External Connector Licenses for SQL Server Websites

Question

I just found something rather strange while talking with a Microsoft Licensing representative, and I wanted to run this community to find out if it knows that someone knows about the changes.

I asked a question about licensing SQL Server / Windows Server, which led me to recommend an External Connector license for a website that does not use Windows users.

I welded this to the main scenario:

Server 1:

Windows Server 2008 R2 running IIS 7.5 using a custom public website that uses a built-in authentication mechanism (for example, non-local Windows users or AD users) where the number of users (authenticated or undefined) is uncertain.

Server 2:

Windows Server 2008 R2 running SQL Server 2008 R2.

The website on server 1 connects to SQL Server on server 2 using authenticated SQL login.

Licensing Required: Windows Server License for Server 1; Windows Server License for Server 2; SQL Server Processor License; ALSO License for External Connector for Server 2.

This seems ridiculous because it increases the cost of a Windows license for Server 2. In addition, with regard to SQL Server, there are no multiple Client connections, only 1 "device", which then provides a massive "Value-add" "on top of SQL Server data."

My question is, has anyone come across this before? This seems to be wrong, because, as it seemed to me, this is the most common scenario for most .NET software houses that create websites, and after working a few, I never heard about it!

I saw this question:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3072044/external-connector-licensing-with-website-hosted-on-windows

However, in fact, he did not receive sufficient information about the script, etc., and also does not cite any relevant resources.

I would be grateful if someone could really point to a section on an authoritative website about this, and not just a link to the General Client Licenses page.

Answer 1

Just a few additions to the excellent previous answer:

• each individual license covers 2 cores: This is not true. Each core license covers one core, as you might expect. The fact is that SKU, a product link that you can purchase, is a package of two main licenses. This package can be divided into 2 single-core licenses if you need to assign your licenses to your servers. As an additional note, I would be happy to know the name of the “brilliant” guy who created this SKU at Microsoft, as it adds a lot of confusion and creates a lot more work for my industry, Software Asset Management (SAM).

• I would have acted with Microsoft about this because they will audit the software: This is wrong. Microsoft never performs software audits on its own. They always delegate this to third parties. As a result, internal knowledge of licensing rules is generally very small for Microsoft, and I strongly recommend that you turn to licensing experts such as SAM consultants instead.

• Regarding Martin’s comment, the Microsoft Licensing people we are dealing with (LAR) think differently: LAR, or LSP, as this is their new name now, is usually a pure reseller, and his knowledge of licensing is usually also very poor. Their goal is to sell the most, and not to make sure their customers are even less compatible and optimized. I am not surprised that they think differently. Again, ask SAM professionals.

Regards, Gilles

Answer 2

External connector license instead of a Windows Server user / device client license: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/client-access-license.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing /product-licensing.aspx

An external connector is defined as: “An external connector (EC) license is an alternative to client licenses for each server that external users will access. External users are users who are not employees or contractors on site. An EC license assigned to the server allows access any number of external users, as long as this access is granted to the licensee, and not to the external user.Each physical server to which external user access is required Only one EC license is required, regardless of the number of running instances. The right to run instances of the server software is licensed separately. EC, like CAL, simply allows access. EC licenses, such as CALs, have a specific version and functionality. They must be the same version or later than access to the server software. The decision about whether to purchase CALs or ECs for external users is primarily financial. "

Server CPU / base license allows you to use an unlimited number of connections - whether internal or external (if you use all the kernels on your computer). For the SQL Core license (separate from the server: the number is multiplied by 1 for Intel and 0.75 for some AMD models): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=230678 (p. 7-9).

Server 1: If it is a workload web server, IIS does not require CAL for external connectors - IIS is freed ( http://microsoftlicensereview.com/category/external-connectors/ ). Windows Server requires client licenses for client / server devices (if licensed this way) for field employees or contractors. For third-party users who authenticate with the server, and not just for information related to the site, if it makes sense to purchase an external connector license, rather than client user / device licenses for these users, then you want to do this.

Server 2: in addition to the same license as indicated above for this server, SQL Server will require either: for a basic license (each individual license covers 2 cores, you need as many licenses as the main factor for your machine); OR 1 SQL Server + User / Device Cals license for all users who connect to a website on a site that retrieves SQL data.

This does not allow multiplexing, which is described here: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/briefs/multiplexing.aspx http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=230678 (p. 17).

Here is an article that explains this further (it mentions external contractors that are different from local contractors that require a User / Device client license): http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/microsoft-cals-and- external-connector-license

So it seems that since the user connects to the SQL server through a web application on server 1 and does not authenticate on server 2 (if server 1 connects directly to SQL with a string and not with authentication), it will not look like an External Connector license is not required on server 2 (but I would go with Microsoft for this, as these are the ones that will audit the software).

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

You need everything you mentioned, as well as an external connector license for server 1.

IMO Microsoft is expensive - this is an unfounded myth. How much will you pay the system administrator to manage this material over the next 3 years (normal release cycle for these products)? These products are much easier to develop, maintain, and debug compared to open source alternatives.