License metrics for Microsoft products

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of License metrics for Microsoft products

    This guide provides a detailed description of license metrics applicable to Microsoft products within ServiceNow Software Asset Management (SAM). It aligns Microsoft’s licensing models with the corresponding license metrics that ServiceNow SAM uses to manage compliance and optimization effectively.

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    License Metrics by Microsoft Product

    • Windows Server: Uses Per Core licensing with Client Access Licenses (CALs) for Standard/Data Center editions. Legacy versions have specific rules documented separately.
    • Microsoft System Center: Server licenses are Per Core (Server Management Licenses) and clients require User/Device CALs (Client Management Licenses).
    • Microsoft Exchange, Project, SharePoint Servers: Licensed by Server (Per Instance) plus User/Device CALs for client access.
    • Microsoft SQL Server: Supports Per Core and Server/CAL licensing models. ServiceNow recommends using Server (Per Server) license metric for legacy versions. Enterprise editions primarily use Per Core licensing unless software assurance allows legacy Server/CAL models.
    • Microsoft Office 365 (Enterprise E3/E5/E1), Microsoft 365 Enterprise: Licensed by User Subscription metrics.
    • Microsoft Office Professional/Standard and Windows 10 Enterprise/Professional: Licensed Per Device.
    • Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365 and Dynamics 365 Operations (On Premise): Use Server/CAL model requiring User/Device CALs; Operations also requires Server (Per Instance) licenses.
    • Core Infrastructure Suite: Licensed Per Core with CALs, similar to Windows Server.

    Legacy Licensing Rules

    Legacy versions of Windows Server and SQL Server have specific licensing rules that differ by version and edition:

    • Windows Server (2003-2019): Transitioned from Per Processor + CAL to Per Core + CAL licensing, with virtualization rights varying by edition (e.g., Datacenter allows unlimited VMs, Standard allows limited VMs).
    • SQL Server (2005-2019): Legacy editions used Server/CAL or Per Processor licensing with rules on the number of operating system environments licensed and virtualization rights. Core-based licensing introduced in later versions requires counting physical or virtual cores with minimum license counts per processor.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • ServiceNow SAM supports mapping Microsoft’s licensing models to its license metrics, enabling accurate tracking and compliance management.
    • Understanding the correct license metric per product and edition is essential for proper license entitlement management in ServiceNow.
    • For legacy Microsoft product versions, refer to version-specific licensing rules to ensure accurate license metric application.
    • Using the recommended ServiceNow license metrics, such as Server (Per Instance), Per Core, User/Device CAL, and User Subscription, helps optimize licensing costs and maintain compliance.

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

    Microsoft products and Software Asset Management license metrics

    Product Edition Licensing model provided by Microsoft Software Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset Management
    Windows Server
    Note:
    For legacy versions of Windows Server, refer to the Windows Server legacy versions table.
    		 Data Center/Standard
    • Per Core
    • CAL licensing
    • Per Core (with CAL)
    • User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
    Microsoft System Center Data 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 Server Standard/Enterprise
    • Server licenses
    • CAL licenses
    • Server (Per Instance) for Server licensing
    • User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
    Microsoft Project Server Standard/Enterprise
    • Server licenses
    • CAL licenses
    • Server (Per Instance) for Server licensing
    • User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
    Microsoft SharePoint Server Standard/Enterprise
    • Server licenses
    • CAL licenses
    • Server (Per Instance) for Server licensing
    • User/Device CAL for CAL licensing
    Microsoft SQL Server
    Note:
    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 365 Enterprise E3/E5/E1 User Subscription User Subscription
    Microsoft Office Professional/Standard Per Device Per Device
    Windows 10 Enterprise Professional Per Device Per Device
    Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365 Server (On Premise) Server/CAL Only 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 365 Enterprise E3/E5/F3 User Subscription User Subscription
    Core Infrastructure Suite Data Center/Standard Per Core Per Core (with CAL)

    Windows Server legacy versions

    Version Edition Licensing model provided by Microsoft Software Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset Management Licensing rules
    2003-2008 R2 Standard Server Server (Per Instance) + add User/Device CALs

    Min: 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.
    Datacenter Processor Per Processor + add User/Device CALs

    Minimum: 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.
    2012-2012R2 Standard Processor Per Processor + add User/Device CALs

    Minimum: 2 processors.

    Virtualization: 2 VMs for each fully licensed server.
    Datacenter Processor Per Processor + add User/Device CALs

    Minimum: 2 processors.

    Virtualization: Unlimited.
    2016-2019 Standard Per Core/CAL Per Core (with CAL) + add User/Device CALs

    Minimum: 16 cores per server or 8 Per Processor.

    Virtualization: 2 VMs for each fully licensed server.
    Datacenter Per Core/CAL Per Core (with CAL) + add User/Device CALs

    Minimum: 16 cores per server or 8 Per Processor.

    Virtualization: Unlimited.

    SQL Server legacy versions

    Version Edition Licensing model provided by Microsoft Software Asset Management license metrics to be used on ServiceNow Software Asset Management Licensing rules
    2005 Standard
    • Server/CAL
    • Processor
    • For Server/CAL use: Server(Per Instance) for Server licensing and User/Device CAL for CAL licensing.
    • Per Processor

    A 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 Processor
    		 Only 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 R2 Standard
    • 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.
    Datacenter Processor Per Processor Processor 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.
    2012-2014 Standard
    • 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.
    2. 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.
    Enterprise Per Core1 Per Core Same as above.
    2016-2019 Standard
    • 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.
    Enterprise Per Core1 Per 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.