Reporting Services Licensing
December 17, 2009 3 Comments
Licensing models can sometimes make database modeling seem trivial. Per processor or per seat? Single core, dual-core, multi-core processors? Multiple instances on one server? Virtualizing servers on a single server? It can get very confusing, very quickly.
I’m regularly asked by a former students, clients, and people in the Forums about licensing for a SQL Server Reporting Services instances. A typical question is: How many SQL Server licenses are required when the Report Server is installed on one server and the back end database is installed on a separate remote server?
Here are a couple of links that help describe the SQL Server licensing models.
And by the way, the answer to the sample question? Each server where a Business Intelligence component is installed requires a valid SQL Server license. So, a remote database deployment scenario where the Report Server is installed on one server and the ReportServer database is installed on a separate server requires two licenses of SQL Server.
Reporting Services LicensingLicensing models can sometimes make database modeling seem trivial. Per processor or per seat? Single core, dual-core, multi-core processors? Multiple instances on one server? Virtualizing servers on a single server? It can get very confusing, very quickly. Recently, I was asked by a former student about licensing for a SQL Server Reporting Services instance. In the proposed scenario, the Report Server would be installed on one server and the back end database would be installed on a separate, remote server. How many licenses of SQL Server are required? In short, each server where a Business Intelligence component is installed requires a valid SQL Server license. So, a remote database deployment scenario where the Report Server is installed on one server and the ReportServer database is installed on a separate server requires two licenses of SQL Server. But don’t take my word for it. Here are a couple of links that will help clarify licensing requirements. Special Licensing Considerations for SQL Server 2005 SQL Server 2008 Pricing and Licensing Cheers and I hope this helps! Joe Print | posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 8:01 AM Feedback# re: Reporting Services Licensingreally, as far as I know every server that runs any service of sql server needs separate licensing… And it is very expensive to have at leat 2 physical processor server for your SSRS… 2/17/2009 8:16 AM | Remote DBA
# re: Reporting Services LicensingI could use a clarification here. Having any SQL Service run on a separate server makes sense that it would require an additional license. However, I’m under the impression that having the web components run on a different server does NOT constitute a SQL Service and therefore would NOT require a separate license. Am I mistaken there? Nick 11/10/2009 1:03 PM | Nick L Duckstein
# re: Reporting Services LicensingCheck this document: It seems like if you want to install reporting services web components (the site and the web service) on a different server where SQL Server 2008 is installed then you will need an other license. 12/17/2009 7:58 AM | Jairo Portela
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Dont forget to add into the mix the fact that each user reading the report will, in most cases, require an additional licence for the source system.
In the Microsoft world this is referred to as “Mulitplexing”. I have ranted about this a few times
http://charliem.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/multiplexing-and-licenses/
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