Microsoft Client Access License (CAL) Rules

Microsoft's Client Access License (CAL) rules govern the use of SQL Server for EnergyCAP applications when networked (does not apply to Desktop and OnLine versions). EnergyCAP, Inc. presents this topic for information only. It is solely the user's responsibility to ensure compliance with licenses for Microsoft and other provider's software.

1. What is a Client Access License (CAL)?

From Microsoft's website: If your company's workstations are networked, you will utilize a network server and the workstations on the network will access that server(s) software to perform certain functions such as file and print sharing. In order to legally access this server software, a client access license or CAL may be required. A CAL is not a software product; rather it is a license that gives a user the right to access the services of the server.

2. What are Microsoft's specific CAL rules as they apply to networked EnergyCAP applications?

Microsoft changed the SQL Server EULA (end user license agreement) around the time that SP3 was released. Before that time, EnergyCAP users could use one CAL to the SQL server since only “esuser” was the connecting account for every person that used the database (DB).

The current rules state that every user that will be connecting to the DB (that is physical people – not DB users), must have a CAL for them. With SQL Server, the only way around this is to buy a processor license, which is much more expensive.

Examples:

SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition

• Per processor: $6000 (retail). Most users would run at least dual processors, so $12,000, or
• Per User: Initial install of $1,800 for the server and 5 User CALs. (up to four processors for Standard Edition). ~$150/user for each additional CAL.

SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

• Per processor: $25,000 (retail). Most users would run at least dual processors, so $50,000, or
• Per User: Initial install of $14,000 for the server and 25 User CALs. (up to four processors for Standard Edition). ~$150/user for each additional CAL.

If the client already has an enterprise DB server for other uses, EnergyCAP can be added to that.