same two nodes, you have to purchase 4 sets licenses. One for each instance

I thought (from reading the 6.5 and 7.0 documentation) that you licensed the node, and in a 2 node cluster, regardless of active/passive or active/active you'd need to purchase 2 licenses (+ relevant CALs)

However, according to a Microsoft consultance (who's gone away to confirm) you only need to buy the license for the active node

Sorry if this adds to the confusion.

#4

Since you are clustering, you need Enterprise Edition. EE license allows
multiple instances on a host computer for the same processor license. The
exception for a licensing is when you are in single-instance cluster. Then
you only need to license one hose node's worth of processors. If you have
more than one instance, you must license ALL processors in the cluster.

Again, check with your local MS rep to get the exact wording.

(If you think this is confusing, you should try to figure out MSDE and
client tools licensing.)

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"Beverley" <Bev.Brindle (AT) barclays (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Quote:

So is it true to say.

Server based license
If you have Active/Passive, and you have 4 instances, each in it's own
cluster group, but on the same two nodes, you have to purchase 4 sets

licenses. One for each instance.

Quote:

I thought (from reading the 6.5 and 7.0 documentation) that you licensed
the node, and in a 2 node cluster, regardless of active/passive or

active/active you'd need to purchase 2 licenses (+ relevant CALs).

Quote:

However, according to a Microsoft consultance (who's gone away to confirm)
you only need to buy the license for the active node.

Sorry if this adds to the confusion.

#5

Again, the answer is "It Depends". You can use EE Server based with either
device or user CALs. EE allows multiple instances on a single host with one
license. The 'single-instance cluster exception' is actually a grant to use
the licenses on a failover node at no additional charge.

Here is an excerpt from the SQL licensing FAQ that seems to apply:
----snip-----

Q. How does licensing work for computers that run SQL Server 2000
Enterprise Edition in failover scenarios?

A. Failover support, where servers are clustered together and set to
pick up each others' processing duties if one computer should fail, is
available only in SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition, just as it was with
SQL Server 7.0. Failover support can be configured in one of two ways:

a.. Active/active. In the active/active configuration, all servers
in the cluster regularly process information, but one or more take on the
workload of a failed server.
b.. Active/passive. In the active/passive configuration, one or more
computers in the cluster do not regularly process information but rather
passively wait to pick up the workload when an active server fails. All
active servers in a cluster must be fully licensed, according to either the
Per Processor licensing model or the Server/CAL licensing model. However, if
a server is strictly passive, working only while an active server has
failed, no additional licenses are needed for that passive server. The only
exception to this rule is if the cluster is licensed using Processor
licenses and the number of processors on the passive server exceeds the
number of processors on the active server. In these cases, additional
Processor licenses must be purchased for the additional processors on the
passive server.

----snip-----

You can read the entire FAQ here:
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/faq.asp

--
Geoff N. Hiten
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Senior Database Administrator
Careerbuilder.com

I support the Professional Association for SQL Server
www.sqlpass.org

"Beverley" <Bev.Brindle (AT) barclays (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Quote:

Sorry to keep going on about this, but were putting strategic
infrastructure in place, and I want to make sure that we are adequatley

licensed.

Quote:

So with clustering can you use EE Server License, or is Processor License
compulsory.
And if EE Server Based is OK, does it apply to each instance (e.g. Server
License x No Instances)

Im differentiating between Server and Processor on the basis that if your
using Server you have to purchase CALs, but not if your using Processor.

We've purchased 60,000 CALs, so were going to use Server for all SQL
unless its userbase is WWW based. What would we need to do for clustered

SQL? We're intending a maxumim of 4 instances per cluster, over a 2 node
active / passive cluster.

Quote:

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Cluster licencing

microsoft.public.sqlserver.clustering microsoft.public.sqlserver.clustering

Cluster licencing - 05-13-2004 , 04:21 PM

Re: Cluster licencing - 05-13-2004 , 07:27 PM

Re: Cluster licencing - 05-21-2004 , 08:31 AM

Re: Cluster licencing - 05-21-2004 , 09:09 AM

Re: Cluster licencing - 05-21-2004 , 09:57 AM