274 questions
How to identify MS SQL Server enterprise core software installation
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Srinivas Ramanujaiah
0
Reputation points
Discovery solution uses patterns that execute- WMI commands on SQL Server to identify the installed edition. Recently, we've observed that in some instances, the discovered edition is returned as "Enterprise Edition: Core-based Licensing." As you're likely aware, SQL Server Enterprise supports two distinct licensing models: Core-based and Server + CAL. It's therefore important to differentiate between these two-edition deployment i.e. core-based and Server+CAL .
Given this, the question arises:
Is using WMI commands to identify "SQL Server Enterprise Core" a reliable method for accurately determining the SQL Server Enterprise edition core-based install?
Below is an example where the discovered edition is shown as "Enterprise Edition: Core-based Licensing."
SQL Server Database Engine
{count} votes
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Erland Sommarskog 122K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator2025-07-01T21:32:35.9866667+00:00 I'm not familiar with WMI commands, so I am not in position to answer the question with authority. However, I would suggest that you could test with instances of Standard Edition of which some are using Per Core and others are using Server+CAL.
I'm calling out Standard Edition, since you only have this choice with Standard Edition. Enterprise Edition is always Per Core, at least recent versions.
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Srinivas Ramanujaiah 0 Reputation points
2025-07-02T06:20:46.93+00:00 Even a lot of customers are having Enterprise with Server/CAL Model- as Microsoft allowed the same for previous customers
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