Licensing a virtual machine with SQL Enterprise core based license and SA

[Algon]

Hello

I'm hoping someone can clarify something for me.  We're about to license one of our virtual machines with SQL Server Enterprise Edtion and SA under the core based licensing model. This virtual machine will have 12vCPUs assigned and used for various application DBs.

We want to spin up a separate server that will be used as the Power BI report server. This will have 6vCPUs assigned. 

Will our SQL Enterprise license with SA automatically cover us for this other server or will we need to purchase additional SQL Enterprise core licenses?

Thanks in advance

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

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@Algon wrote:

However, I explained this to our licensing supplier and their response from Microsoft on this is question is:

 "The Power BI report server can be installed on a separate VM to the one that's been licensed for Enterprise edition as long as the separate VM is located on the same host (this is even when licensing per VM only)". 

Does this sound correct to you?

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No it does not sound right to me. At the end of the day the cores that Power BI Report Server runs on have to be covered by a license. Either you can license the whole host and any VMs on that host are covered. Or you could license per VM based on the number of vCPUs. I've never heard of anything like this where a license in one VM somehow covers products in a separate VM - this sounds wrong to me. 

[d_gosbell]

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@Algon wrote:

Will our SQL Enterprise license with SA automatically cover us for this other server or will we need to purchase additional SQL Enterprise core licenses?

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No it will not. You would need to purchase an additional 6 cores for this other server.

Even though you are not running the database engine on these core ReportServer is still considered as a SQL Enterprise workload from a licensing perspective. (similar to the way you can run a separate Analysis Services server)

[Algon]

Hi d_gosbell

Huge apologies for not getting back to you sooner.  Firstly, thank you for taking the time to respond. This is clarifies my thinking too.

However, I explained this to our licensing supplier and their response from Microsoft on this is question is:

 "The Power BI report server can be installed on a separate VM to the one that's been licensed for Enterprise edition as long as the separate VM is located on the same host (this is even when licensing per VM only)". 

Does this sound correct to you?

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

---

@Algon wrote:

However, I explained this to our licensing supplier and their response from Microsoft on this is question is:

 "The Power BI report server can be installed on a separate VM to the one that's been licensed for Enterprise edition as long as the separate VM is located on the same host (this is even when licensing per VM only)". 

Does this sound correct to you?

---

No it does not sound right to me. At the end of the day the cores that Power BI Report Server runs on have to be covered by a license. Either you can license the whole host and any VMs on that host are covered. Or you could license per VM based on the number of vCPUs. I've never heard of anything like this where a license in one VM somehow covers products in a separate VM - this sounds wrong to me. 

[Algon · Accepted solution]

This is my thinking also. I'll go back to them anyway :/. Thanks again for your help on this.