SQL Server 2008 Notes Part-3: Instances, Licensing and Security Considerations

SQL Server 2008 Notes Part-1: SQL Server 2008 Editions and Explanation

SQL Server 2008 Notes Part-2: SQL Server 2008 Hardware and Software Requirements

What are SQL Server Instances

Instances are seperate sessions of SQL Server running on a machine with different instance names.  Though common libraries and other basic resources are shared across instances,  in most regards instances are pretty much independent of each other.  One of the many instances running on a machine can be brought offline/online without affecting the state of other instances.

Why should I use SQL Server Instances?

In most cases, separate instances are used for DB Engine, Analysis Services and Reporting Services.

Instances are helpful to consolidate multiple physical DB servers into one DB server with multiple instances.

Instances are a highly affective method to separate authentication/security requirements.

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Licensing

Server plus device CAL/Server plus user CAL

SQL Server 2008 offers separate server licenses (in SQL Server 2008 Workgroup edition, SQL Server 2008 Standard edition and SQL Server 2008 EE) in conjunction with per device or per user client access licenses (CALs).  Server plus CAL licenses are useful to customers who use SQL Server 2008 in non-web-based scenarios.

What is a Server License?

A server license is required for every OS environment on which SQL Server 2008 or any of its components are running.

What is a Device CAL?

A SQL Server device CAL is required in order for a device to access or use services or functionality of SQL Server 2008.  Useful when multiple users per device.

What is a User CAL?

A SQL Server User CAL is required for a user to access or use the services or functionality of SQL Server 2008.  Useful when multiple devices per user.

Processor License

A processor license is required for each processor installed on each OS environment running SQL Server or any of its components (SSAS/SSIS/SSRS).  This license includes access for an unlimited number of users or devices to connect from either inside or outside the firewall.  Customers do not need to purchase additional CALs when licensed under the per processor model.

What if my environment has quad core/six core processors?

Multicore processors, which consist of multiple processing execution units or cores on one chip, are seen as a promising way to boost computing power.  Microsoft charges same amount per processor regardless of how many cores are in the processor.

During failover setup, a server is designated as the passive server.  A passive server does not need a license, provided that the number of processors in the passive server is equal or less than the active server. The active server should be back up in 30 days else a separate license is required for the second server.

Security Considerations

The Windows account that is specified for the service can be a local computer or a domain account.

The most common choice for the SQL Server service account is a domain user account.

This uses Windows authentication to setup and connect to SQL Server 2008 and maybe the preferred account if the service must interact with network services.

The local service account is a special, built-in account that has the same level of access to resources as members of the Users group.

SQL Server Services that are configured as a local service account can access network services as a null session with no credentials.

Note that the SQL Server Agent does not support the local service account.

Like the local service account, the network service account also has the same level of access to resources as members of the Users group.

However, it will use the credentials of the computer account when accessing network resources.

Microsoft recommends not using the network service account for the SQL Server and SQL Server Agent services.

Network service is a shareable account, and is appropriate for use as a SQL Server service account only if you can ensure that no other service uses the account that is installed on the computer.

It is recommended that a domain user account with minimal rights is used.

Advertisement