Follow up: One web Service Multiple databases

[Stephen W. Meeley]

Originally Posted by Chris Spencer

Dennis
Not possible
They are already on MSSQL 2000 with 20+ databases and a windows VDF app with 10 user counting as the office staff is 5-7 users depending on day of week.

It will be staying the same config except they are moving to sql2008 and also want to open up the data for the clients with web services. The web will be the full webapp with connectivity.

Hence the question re MSSQL licensing and requirements, I have no idea what is required or what technically sql sees as the number of users in this situation

Chris,

Start with the server license - if they are running a single server (regardless of how many databases there are) then they need one server license. If multiple servers are being used, then they need multiple server licenses.

Besides the server license itself, CAL's (either user or device) are needed for licensed access to the server(s). User and device CALs can be mixed. You pick a user CAL when you have users that have multiple devices they might use (main workstation, laptop, mobile) and you pick device CALs when you have a particular workstation (or laptop) that multiple users might use (at different times, not concurrently - like a common workstation that any number of people might walk up to and use during the day).

If tracking the CAL access is problematic (for instance, they don't have a good way to determine how many users are gaining access at their customer sites through the web) then you can also select processor licensing and then it doesn't matter how many users or devices are connecting.

While I know it can be painful, at some point you will probably need to read the SQL Server 2008 Licensing Guide. You can find a link to it at the top of this page: http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2...licensing.aspx