Annual SQL Server License Assessment

Stay compliant, cut support costs, and license only what you actually use.

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Licenses Change—Facts Keep You Safe

SQL Server estates evolve quickly: new VMs spin up, Always On replicas expand, and cloud instances proliferate. Without a current, defensible license baseline, you risk unexpected audit fees and overspending on Software Assurance (SA). House of Brick’s Annual SQL Server License Assessment gathers entitlement records, Opscompass usage data, and virtualization details to reveal true requirements—and concrete savings.

SQL Server License Assessment Engagement Framework

Phase	Key Actions	Outcomes
Collect	Gather agreements, SA renewals, core/CAL counts, Opscompass feature-usage and instance data	Complete entitlement & deployment inventory
Analyze	Map editions, features (e.g., TDE, PolyBase), Always On replicas, and passive nodes to core factors and CAL rules	Compliance risk & overspend matrix
Model	Simulate right-sizing, VM consolidation, hybrid benefits, and SA retirement options	“What-if” cost-savings workbook
Recommend	Craft renewal strategies, downgrade rights, and license re-harvesting plans	Negotiation & optimization playbook
Review	Present findings to IT, finance, and procurement; log tickets in customer portal	Agreed next-step roadmap

Key Deliverables

Effective License Position (ELP) report with compliance status
Edition-by-edition heat map of risks and cost-reduction opportunities
Optimization scenarios (core vs CAL, consolidation, SA vs pay-as-you-go)
Renewal negotiation & audit-defense guide
Executive summary slide deck for stakeholders

Why It Matters

Avoid audit surprises by validating core counts, CAL assignments, and feature usage annually
Lower support spend through consolidation, edition downgrades, and targeted SA coverage
Negotiate from strength with a defensible baseline and modeled savings scenarios

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