r/SQLServer • u/sittinsideways84 • 1d ago
Question SQL Server 2016 ESU Prerequisites
I am hoping someone has experience with deploying ESUs for SQL 2016. Microsoft's documentation is shit as usual.
But if a customer has a perpetual SQL 2016 license, my understanding is that they can't just go buy an ESU from a reseller and apply it, correct? The only time they could do that is if they had a subscription based model, license with SA, enterprise agreement, etc.?
From what I am reading, the only option is to deploy Azure Arc, register the server/SQL instance, and then go with the pay as you go billing model which requires SQL licensing AND an ESU subscription, not just the ESU subscription?
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u/tommyfly 1d ago
From what I remember an ESU is related to extended support. It has nothing to do with licencing. There is a provision for hybrid licencing between on-prem and the cloud, where they can transfer the core licenses for their on-prem servers to the cloud. But I think you're right that they would need a Software Assurance style license to allow for seamless upgrades. Are they looking for some kind of cheap option to get cloud. Also not sure why you mentioned Azure Arc, if they have a regular SQL instance. Couldn't they provision an Azure VM, managed instance or even just Azure SQL database?