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AnswerSQL + Win Server Licensing in a TEST ONLY lab environment??

  • Tuesday, November 03, 2009 3:47 PMjpSQLDude Users MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers MedalsUsers Medals
     
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    I just took a job as a SQL DBA at a very large enterprise. Things are NOT done here like I am used to!

    The way they have me deploy changes to live production SQL servers is to develop and test my changes on live production SQL servers. Yes, that's really how its done.

    And I know what will happen soon: I will deploy something that will break or destroy something (it is inevitable!), and then I will get blamed for not knowing what I'm doing. It feels like I am playing Russian Roulette on a daily basis. Not good for the 'ol stress level!

    So here is my fix: I have now gotten them to give me FIVE clunker old computers, good enough to install Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server 2000 or 2005. So I can set up my own little test lab in my cubicle. This way I can at least build a reasonable facsimile of the production environments (yes, some are even clusters, etc), backup and restore databases to my test environment, and do *some* development and testing on them in my lab, before deploying to a production server.

    So I have downloaded the 6-month trial versions of Win Server and SQL Server. I will NOT (and cannot) connect these computers to the network, and therefore not to the internet either. I have to download on one computer, burn files to disk, then move that disk to the Lab computers (sneakernet!). This will be a fully self-contained lab, the computers will only talk to each other via a hub. That's it.

    So my question is: What licensing, if any, do I need to be fully, totally, legitimately legal and in compliance with Microsoft? (Yes, you would think I could just ask my Microsoft Rep that question. But I have no idea who that person might be or how I would get in touch, or anything.)

    Perhaps I could just install my 6-month demo versions of everything? Then I think I will have to activate over the phone, right? But then will I have to activate all TEN licenses separately? (5 Win Server 2003 and 5 SQL 2000 or 2005??) Or does only Windows Server require activation and not SQL? (I'm used to working on real versions!) Do my TWO downloads allow 5 activations each?? Or do I have to do 10 downloads?? If I install today, would I need to re-install 6 months from now? Or is that even permitted -- do I just get one 6-month period then I have to have them pay for some sort of "Lab license"?? Or is there a license that actually allows this Test Lab type scenario, and does not require re-installs, or new demo licenses every 6 months or whatever??

    It seems like the possibilities are endless. Does anyone know?

    Thank you very much for your help!

     

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