# Windows Server and SQL Server licensing guide

Audience: IT administrators, infrastructure architects, procurement, and licensing owners
Published: August 1, 2026
Last reviewed: August 1, 2026
Author: Temen Systems Licensing and Solution Engineering
Reviewer: Microsoft Licensing Practice Review

## Working checklist

- [ ] Deployment boundary
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] Physical core inventory
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] VM and workload map
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] Windows editions
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] SQL editions and models
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] Access population
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] HA and DR roles
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:
- [ ] Agreement and coverage evidence
  - Owner:
  - Evidence:
  - Decision or follow-up:

## Official sources

- Microsoft Licensing: Windows Server 2025 licensing guidance
  https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/guidance/Windows-Server-2025
- Microsoft Licensing: Windows Server virtualization licensing guidance
  https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/guidance/Windows-Server-Virtualization-Technologies
- Microsoft Licensing: SQL Server licensing guidance
  https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/guidance/SQL
- Microsoft: Microsoft Product Terms
  https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/

Planning guidance only. Validate current product terms, customer facts, eligibility, architecture, security, and commercial terms before purchase or production action.