SQL license and CALs

[jacktheripper88]

I want to double check my thinking against anyone whose dealt with SQL licensing and CALs.
I have a client who is currently running SQL 2012 Express and has run into a bottle necking issue in regards to memory allotment. On their server they have the SQL software and a dispatching program that accesses the dispatch database called ESC. They found the issue while talking to support for ESC, so I'm confident they are solid on finding the correct issue.

That has lead me down the path of SQL 2017 and trying to figure out exactly what they need to get upgraded. From what their support has told them it appears that even though they have multiple users connected to ESC, ESC is the only "user" access SQL directly.
If my thinking on any of this seems off, please enlighten me.
With this in mind, my thinking is is that they will need SQL 2017 standard server - server + CAL, but my question is does the base price include a CAL for this server to run CAL without the need to buy a second one?

 

[kn51]

Welcome to the clusterf*** of microsoft licenses.

Depends on how many CALs you need vs the cost of getting a core license.

And from reading your post you think you need only one CAL or two?

 

[jacktheripper88]

I'm hoping that where the SQL server and ESC Server are running on the same physical machine, they might only need the core license and maybe a CAL for the server?

 

[mxnerd]

If it's the same machine ( client & server have same IP address), you probably don't need additional CAL license.

 

[KB]

Just get a per-core license. When working with CALs, you need a CAL for any client that will connect to the data, even if they are all using the same username or a proxy web service to access the server.

When it comes to Microsoft licensing, they will always screw you.

 

[jacktheripper88]

Oh boy split vote. So I'm I picturing this correctly for the per core count? This server has a Xeon E5-2640 in it, which is a 12 core CPU. Does that mean they have to buy for all 12 or is there another bit that I'm missing there?

 

[jacktheripper88]

Ok just to clarify because I know how difficult it can be to get the full grasp of what some random person on the internet is describing I'm gonna make a second attempt on describing their server environment.

Lets name this physical server Alpha, its got a Xeon E5-2640 running Windows 2012 R2 Standard and currently has SQL Express 2012.
On Alpha is the ESC Server program which connects to SQL.
The site has multiple workstations and devices which all run the ESC client.

Hope I'm describing it well enough

 

[mxnerd]

Why not just talk to ESC software vendor?

They will have a better idea how their ESC client software interact with ESC Server and how ESC server interact with SQL server.

 

[jacktheripper88]

Ok I'll let you know what I find out