Forum Discussion
Do I Need to Purchase SQL Server License to Run Power BI Report Server?
Hi all, I know in order to deploy Power BI Report Server in production, I can get the PBIRS license via Power BI Premium OR SQL Server EE with SA.
Assuming I am going for PBI Premium P1 SKU.
1. Do I need to buy any sort of SQL Server license? I have gone through a lot of discussions and articles, some say yes some say no, it's kind of confusing.
2. Based on my understanding, if I got the P1 SKU, it basically comes with a limited use-right of database server, which can be used to host my Power BI Report Server? But in the hardware and software requirement document, it says an SQL server is required to host Power BI Report Server, so which one is correct?
Quoted from Power BI whitepaper
"The use of Power BI Report Server does not require a separate SQL Server license unless you intend to use other components such as the SQL Server database engine or SQL Server Integration Services. A limited-use rights database engine comes with Power BI Report Server for hosting the Report Server catalog and temprary databases."
Appreciate your advice.
Thats right it may permit you to create but you may not be able to use them for any production environment under license. Also You can explore the VM with PBIRS offered as a package :
Please mark as solution in case this helps!
Thanks!
Abhinav
3 Replies
- AbhiSSRS
Solution Sage
So this is well established that you would need to install SQL Server in order to configure your Power BI Report Server. This holds good for users who have been running SSRS traditionally and also carry SL Server Licenses (often EE with SA ) which also entitles them to a key for PBIRS.
Now the case where you directly purchase a Premium license and wish to install PBIRS , you get
you get a license to run a SQL server with upto the same number of cores in your Power BI premium subscription.
I have seen and learnt this too through the content around PBIRS earlier.
AbhiSSRSthanks for you sharing. Yes, do understand that we need SQL Server to host PBIRS.
So if I get your reply right, basically if I purchased Premium P1 SKU, I do not need to buy any other SQL Server paid SKU, because it already comes with the use right on the SQL Server that has the same number of cores as my Power BI Premium subscription.
But as what stated in the whitepaper, it has limited use-right, it is mainly for PBIRS usage, not for us to create any other databases.
- AbhiSSRS
Thats right it may permit you to create but you may not be able to use them for any production environment under license. Also You can explore the VM with PBIRS offered as a package :
Please mark as solution in case this helps!
Thanks!
Abhinav
