SQL Server Licensing Strategies For SPLA

Licensing Microsoft server products in any environment can be a challenging undertaking, given the complexity of some of Microsoft's licensing rules. However, licensing Microsoft products for commercial hosting environments under a Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) can be especially daunting, due to the different use rights and license metrics available under that model. Licensing SQL Server is perhaps the best example.

• Subscriber Access License. Licensing SQL Server with SALs is not a viable option unless either (1) the service provider will be able to maintain exclusive administrative control over the credentialing of new users, or (2) all new users will be credentialed and tracked exclusively through a console or other tool that is delivered by the service provider and tied to the provider's internal reporting tools. Outside of those scenarios, it can be very difficult to track and count users for monthly reporting purposes. Similarly, it also can be