Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Standard - 2 Core
Description
*Microsoft Software Licensing terms require a minimum of 4 cores to be licensed with the core model*
Secure Your Data With SQL Server
Query and analyze your data using industry-leading performance and security.
How to License SQL Server Standard
Option #1
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.

Option #2
PER CORE:
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.

SQL Server Features: Standard vs. Enterprise
SQL Server Features | Standard | Enterprise | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Compute and storage | Maximum number of cores | 24 | OS Max | |
Maximum memory utilized per instance | 128 GB | OS Max | ||
Maximum size | 524 PB | 524 PB | ||
Intelligence over all your data | SQL Server Big Data Clusters with Apache Spark and HDFS built into SQL Server engine | |||
Data virtualization using PolyBase (including additional data sources like Oracle, Teradata, MongoDB, and other SQL Server databases) | ||||
Unified AI platform to train and operationalize models with SQL Server ML Services | ||||
Azure Machine Learning and Spark ML | ||||
Choice of language and platform | Compatibility certfication | |||
UTF-8 Support | ||||
Support for SQL Server Java extension | ||||
Industry-leading performance and availability | Free DR replicas in Azure and on-premises | |||
Intelligent Query processing: Scalar UDF inlining, table variable deferred compilation, approximate count distinct | ||||
Intelligent Query processing features: row mode memory grant feedback, batch mode for row store and automatic tuning | ||||
Automatic read-write connection re-routing | ||||
In-Memory Database: memory-optimized tempdb | ||||
In-Memory Database: Persistent Memory support | ||||
Accelerated Database recovery | ||||
Support for Kubernetes deployment | ||||
Secure and reliable | Always Encrypted with secure enclaves | |||
Transparent database encryption | ||||
Data classification and auditing | ||||
Vulnerability assessment | ||||
Quick business insights | Azure Data Studio to manage SQL Server including support for T-SQL using Notebooks | |||
SQL Server Analysis Services Direct Query | ||||
Microsoft SQL Server has been one of the premier leaders in database technology for years.
Outfit your enterprise with the industry’s latest relational database management system. With the SQL server 2022 standard download, available with Software Assurance from Microsoft, get access to tools including Big Data clusters with Apache Spark and HDFS, Azure Machine Learning and Spark ML, intelligent query processing and more.
MPN
GTIN
Microsoft requires a minimum of 4 Cores to be licensed
Standard edition
Core-based licensing
Allows for one administrative access point
On-premises download license only
Customer Reviews
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Jorge
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Love Visual Studio Enterprise
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4 out of 5 stars
Perfect for our team
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Confusing interface
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Exactly what I needed
Home User
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Running perfectly
Daniel G.
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Too advanced for me
James T.
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IT team approved
Brian G.
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Professional quality
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3 out of 5 stars
Too technical
Julie B.
4 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
Remote access sorted
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4 out of 5 stars
Great for our team
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3 out of 5 stars
Excellent value
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Terminal services running well
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Not straightforward
Tracey J.
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Needed IT support
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Marie C.
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Completely lost
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Completely lost
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Rock solid server
Stuart L.
3 out of 5 stars
Perfect for our infrastructure
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2 out of 5 stars
Running perfectly
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4 out of 5 stars
Cost-effective solution
Andrew C.
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding RDS solution
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5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
RDS setup was challenging
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Too many features
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Stable and reliable
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5 out of 5 stars
Stable and reliable
Marie C.
3 out of 5 stars
Running 24/7 no problems
DBA
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Rock solid server
Neil A.
3 out of 5 stars
Impressive performance
Systems Engineer
4 out of 5 stars
Best purchase we made
Barry L.
4 out of 5 stars
Handles our load easily
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Systems Engineer
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Exactly what we needed
Simon M.
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5 out of 5 stars
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David R.
