SQLServer
Microsoft SQL Server for on-premises enterprise database, analytics, and business intelligence workloads.
Product
SQL Server
Product Details
SQL Server Standard (per core)
Departmental databases and standard virtualisation, licensed per core pair.
- Per-core licensing for predictable deployment cost
- Basic high availability with Always On Availability Groups
- Standard BI, reporting services, and Data Quality Services
- Azure Hybrid Benefit and software assurance eligible
SQL Server Enterprise (per core)
Mission-critical database platform with unlimited virtualisation and maximum scale.
- Unlimited virtualisation on licensed physical hosts
- Advanced Always On Availability Groups with up to 8 secondaries
- In-memory OLTP and real-time operational analytics
- In-Database Machine Learning Services (R, Python, Java)
SQL Server Developer (free)
Full enterprise database engine for development, staging, and automated QA testing.
- Complete SQL Server Enterprise feature set at zero cost
- Includes full in-memory OLTP, PolyBase, and advanced security
- Designed for build servers, test pipelines, and developer laptops
- Non-production license only (not for live production environments)
SQL Server Express (free)
Free entry-level database engine for small desktop and lightweight web applications.
- Free core relational database engine with zero licensing cost
- Supports up to 4 compute cores and 1.4 GB buffer memory per instance
- Up to 10 GB maximum database size per database
- Compatible with SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Azure Data Studio
SQL Server Edition Comparison
| Feature Category | Developer | Standard | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensing Model | Free (Non-prod) | Per Core or Server+CAL | Per Core (4-core min) |
| Maximum Compute (Cores) | OS Maximum | Up to 24 Cores | OS Maximum (Unlimited) |
| Maximum Buffer Pool Memory | OS Maximum | 128 GB | OS Maximum (Unlimited) |
| High Availability Always On | Full Always On | 2-Node Basic AG | Advanced AG (Up to 8 secondaries) |
| In-Memory OLTP & Columnstore | Standard (16 GB cap) | Enterprise (Unlimited) | |
| PolyBase & Big Data Clusters | Standard Scale | Full Enterprise Virtualisation | |
| Azure Hybrid Benefit | — |
KeyCapabilities
BestFitFor
Enterprise transactional database workloads
Business intelligence and reporting (Power BI integration)
Hybrid cloud database modernisation
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