Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Enterprise 2 Core

Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Enterprise 2 Core – full performance without limits

SQL Server 2025 Enterprise is the edition for business-critical databases with high demands on performance, availability and security. Unlike the Standard edition, Enterprise has no limits on cores and memory – only the operating system sets the limit.

Licensing is per core: one item covers 2 cores, at least 4 cores per processor or VM. No CALs are needed.

The key facts at a glance

• No limits on cores and memory
• Always On availability groups with several readable replicas
• Online index operations and partitioning on a large scale
• Advanced security and analysis features
• Licence per core, without CALs

Who is SQL Server 2025 Enterprise for?

• data centres and large databases
• highly available systems with failover
• data warehouse and analysis environments
• companies with high load and many users

New in SQL Server 2025

• Vector data type and vector search for AI applications
• Native JSON data type
• Regular expression functions in T-SQL
• Optimised locking for more simultaneous access

How core licensing works

With per-core licensing, you license the processor cores on which SQL Server runs – then no CALs are needed, no matter how many users access it. This item covers 2 cores. At least 4 cores must be licensed per physical processor or per virtual machine, so you need at least two of these licences. A server with 8 cores accordingly needs four 2-core licences.

Licence types compared

You will find more licences in the category SQL Server 2025.

Why SQL Server 2025?

SQL Server 2025 is the current version and brings AI functions such as vector search directly into the database. The Standard edition has also been extended to up to 32 cores and 256 GB of memory.

Typical scenarios

• Large ERP databases
• Highly available clusters with failover
• Data warehouse and business intelligence
• Applications with very many simultaneous accesses

Example calculation

A database server with 2 processors of 8 cores each has 16 cores and needs eight 2-core licences. If several virtual machines are run, license at least 4 cores per VM.

Documenting licences properly

Keep the invoice and licence documents together and note which licence is used on which server and how many users or devices access it. In an audit by the manufacturer or an auditor, you can then quickly prove that your database is correctly licensed. If the number of users changes, simply order more.

System requirements

• Operating system: Windows Server 2019 or later and Linux
• Processor: x64 processor from 1.4 GHz, 2 GHz or more recommended
• Memory: at least 1 GB, 4 GB or more recommended
• Hard disk: at least 6 GB of free space
• Network: TCP/IP for application access

Installation and activation

1. Download the installation file (ISO) via the link in our email.
2. Start setup and choose “New SQL Server stand-alone installation”.
3. Enter the product key supplied – this installs the edition you purchased.
4. Select features and instance, define service accounts and authentication.
5. Create databases or restore existing databases.

Frequently asked questions

How many 2-core licences do I need?

At least 4 cores per processor or VM, i.e. at least two licences. For a server with 16 cores, it is eight licences.

Enterprise or Standard?

Standard is sufficient for many specialist applications. Enterprise is worthwhile for large data volumes, requirements beyond the limits of the Standard edition or high availability with several replicas.

Will I receive an invoice?

Yes, with VAT shown, with your company address on request.

Can you advise me on the right licensing?

Yes. Describe your environment (servers, cores, number of users) and we will recommend the right combination.

My software requires a specific SQL Server version – what should I do?

Before buying, check which version the vendor of your specialist application has approved. Feel free to write to us in advance – we will tell you which licence suits your environment.

Delivery, invoice and support

• Delivery by e-mail: you will usually receive the product key, download link and installation guide within 5 to 30 minutes of payment (daily 09:00–21:00 CET). More under Shipping & payment.
• Invoice: every order comes with a proper invoice, with your company address on request.
• Origin of the licence: we source our licences from distributors and wholesalers in Europe. We explain exactly how this works on the page Buying legal software.
• Support: if you have questions about installation or activation, we help by e-mail (Mon–Sun 09:00–21:00 CET), phone (Mon–Fri 09:00–14:00 CET), live chat or remote support with TeamViewer.

Our goodwill promise

If the SQL Server version you ordered is ever no longer available, we will supply the next higher version with the same licence scope at no extra charge. You never pay more than the price at which you ordered.