What is SQL Server licensing in a virtualization environment?

What is SQL licensing?

This license allows for an unlimited number of users and devices to be connected to a server. If you want to install your SQL servers under a Core Based License, make sure you can follow these rules: You need to license every physical operating system environment (OSE) that is running SQL server software.

How do I license a VM in SQL?

Microsoft requires a minimum of four cores to be licensed for SQL Server. After that, they sell SQL Server licenses in packs of two cores. For example, if you have a VM with only one or two vCPUs, you need to purchase four cores of SQL Server licensing for that VM.

What is Microsoft licensing for virtualized environments?

A: Microsoft software available under the per processor licensing model that is run in a virtual OS environment is licensed based on the number of virtual processors used by that virtual OS environment, rather than by the number of physical processors contained in the server.

What is SQL Server virtualization?

SQL Server virtualization is the process of running SQL Server on a virtual machine (VM). It's used to consolidate the number of physical servers you have running and reduce the number of SQL Server licenses you need to purchase.