Understanding SQL Server 2014 Standard License

Hey Dev, are you planning to purchase or upgrade to SQL Server 2014 Standard License? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about SQL Server 2014 Standard License. We’ll discuss its features, pricing, and licensing options. So, let’s get started!

Introduction

SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition is a robust and feature-rich database management system that provides organizations with the tools to improve data management and analysis. It is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses that require a scalable database solution. SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition offers several features such as high availability, disaster recovery, security, and performance optimization. Before we delve deeper into these features, let’s first take a look at the licensing options available.

Licensing Options

SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition is available in two licensing models: Per Core Licensing and Server + CAL Licensing. Let’s take a closer look at these two licensing options.

Per Core Licensing

In the Per Core Licensing model, you need to purchase a license for every core in the server that runs SQL Server 2014. Each license covers two physical cores. You must purchase a minimum of four core licenses per server. This licensing model is suitable for organizations that have a large number of users accessing the database simultaneously. Per core licensing ensures that you have enough licenses to cover the processing power of your server.

Server + CAL Licensing

The Server + CAL Licensing model requires you to purchase a license for each server that runs SQL Server 2014. In addition to this, you must also purchase a Client Access License (CAL) for each user or device that accesses the server. This licensing model is suitable for organizations that have a smaller number of users who access the database. If you have multiple servers, you will require a separate license for each server.

Now that we have discussed the licensing options available, let’s take a closer look at the features offered by SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition.

Features of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition

1. High Availability

The High Availability feature of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition ensures that your database remains available even in the event of a hardware or software failure. It provides both failover clustering and database mirroring options. Failover clustering helps in providing continuous availability of applications and services by providing automatic failover to another node in the cluster if the primary node fails. Database mirroring ensures that all changes made to the principal server are copied to the mirror server, thereby providing a redundant copy of the database.

2. Disaster Recovery

The Disaster Recovery feature ensures that your database remains recoverable even in the event of a catastrophic failure. SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition provides several disaster recovery options such as backup and restore, log shipping, and database mirroring. These options help in minimizing data loss and ensuring quick recovery of database services in the event of a disaster.

3. Security

The Security feature of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition provides several security options such as data encryption, user-defined roles and permissions, and secure auditing. These options help in securing your database from unauthorized access and data breaches.

4. Performance Optimization

The Performance Optimization feature of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition provides several tools for optimizing query performance such as query store, execution plans, and the database engine tuning advisor. These tools help in identifying and resolving performance issues in your database.

5. Scalability

The Scalability feature of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition provides several options for scaling your database such as partitioning, table partitioning, and distributed partitioned views. These options help in improving the performance of your database as it grows.

Pricing

Now that we have discussed the features and licensing options available, let’s take a closer look at the pricing for SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition. The price of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition varies depending on the licensing model you choose.

Per Core Licensing

Number of Cores	Price
2	$3,717
4	$7,434
6	$11,151
8	$14,868

Server + CAL Licensing

The price for Server + CAL Licensing for SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition is $1,849 per server and $209 per CAL.

Now that we have discussed the pricing, let’s move on to the frequently asked questions about SQL Server 2014 Standard License.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between SQL Server 2014 Standard and Enterprise Edition?

SQL Server 2014 Enterprise Edition provides additional features such as advanced analytics, in-memory OLTP, and data warehousing. It is suitable for large organizations that require a highly scalable database solution. On the other hand, SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses that require a database management system with standard high availability, disaster recovery, security, and performance optimization features.

2. Can I upgrade from SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition?

Yes, you can upgrade from SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition. However, you will need to purchase new licenses for SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition.

3. Can I use SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition in a virtualized environment?

Yes, you can use SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition in a virtualized environment. However, you must have a separate license for each virtual machine that runs SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition.

4. Can I downgrade from SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition to a lower version?

No, you cannot downgrade from SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition to a lower version. Once the license key is activated, it cannot be downgraded.

5. Can I transfer my SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition license to another server?

Yes, you can transfer your SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition license to another server. However, you must ensure that the new server meets the licensing requirements of SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition.

Conclusion

So there you have it, Dev. We’ve discussed everything you need to know about SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition. We’ve talked about its licensing options, features, pricing, and frequently asked questions. SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition is a robust database management system that provides organizations with the tools to improve data management and analysis. Its features such as high availability, disaster recovery, security, performance optimization, and scalability make it a suitable solution for small to medium-sized businesses. We hope that this article has provided you with valuable insights into SQL Server 2014 Standard Edition.