5 out of 5 stars
Solid purchase
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5 out of 5 stars
No problems at all
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5 out of 5 stars
Production-ready
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1 out of 5 stars
Worth every penny
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5 out of 5 stars
Confusing CAL types
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4 out of 5 stars
Superb product
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5 out of 5 stars
Does the job perfectly
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Over my head
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3 out of 5 stars
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2 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
Remote team up and running
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4 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend
Graham E.
5 out of 5 stars
Very satisfied
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5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic product
Neil A.
4 out of 5 stars
Very impressed
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4 out of 5 stars
Worth every penny
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4 out of 5 stars
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Couldn't ask for more
Laura P.
4 out of 5 stars
Perfect for our infrastructure
Tech Manager
5 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Gareth S.
5 out of 5 stars
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Ian R.
5 out of 5 stars
Top quality product
Robert T.
4 out of 5 stars
Smooth deployment
Tech Manager
5 out of 5 stars
Great deal from Elite
Mark F.
5 out of 5 stars
Licensing is confusing
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5 out of 5 stars
Would buy again
James T.
5 out of 5 stars
Confusing CAL types
Mark F.
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent purchase
Simon M.
5 out of 5 stars
Overcomplicated
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5 out of 5 stars
Remote access sorted
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5 out of 5 stars
Professional quality CALs
Stuart L.
2 out of 5 stars
Very satisfied
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2 out of 5 stars
Could not be happier
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5 out of 5 stars
Too complicated for me
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3 out of 5 stars
Solid productivity suite
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2 out of 5 stars
Excellent purchase
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5 out of 5 stars
Expected more
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5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
Couldn't be happier
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4 out of 5 stars
Professional quality
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4 out of 5 stars
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3 out of 5 stars
No issues whatsoever
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5 out of 5 stars
Over my head
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3 out of 5 stars
Dependable
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4 out of 5 stars
Completely lost
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3 out of 5 stars
Way too complex
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5 out of 5 stars
Production-ready
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5 out of 5 stars
Brilliant server licence
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3 out of 5 stars
Running 24/7 no problems
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5 out of 5 stars
Should have hired a DBA
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5 out of 5 stars
Running perfectly
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Way too complex
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Production ready from day one
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Cloud productivity at its best
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3 out of 5 stars
Trusted solution
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5 out of 5 stars
Overcomplicated
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5 out of 5 stars
CALs deployed without issues
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4 out of 5 stars
Couldn't configure alone
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5 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
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4 out of 5 stars
Properly licenced at last
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4 out of 5 stars
Seamless experience
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4 out of 5 stars
Frustrating setup
Amy L.
5 out of 5 stars
Not for beginners
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4 out of 5 stars
Bit disappointed
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5 out of 5 stars
Required expert knowledge
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5 out of 5 stars
IT team very pleased
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5 out of 5 stars
Remote workforce enabled
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4 out of 5 stars
Over my head
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2 out of 5 stars
Very impressed
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4 out of 5 stars
Enterprise quality
Chloe N.
5 out of 5 stars
Very pleased
Compliance Officer
5 out of 5 stars
Saved us thousands
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4 out of 5 stars
Top tier product
Victoria F.
4 out of 5 stars
Smooth experience
Support Manager
4 out of 5 stars
All users licenced
Cloud Engineer
4 out of 5 stars
User vs Device confusion
Compliance Officer
4 out of 5 stars
Wrong CALs for our setup
Victoria F.
4 out of 5 stars
Outstanding RDS solution
Daisy L.
4 out of 5 stars
Excellent purchase
Ryan C.
5 out of 5 stars
Essential for development
Compliance Officer
5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend
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4 out of 5 stars
Exactly what we needed
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5 out of 5 stars
Professional grade
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4 out of 5 stars
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2 out of 5 stars
Superb
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5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
Trusted solution
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5 out of 5 stars
Dependable
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4 out of 5 stars
Trusted solution
Zoe E.
5 out of 5 stars
Over my head
Freya R.
5 out of 5 stars
Perfect for our infrastructure
Lucy P.
5 out of 5 stars
Should have hired a DBA
Ethan B.
5 out of 5 stars
Handles our load easily
Adam G.