SERVER + CAL:

Provides the option to license users and/or devices, with low-cost access to incremental SQL Server deployments.

• Each server running SQL Server software requires a server license.
• Each user and/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 2017 Standard Edition server, a user would need a SQL Server 2017, 2019, or 2022 CAL.
• Each SQL Server CAL allows access to multiple licensed SQL Servers, including Standard Edition and legacy Business Intelligence and Enterprise Edition Servers.

Gives a more precise measurement of computing power and a more consistent metric, regardless of whether solutions are deployed on physical servers on-premises, or in virtual/cloud environments.

• 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 OSE—all physical cores on the server must be licensed.
• A minimum of four core licenses are required for each physical processor on the server.