Are each of the SMS clients also SQL clients?

[dkoert]

...or is the SMS server the SQL client? It makes a big difference in
the cost of deployment, and my budget is limited. We're planning a
small deployment for about 200-300 clients in a college environment.
I haven't gotten a clear answer to the question yet. I'm hoping
someone here will give me an answer I understand. The University's
Windows guru says SQL CALs are required for the SMS server's
only. The State contracted software vendor says they don't know.
The MS Rep for the University said it was a good question, but
didn't answer it directly - just said we should get a single processor
version of SQL 2000 Standard Edition (unlimited number of clients).

Cost of SQL 2000 Standard w/one processor $ 1,764.67

Cost of SQL 2000 Standard with 1 CAL $ 112.40

Service agreements not included.

Thanks,
David Koert

 

[PulsaMatt]

When we set up our SMS servers we talked with some people at Software Spectrum (corporate licensing contractor) and they told us we only needed CALs for the SMS servers that would be talking to the SQL server ... the clients dont actually talk to the SQL server directly, they go through the servers for those communications (or at least thats how it was explained to me).

Hope that helps.

Matt Laski
Sysadmin, Pulsafeeder Inc.