Understand Microsoft Windows and Application Server Software for Departments

Overview

The Microsoft packages listed below are available for purchase by University departments.

Detail

Purchase

Learn how to purchase a license for this software.

License Use

One license for each server product must be purchased for each machine on which it is installed. A database server, for example, will need one license each for Windows Server and SQL Server.

Departments must understand the Product Use Rights>, Microsoft's restrictions on how the software can be used.

Microsoft Windows and Application Server Software Product List

With Windows Server and System Center Configuration Manager, Microsoft has modified the available licensing options. The new licensing model is as follows:

• The licensing model for Windows Server Standard and Datacenter will change to Core + CAL with version 2019.
• All physical cores in the server must be licensed.
• A minimum of eight Core licenses are required for each physical processor in the server.
• A minimum of 16 Core licenses are required for servers with one processor.
• Core licenses will be sold in packs of two.

Both editions provide the same feature sets; the only difference is in the number of virtual machines permitted.

Microsoft SQL Server Software Product List

The available license options are now per server + client access licenses (CALs) and core.

The server + CAL licensing model provides the option to license users and/or devices and have low cost access to incremental SQL Server deployments. In this model, you would purchase the less expensive sans core SQL Server license and then also purchase CALs for any users need them. This model is unchanged from previous versions of SQL Server. This is typically used for University faculty and staff where the CALs are already covered by a current Microsoft Campus Agreement. In a faculty and staff-only environment, or an environment where specific students/external users or their devices can be identified, only a traditional server license needs to be purchased.

Core based licensing provides a more precise measure of computing power and a more consistent metric, regardless of whether solutions are installed on physical servers or in virtual environments.

The Core licenses are licensed in pairs (for example, a four core processor would need two licenses, a six core processor would need three licenses, and so forth). In a virtual environment, a minimum of four cores–two licenses–are required per virtual machine (VM).

Students and external users are not covered by the Campus Agreement. Any SQL server that is accessible, either directly or indirectly through a service (for example, a website writing information to a database), by students or the world must be purchased as a Core license.

Core

• Includes CALs.
• Per physical CPU core.
• Virtual environments may be licensed per core with a minimum of four cores per VM.
• Recommended for services that support students or non-University users.

Server + Client Access License (CAL)

• Require purchasing CALs.
• Can purchase either user or device CALs.
• Faculty and staff are covered under a current Microsoft campus agreement. Purchase and renewal of this agreement is not optional if SQL Server usage is desired.

Client Access Licenses

• Needed for non-core SQL Server licenses.
• Can purchase either device or user CALs.
• Each user or device must be uniquely identifiable.

Related Information

This software is not available through the Software Download Service at myPitt (my.pitt.edu). Students cannot acquire this software through Software Distribution Services; however, some titles are available for use in Student Computing Labs. Visit the Microsoft website for complete product information.