SERVER + CAL:

This SQL Server licensing option provides the flexibility to license users or devices with low-cost access to incremental SQL Server deployments.

• Each server running SQL Server software requires a server license.
• Each user or device accessing a licensed SQL Server requires a SQL Server CAL that is the same version or newer. For example, to access a SQL Server 2019 Standard license, a user needs a SQL Server 2019 CAL license.
• Each SQL Server CAL allows access to multiple licensed SQL Servers, including Standard Edition, legacy Business Intelligence, and Enterprise Edition Servers.
• Choose between User CALs or Device CALs based on your needs.

The core-based licensing model gives a more precise measurement of computing power and a more consistent metric, regardless of whether you deploy solutions on physical servers on-premises or in virtual/cloud environments, such as Microsoft Azure.

• Core-based licensing is appropriate when customers are unable to count users/devices, have Internet/Extranet workloads, or have systems that integrate with external-facing workloads.
• To license a physical server—when running SQL Server in a physical operating system environment (OSE)—all physical cores on the server must be licensed.
• A minimum of a four core license is required for each SQL instance on the server.