Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard – Database server licence

Microsoft SQL Server 2016 Standard is a relational database engine intended for enterprise applications: business software, ERP, CRM, sales management systems, high-load websites. The Standard edition covers the needs of the vast majority of SMEs — up to 24 cores and 128 GB of memory per instance — with the basic backup, security and high-availability features.

Key features

• T-SQL relational engine — ACID transactions, stored procedures, columnstore indexes, in-memory tables and compression.
• Always Encrypted — encryption of sensitive columns: even a database administrator cannot read the data in clear.
• Row-level security and dynamic masking — each user only sees what concerns them.
• Native JSON and Query Store — simplified application exchanges and a history of execution plans to diagnose performance regressions.
• Basic availability groups — automatic failover to a secondary replica.
• Integration Services and Reporting Services — ETL flows and enterprise reports included.
• Encrypted and compressed backup — protection and reduction of backup volume.

Licensing model

SQL Server is licensed either per core (servers accessible from the Internet or with many users), or as Server + CAL (one machine licence, plus one CAL per user or device accessing the data). As with Windows Server, a CAL is a legal right of access and not software: it is not installed.

Installation and activation

The key reaches you by email within 24 hours maximum. Download the SQL Server 2016 installer from Microsoft, choose the Standard edition and enter the product key during installation. An instance already installed in an evaluation version can be converted via the « Edition Upgrade » wizard.

What to know about the lifecycle

Extended support for SQL Server 2016 has come to an end: no more free security updates are published for this version. It remains usable for an isolated environment, a legacy project or an application that requires this precise version, but for an exposed server, go for SQL Server 2019 or 2022.

Buy SQL Server 2016 Standard

Odin Key is operated by CHKEY OÜ, an Estonian company. Official invoice, support by e-mail. Key sent by email within 24h after payment.