SharePoint Server licensing explained
SharePoint is the product where costings most often come out at half the real figure, because three license layers stack on top of each other and only the top one is obvious. This page sets out all three, so the budget holds.
Three layers, not one
A SharePoint deployment is never licensed on its own. Two further products sit underneath it, and both need licenses of their own.
Layer 1
SharePoint Server plus CALs
One server license per running instance, plus a Client Access License for every user or device with access. The Standard CAL covers team sites, document libraries, search and workflows. The Enterprise CAL adds advanced capabilities and is licensed in addition to the Standard CAL, not instead of it.
Layer 2
SQL Server underneath
SharePoint stores its content in a SQL Server database, and that database needs its own license. This is the layer most often forgotten in a budget, and it is not a small item. Which SQL licensing model applies depends on how many people reach the content.
Layer 3
Windows Server below that
Both products run on a Windows Server, which is licensed per physical core and needs its own access licenses on top. Add it up and a SharePoint deployment involves three server licenses and two separate sets of CALs.
Why the effort can still be worthwhile
Because the alternative is a per user monthly charge that never stops. Multiply your user count by the monthly figure by sixty months and set that against a one-off purchase of all three layers. Where the administration is already in house, the comparison is usually clear, and with pre-owned volume licenses the entry price drops further. Where it is not in house, we will say so.
Four situations that change the answer
Most SharePoint licensing questions come down to one of these four. Each has a clear answer, and each is worth settling before the deployment rather than after.
Read-only users still need a CAL
Access is access. Someone who only reads the intranet requires the same Standard CAL as someone who edits documents daily. This is the assumption that most often makes a costing come out short.
Enterprise CALs are additive
The Enterprise CAL does not replace the Standard CAL, it sits on top. A user with advanced capabilities therefore needs both. Only license Enterprise for the people who actually use those features, not across the board.
Test environments count
Every running instance is licensed separately, including test and staging. Where they are accessed productively, CALs apply there too. Describe the full landscape and we will tell you what is genuinely required.
Externally facing portals differ
Where a site is reachable from outside, the number of people accessing it cannot be determined and different rules apply. If you plan to publish SharePoint content externally, speak to us before buying rather than afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Enterprise CAL replace the Standard CAL?
No. It is additive. A user who needs advanced capabilities requires both licenses, which is why it is worth licensing Enterprise only for the people who actually use those features.
Do I really need SQL Server licenses as well?
Yes. SharePoint stores its content in a SQL Server database and that database requires its own license. It is the item most often missing from a budget, and it is not a small one.
Do read-only users need a CAL?
Yes. Any access to the server requires an access license, regardless of whether the person edits anything. Someone who only reads the intranet counts the same as an active contributor.
What about visitors to an external portal?
Externally reachable sites follow different rules, and the outcome varies considerably with the setup. Describe what you intend to publish and we will tell you which arrangement is economical before you commit.
Is running SharePoint in house still worthwhile?
It depends on whether you already have the administration capability. Where you do, a one-off purchase of the three layers usually beats a per user monthly charge over five years, and pre-owned licenses shorten the payback further. Where you do not, we will say so rather than sell you three server licenses.
Read further
SQL Server licensing
The layer directly beneath SharePoint: per core or server plus CAL, where the threshold sits and when there is no choice.
Windows Server licensing
The layer below that: core count rules, the two minimums and where Datacenter starts to beat Standard.
CAL licensing explained
The access licenses that apply on two of the three layers: user versus device, indirect access and how to count.
We will price the whole stack
Describe your intended deployment and we will quote SharePoint, SQL Server and Windows Server together, so nothing is missing when the invoice arrives or when an audit calls.