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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

License metrics for Microsoft products

A detailed description of the license metrics that can be used with Microsoft products.

Microsoft products and Software Asset Management license metrics

Note: The support for Per Processor license metric for Windows Server is applicable for Zurich patch 4 and Software Asset Management (sn_itam_samp) 3.2.0 version onwards. If you have already upgraded to Zurich, you can install the Software Asset Management manually.

ProductEditionLicensing model provided by MicrosoftSoftware Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset Management
Windows ServerNote: For legacy versions of Windows Server, refer to the Windows Server legacy versions table.Data Center/Standard- Per Core - Per Processor - CAL licensing- Per Core \(with CAL\) - Per Processor - User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
Microsoft System CenterData Center/Standard- Server - use core based licensing \(Server Management Licenses\) - Client - Use Client Management Licenses- Server MLs- Per Core \(with CAL\) - Client MLs- User/Device
Microsoft Exchange ServerStandard/Enterprise- Server licenses - CAL licenses- Server \(Per Instance\) for Server licensing - User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
Microsoft Project ServerStandard/Enterprise- Server licenses - CAL licenses- Server \(Per Instance\) for Server licensing - User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
Microsoft SharePoint ServerStandard/Enterprise- Server licenses - CAL licenses- Server \(Per Instance\) for Server licensing - User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
Microsoft SQL ServerNote: For legacy versions of SQL Server, refer to the SQL Server legacy versions table.Standard/Enterprise- Per Core - Server/CAL
  • For Core licensing: Per Core
  • For Server/CAL:
  • Server (Per Instance) for Server licensing

    -   Use Server \(Per Instance\) for server licensing for Standard, Web, Business Intelligence Editions
    -   Use Server \(Per Server\) for Enterprise Edition legacy versions 1
    

    Note: SQL Server Enterprise is licensed usually using the Per Core licensing model only. However if you have software assurance, you might follow Legacy Server/CAL licensing models. ServiceNow recommends using the Server (Per Server) license metric on ServiceNow Software Asset Management.

  • User/Device CAL for CAL licensing

Microsoft Office 365Enterprise E3/E5/E1User SubscriptionUser Subscription
Microsoft OfficeProfessional/StandardPer DevicePer Device
Windows 10Enterprise ProfessionalPer DevicePer Device
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365 Server \(On Premise\) Server/CALOnly requires User/Device CALs to be created. No Server license required.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Operations Server \(On Premise\) ERP Server/CAL- Requires User/Device CALs to be created. - Server \(Per Instance\) for Server licenses
Microsoft 365Enterprise E3/E5/F3User SubscriptionUser Subscription
Core Infrastructure SuiteData Center/StandardPer CorePer Core \(with CAL\)

Windows Server legacy versions

VersionEditionLicensing model provided by MicrosoftSoftware Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset ManagementLicensing rules
2003-2008 R2StandardServerServer \(Per Instance\) + add User/Device CALsMin: NA Virtualization: 1 VM per license. A single Standard Edition license server permits you to run one instance of the software in a physical or virtual OSE on the server. You need to assign a Standard Edition license for each running instance.
DatacenterProcessorPer Processor + add User/Device CALsMinimum: 2 processor Virtualization: Unlimited When DataCenter Edition is licensed for every physical processor in a server, the server may run both in the physical OSE and in an unlimited number of Windows Server instances in virtual OSEs.
2012-2012R2StandardProcessorPer Processor + add User/Device CALsMinimum: 2 processors. Virtualization: 2 VMs for each fully licensed server.
DatacenterProcessorPer Processor + add User/Device CALsMinimum: 2 processors. Virtualization: Unlimited.
2016-2019StandardPer Core/CALPer Core \(with CAL\) + add User/Device CALsMinimum: 16 cores per server or 8 Per Processor. Virtualization: 2 VMs for each fully licensed server.
DatacenterPer Core/CALPer Core \(with CAL\) + add User/Device CALsMinimum: 16 cores per server or 8 Per Processor. Virtualization: Unlimited.

SQL Server legacy versions

VersionEditionLicensing model provided by MicrosoftSoftware Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset ManagementLicensing rules
2005Standard- Server/CAL - Processor- For Server/CAL use: Server\(Per Instance\) for Server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing. - Per ProcessorA server licensing rule \(for Workgroup, Standard, or Enterprise editions\) is required for every operating system environment on which that edition pf SQL Server software or any of its components, such as Analysis Services, is running. A Processor license is required for each processor installed on each operating system environment running SQL Server or any of its components, such as Analysis Services.
Enterprise- Server/CAL - Processor- For Server/CAL use: Server\(Per Instance\) for Server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing. - Per ProcessorOnly for Enterprise edition: If all processors in a machine are licensed, you may run unlimited instances of SQL Server 2002 on an unlimited number of virtual operating environments on the same machine.
2008-2008 R2Standard- Server/CAL - Processor- For Server/CAL use: Server\(Per Instance\) for Server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing. - Per Processor- Server/CAL: Each server license for these editions permits you to run unlimited instances of the software in one OSE or virtual machine \(VM\). To run the software in additional OSEs or VMs, you require additional server licenses. - Processor license: Number of OSEs on which you can run SQL Server. Only Physical OSEs.
Enterprise- Server/CAL - Processor- Use Server \(per Server\) for Server Licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing. - Per Processor- Server/CAL: Each server license for the Enterprise edition permits you to run unlimited instances of the software in up to four OSEs or VMs. - Processor license: Number of OSEs on which you can run SQL Server. Up to four OSEs per license.
DatacenterProcessorPer ProcessorProcessor license: Number of OSEs on which you can run the SQL Server: Unlimited. The Datacenter edition requires that all the physical processors on the server are licensed and at least two processor licenses are assigned to the server.
2012-2014Standard- Server/CAL - Per Core- For Server/CAL: Use Server \(Per Instance\) for server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing - Per Core

Core based licensing:

  1. Count the total number of physical cores in the server. Multiple the number of cores by the appropriate core factor to determine the total number of licenses required for the server.

Note: The core factor used depends on the processor type deployed and a minimum of four core licenses is required for each physical processor on a physical server.

  1. To license individual VMs using the Per Core model, you must purchase a core license for each v-core (or virtual processor, virtual CPU, virtual thread) allocated to the VM, subject to a four core license minimum per VM.

For licensing purposes, a v-core maps to a hardware thread. When licensing individual VMs, core factors do not apply.

EnterprisePer Core1Per CoreSame as above.
2016-2019Standard- Server/CAL - Per Core- For Server/CAL: Server \(Per Instance\) for server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing - For Core licensing: Per Core- Server/CAL: Each server running SQL Server software requires a server license. - Per Core: A minimum of four core licenses are required for each physical processor on the server.
EnterprisePer Core1Per Core

Same as above.Note: If you are already using SQL Server Enterprise edition with (Server/CAL) server licenses with software assurance, continue to use the Server+CAL licensing model. Use license metric as Server (per Server) for Server Licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing. The new purchases for SQL Server Enterprise will be based only on the Per Core licensing model.

For more information about licenses required for Server + CAL licensing model, see Licensing support for Microsoft SQL Server enterprise on Server+ CAL.

Parent Topic:Software Asset Management references