Power BI Report Server licensing

[bz_arsis]

Hi
I have the following setup:
Machine A with SQL-Enterprise license covered by SoftwareAssurance
Machine B with Power BI Report Server installed (just the App, no SQL-components at all)
The backend DB's for the PBIRS reside on Machine A.

My question is: Do we have to licence machine B with a SQL-Enterprise license covered by SA although we do only run the PBIRS bits on it?

Thank you for any hint,
Beat

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

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@bz_arsis wrote:

Hi
I have the following setup:
Machine A with SQL-Enterprise license covered by SoftwareAssurance
Machine B with Power BI Report Server installed (just the App, no SQL-components at all)
The backend DB's for the PBIRS reside on Machine A.

My question is: Do we have to licence machine B with a SQL-Enterprise license covered by SA although we do only run the PBIRS bits on it?

---

The answer is yes. In that configuration Server B still needs to have SQL Enterprise licenses. 

Note that in a 2 server configuration like that Server A does not need to be running enterprise, it could be running a cheaper edition like Standard (assuming that nothing else on that machine requires Enterprise)

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

---

@bz_arsis wrote:

Hi
I have the following setup:
Machine A with SQL-Enterprise license covered by SoftwareAssurance
Machine B with Power BI Report Server installed (just the App, no SQL-components at all)
The backend DB's for the PBIRS reside on Machine A.

My question is: Do we have to licence machine B with a SQL-Enterprise license covered by SA although we do only run the PBIRS bits on it?

---

The answer is yes. In that configuration Server B still needs to have SQL Enterprise licenses. 

Note that in a 2 server configuration like that Server A does not need to be running enterprise, it could be running a cheaper edition like Standard (assuming that nothing else on that machine requires Enterprise)

[bz_arsis]

Hi

Thanks for your answer to my question!

Can we avoid a secon SQL-Enterprise lince when we install the PBIRS-bits on Server A then?

[d_gosbell]

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@bz_arsis wrote:

Can we avoid a secon SQL-Enterprise lince when we install the PBIRS-bits on Server A then?

---

Yes, if you install PBIRS onto server A you would not need additional licenses. 

[bz_arsis · Accepted solution]

Many thanks!

[KBO]

Hi @bz_arsis,

as far as I know you only need to licence the SQL Server. You can use the SA key for the licence key for the Report Server :). See here how this works: https://youtu.be/6CQnf-NGtpU

Here some interesting facts about the licensing model: https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Community-Blog/Power-BI-Licensing-in-Pictures-Updated/ba-p/1291304

Also you need a Pro licence for every content manager and publisher.

Best,

Kathrin

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