I am having a bit difficulty in understanding SQL Server CAL Licensing scheme.
The scenario is as follows :
Company "X" is buying a business application software which uses the SQL Server database. The software uses SQL TCP/IP Connection to connect to the SQL Server. Company "X" has brought SQL Server license to be installed on Windows 2003 server and business application software to be installed on 10 XP Clients. Though all the 10 people will be running Business application software, they will not be installing any part of the SQL Server database components ( apart from ODBC / MDAC which is part of XP ). The Business application software will use ODBC / MDAC to access data on SQL Server. The Business application software uses the same SQL Server user to connect to SQL Server ( it does not use Windows Authentication but instead uses SQL Server authentication ) . All the 10 people may not be using the using the Business application software all the time and at the same time . Connection is over TCP/IP.
My Question is :
1. How many Client CALs are required to be purchased ? Is it 10 CALs ?
2. How the SQL CAL's are calculated - For example instead of one Business application on each PC, there are two Business applications from different vendors ( both use same SQL Server but may be different SQL Server user ) . Does the CALs need to be doubled though it is same PC ?
3. What if normally all the PC's are not running Business application at the same time, but only very very rarely (theoritical situtation ) all of them are accessing SQL Data using Business application - does this scenario change the SQL CAL Calculation ?
Its really confusing .... especially w.r.t SQL Server ( may be bcos when I think of SQL Server with TCP/IP connection, i think it like a webserver which can serve many users requests without licensing issues ).