Optimizing Microsoft SQL Server database and component license consumption

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Optimizing Microsoft SQL Server database and component license consumption

    This content explains how ServiceNow customers can optimize the licensing of Microsoft SQL Server databases and components by leveraging ITOM Discovery and Software Asset Management (SAM). By identifying the specific editions of SQL Server components and databases deployed across devices, customers can ensure accurate license consumption aligned with Microsoft licensing rules.

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    Key Features

    • ITOM Discovery Integration: Requires version 1.7.0 or later of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application to identify Microsoft SQL Server component editions across your deployment.
    • Component Edition Identification: ITOM Discovery detects the edition of each Microsoft SQL Server component and database, enabling precise license tracking.
    • Software Installation Records: SAM automatically creates records for discovered SQL Server databases and components, associating them with the correct edition.
    • Automatic Software Model Mapping: The ServiceNow Content Service team provides predefined discovery maps (DMAPs) that link components to appropriate Microsoft SQL Server software models (e.g., Standard, Enterprise), supporting normalization and accurate reconciliation.
    • Reconciliation Automation: License reconciliation runs automatically on a schedule but can also be triggered manually via the Software Asset Management classic application or Workspace.

    Key Outcomes

    • Optimized License Consumption: By associating components and databases with their correct editions and applying Microsoft SQL Server licensing rules, customers avoid over- or under-licensing.
    • Accurate License Counting: Reconciliation considers software model suites, ensuring child components are licensed under parent software models, improving license accuracy.
    • Compliance and Cost Efficiency: Proper identification and reconciliation enable compliance with Microsoft licensing terms, reducing unnecessary license expenditures.
    • License Management across Devices: Licensing is optimized whether SQL Server components and databases reside on the same or different devices, following Microsoft’s licensing guidelines.

    You can optimize the license consumption for your Microsoft SQL Server databases and components based on the component editions that are identified through ITOM Discovery.

    Note:
    To identify the editions of your Microsoft SQL Server components through ITOM Discovery, you must request and install version 1.7.0 or later of the Discovery and Service Mapping Patterns application from the ServiceNow Store.
    Note:
    Both Microsoft SQL Server databases and components consume licenses against the associated Microsoft SQL Server edition. For Microsoft SQL Server components, the ServiceNow® Content Service team automatically associates each component with an appropriate Microsoft SQL Server edition based on the edition of the component. By optimizing the license consumption for your databases and components, you are optimizing licensing for Microsoft SQL Server and its component editions.
    ITOM Discovery locates and identifies the Microsoft SQL Server databases and components across your deployment. When it locates and identifies your Microsoft SQL Server components, it also identifies the edition of each component. The Software Asset Management application then creates a software installation record for each of your components based on the identified component edition. The Software Asset Management application also create a software installation record for each of your Microsoft SQL Server databases. You can use these software installation records to reconcile your components and databases based on both the associated Microsoft SQL Server edition and the following Microsoft SQL Server licensing rules:
    • If your Microsoft SQL Server database and components are deployed on the same device, only one license must be consumed on the device.
    • If your Microsoft SQL Server database and components are deployed on different devices, separate licenses must be consumed on each device.

    For more information on Microsoft SQL Server component edition discovery, see MSSQL server discovery.

    Reconciling Microsoft SQL Server components based on the discovered component editions

    You can reconcile Microsoft SQL Server components based on the discovered component editions so that licenses are optimally consumed against the appropriate Microsoft SQL Server editions.

    When you create software models for your various Microsoft SQL Server editions, such as Microsoft SQL Server Standard or Enterprise edition, your Microsoft SQL Server components are automatically associated with an appropriate model based on mappings that are provided by the ServiceNow® Content Service team. Mappings between your Microsoft SQL Server software models and components are based on the edition of each component. The Content Service team provides these mappings through predefined discovery maps (DMAPs) in the software library, which is a centralized repository of software content that you can use to normalize your discovered data. Each DMAP associates a software model with relevant software content, such as software model suite relationships and software product lifecycles. For more information on the Content Service and software library, see Software Asset Management Content Service.

    The Software Asset Management application considers software model suites during reconciliation so that you can accurately count your software rights and optimize your licenses, as child components are licensed against the parent software model and not the component itself. Reconciliation runs automatically as a scheduled job. However, you can also run reconciliation on-demand between scheduled jobs. For more information on software model suites, see Software Asset Management software suites. For instructions on how to run reconciliation manually through the Software Asset Management classic application, see Run software reconciliation. For instructions on how to run reconciliation manually through the Software Asset Workspace, see Run software reconciliation in the workspace.