SQL Server license - Winforms or Web Application?

We are curr开发者_开发问答ently using SQL Server 2008 Express Edition, but would like to upgrade to Standard Edition. Does it mean that we need a license with 20 seats, if we have 20 Active Directory users that are using the DB from a C# application?

If yes, does it make sense to switch from Windows Forms to Web Applications in order to decrease the amount of licenses needed?

Switching to a web app won't change the licensing needs of your application. If you have 20 users connecting to your SQL Server then you need 20 CALs for Standard Edition as whilst you may have a single "user" connecting to the DB you're still servicing 20 users. The MS license docs cover this in some detail.

The alternative approach for to go with per processor licenses. You obviously need to do the maths to work out which option is more cost effective for your user growth estimates.

Given that you're starting at 20 users the per user (CAL) route will probably be the cheapest option.

You have two types of licenses available to you, each with their own set of rules and scenarios where they make sense.

1. Per Processor License. Here you license each physical (or virtual if you are using virtualization and depending on the Sql Server Edition) processors.

2. Server/CAL license. Here you would buy a license for each server running Sql Server and Client Access Licenses (CAL) for each user or device. Note that a CAL would allow that user or device to connect to any number of SQL Servers without the need to buy additional CALs if you add additional servers. Also, any type of software or hardware that reduces the number of devices or users that directly access SQL Server (an example would be the use of a web application to reduce the number of users that connect to the database directly through connection pooling) would NOT reduce the number of CALs you get. You will still need to get them for each user using the web application.

The following microsoft link provides pricing points for Sql Server 2008 and also includes a Sql Server 2008 R2 Quick Reference, which includes all the information that you might need. We can see that based on the above link:

1. Per Processor would cost you $7,171.00
2. Server/CAL would end up being $4,178.00 based on the bellow calculations

Server $898.00 CAL $164.00 x 20 = $3,280 Total $898.00 + $3,280 = $4,178.00

Of course this is an estimate that doesn't include tax, discounts, or software assurance.

If you want more information I would recommend asking on serverfault