A perpetual license means you pay once and own the right to run that version of SQL Server indefinitely — on your own hardware or a VM you control. Azure SQL (and SQL Server on Azure) is a subscription: you pay monthly and lose access if you stop paying. Perpetual licenses are ideal for on-premises infrastructure, private cloud, and hybrid environments where predictable long-term cost matters.

SQL Server Standard covers the vast majority of departmental and application database workloads: up to 24 cores and 128 GB of RAM per instance, with basic Always On availability groups (2 secondary replicas). SQL Server Enterprise removes all compute caps, adds unlimited AG replicas, in-memory OLTP, advanced compression, and full data warehouse features. If you're running mission-critical OLTP, BI workloads over 128 GB RAM, or need 3+ AG replicas, you need Enterprise. We'll validate this with you before quoting.

Core-based licensing charges per physical or virtual core on the server — no per-user tracking required. It's mandatory for internet-facing workloads and typically required for Enterprise. Server + CAL requires a server license plus one Client Access License (CAL) per user or device accessing SQL Server. It's only available for Standard edition and is cost-effective when you have a small, well-defined user base (typically under ~25 users). We'll run the numbers for your user count and server config.

Yes — through Azure Hybrid Benefit. A customer with active Software Assurance (SA) on SQL Server can run equivalent Azure SQL Managed Instance or SQL Server on Azure VMs at a significantly reduced rate (often 40–55% savings vs. pay-as-you-go). Even without SA, your on-premises perpetual license can run in dedicated hosted environments. We'll map out exactly what's covered in your specific scenario.

SA is optional but unlocks meaningful benefits: free version upgrades (e.g., from 2022 to whatever comes next), fail-over server rights at no extra cost, license mobility to hosters, and Azure Hybrid Benefit eligibility. The breakeven depends on your upgrade cadence and whether you're targeting Azure. We provide a TCO model to determine whether SA is worth adding for your specific environment — no guesswork.

Standard and Enterprise licenses purchased through CentralLense are typically fulfilled within 1 business day. You'll receive your product key and activation documentation electronically. There's no physical media required — SQL Server 2022 is downloaded directly from Microsoft's Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC).

No. CentralLense is a Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP). Every SQL Server license we sell is sourced directly through Microsoft's official channel — not resold, not transferred, and not from a secondary market. You receive a fully auditable, Microsoft-verifiable license that will pass any software audit clean.

Absolutely. If you've inherited an environment, gone through a merger, or received a Microsoft audit letter, we conduct a full SQL Server deployment review — cataloging all instances, editions, and core counts, then mapping them against your entitlements. Most clients surface both compliance gaps and over-licensing simultaneously. Contact us to schedule an assessment.