Standard Core and Standar | SQL License

[Cloaky]

Hello Dear Community,

I have a specific server which on the report out side Flexera showcases that the license that is consumed in from standard core(Microsoft server core). But in Flexera the license that is consumed against is a just the standard without the 'core'(device based license).

I would like to understand how to go about understanding the predicament. Flexera shows consumption to a device based license SQL standard, whereas reports from the application owners show consumption from per 2 core license that is SQL Standard Core license type.

Thanks

Cloaky

[kclausen]

@Cloaky  - When an installation of software can be consumed against more than 1 license (as in the case of your SQL Server Standard installation), FNMS tries to determine how best to optimized license consumption across the 2 licenses based on the existing installations.  In the case of your specific server, FNMS is consuming it against your SQL Server Standard device license.

If you want to "force" FNMS to consume your server against the SQL Server Standard Core license, then you can "allocate" that server against the Core license.

[Cloaky]

@kclausen  Thank you so much for the clarification,! Is this process - is it ideally a manual process? to change allocation to another license type entirely?

I also have one more question - I did read the helpnet for the use case definition, yet I am confused, I would appreciate it if you would help me with this.

Question :- What is the Unallocated allocation type for device-->license linkage - How does Flexera determine this flag for licenses? This always made me think.

Thank you

Cloaky

[kclausen · Accepted solution]

@Cloaky - "Unallocated" is the normal process when FlexNet Manager performs the nightly reconciliation process.  When a device has specific software installed (such as SQL Server Standard) and it finds that there is more than 1 license that can entitle that software (SQL Server Standard Device and SQL Server Standard Core), it tries to match up all of the installs of SQL Server Standard between the 2 licenses to optimize license consumption).

"Allocated" means that you as the customer have gone in and marked a specific device to be allocated to a specific license so that consumption will always "stick" with that license and the FlexNet Manager reconciliation process will not include that device in its optimization algorithms.

Remember that when you purchase a SQL Server Standard Core license, that entitlement is not for a specific server, it can be applied to any server where SQL Server Standard is installed, which is why FlexNet Manager tries to optimize consumption across licenses for each install.

Therefore, if you have a specific device where SQL Server Standard is installed and you want it to always consume against your SQL Server Standard Core license, then you must allocate it to that license.

[Cloaky]

@kclausen  Thank you for providing with such detailed information on the FNMS process on license allocation.

This is precious information to me.

Regards

Cloaky