What’s changing?

We are making changes to SQL Server 2022 pricing beginning January 1, 2023:

1. New pricing for SQL Server 2022

• There will be a price increase across all paid editions of SQL Server licenses, including Enterprise edition, Standard edition, and Web edition across all channels
• No increase planned on the Azure SQL pay-as-you-go price or Azure data services (e.g., Azure SQL)

Which channels are impacted? 

• CSP, OEM, SPLA, and VL (EA, EAS, EES, SCE, MPSA, Select+) – all effective January 1, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the new price for SQL Server 2022?  Which SKUs/segments are impacted, and which ones are not?

Starting January 1, 2023, all channels will have a price increase

• VL (EA, ESU, USG, ISV, EES (CC, SC), OLV, OVS, Select, Select+, NGVL)- 10%
• CSP- 10%
• VSS- 10%
• MCPP- 10%
• MBS- 10%
• MS Store (Retail)- 10%
• OEM & IoT – 10%, SPLA- 8% on Enterprise Edition, 10% on Standard and Web editions
• Please note this price change does impact all public sector customers, worldwide.

There will be no change to Azure SQL IP pay-as-you-go pricing or other Azure SQL service types at this time.

Q: Why are we increasing the price of SQL Server 2022?  What should we highlight?

This is the first substantive price update since SQL Server 2012.  This change will go into effect in January 2023 – providing partners and customers with approximately two months of advance notification.

This change builds on the product innovation we’ve delivered over the past 10+ years to meet the changing needs of customers. Since SQL Server 2012, we’ve added over 50 features including all the new features for SQL Server 2022:

• Built-in Query Intelligence – automatic performance enhancements with no code changes required
• Multi-write replication – ensure availability via adoption of a “last writer wins” rule in instances of multiple concurrent changes to a database
• Contained availability groups – supports managing objects (users, logins, permissions, SQL Agent jobs, and more) at the availability group level
• SQL Server Ledger – use track all changes to a database via blockchain
• Link feature for Azure SQL MI – bidirectional disaster recovery via a fully-managed PaaS secondary in Azure SQL MI
• Synapse Link for SQL Server – near real-time analytics and hybrid transactional and analytical processing with minimal impact on operational systems.
• Microsoft Purview access policies – integration with Microsoft’s data governance and management solution

Q: Where can I find Customer Resources for the launch of SQL Server 2022?

Customer resources for this launch are available via the links below:

• SQL Server 2022 page on Microsoft.com
• SQL Server 2022 Datasheet

• SQL Server 2022 Blog Series
• SQL Server 2022 Documentation
• SQL Server 2022 What’s New Video
• SQL: Data Exposed Web Series

• SQL Server 2022 Evaluation (Trial)

Q: What new value has Microsoft added to SQL Server 2022 since the last version?

Examples of new value added to SQL Server 2022 since the last iteration (SQL Server 2019): 

• Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance[1]: To ensure uptime, SQL Server 2022 is fully integrated with the new link feature in Azure SQL Managed Instance. With this capability, you now get all the benefits of running a platform as a service (PaaS) environment applied to DR—allowing you to spend less time on setup and management even when compared to an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) environment. The general availability of the bidirectional disaster recovery capability of the Link feature for Azure SQL Managed Instance will occur after the general availability of SQL Server 2022.
• Azure Synapse Link for SQL: Azure Synapse Link for SQL Server 2022 provides near real-time analytics and hybrid transactional and analytical processing with minimal impact on operational systems.

• Microsoft Purview integration: SQL Server 2022 is integrated with Microsoft Purview, a unified data governance and management service, for greater data discovery, allowing you to break down data silos, as well as policy management for access control.
• Ledger: A new technology that brings the benefits of blockchains to relational databases, by cryptographically linking the data and their changes in a blockchain structure, to make the data tamper-evident and verifiable. By baking trust into the SQL Server Database Engine, Ledger makes it easy to implement multi-party business processes, such as supply chain systems, allowing participants to verify the integrity of the centrally housed data, without the complexity and performance overheads of a blockchain network. Ledger can also help customers streamline compliance audits, providing cryptographic proofs of data integrity to auditors and eliminating manual forensics.
• Intelligent Query Processing enhancements: We are expanding more scenarios based on common customer problems. For example, the “parameter sensitive plan” problem refers to a scenario where a single cached plan for a parameterized query is not optimal for all possible incoming parameter values. With SQL Server 2022’s Parameter Sensitive Plan optimization feature, we automatically enable the generation of multiple active cached plans for a single parameterized statement. These cached execution plans will accommodate different data sizes based on the provided runtime parameter values.
• Query Store: We are adding support for read replicas and enabling query hints to improve performance and quickly mitigate issues without having to change the source T-SQL. Also, Query Store hints arrive on SQL Server 2022. Query Store hints provide an easy-to-use method for shaping query plans without changing application code.
• Security enhancements in SQL Server 2022 include Azure Active Directory authentication, support for richer queries in Always Encrypted with secure enclaves, backing up and restoring certificates using the PFX format, and multiple other improvements to enhance default cryptography in SQL Server to meet the evolving threat landscape.
• Contained Availability Groups: Supports managing objects (users, logins, permissions, SQL Agent jobs, and more) at the availability group level using specialized contained system databases within the availability group.
• Multi-write replication: We are automating the last-writer wins rule. Now, when a conflict is detected, the most recent modification time will be chosen to be persisted on all replicas. This helps keep your multi-write scenarios running smoothly.
• Data lake virtualization and object storage: Query any data lake and backup/restore SQL to S3-compatible object storage.
• JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data: New JSON functions to increase the ability to query and manipulate JSON data.

• Memory and concurrency: In-memory online transaction processing (OLTP) memory enhancements and system page latch concurrency enhancements.

Q: What is the new SQL pay-as-you-go billing model powered by Azure Arc?

The innovation for SQL Server is not only from the product, but also from the business model. We are bringing the new cloud billing model to your SQL Server, so that you can pay for what you use on a consumption meter. Customers can choose the pay-as-you-go licensing option for all SQL Server from 2012 to 2022 with easy connection through Azure Arc.

The PAYG pricing is consistent with Azure SQL IP, at $73/month for Standard Edition and $274/month for Enterprise Edition. That brings down the hourly rate to only $0.1 for SE and $0.375 for EE. So when there are spike workloads and ad-hoc usage, customers don’t need to reserve upfront investment and can only pay for the hours with usage, at a much lower cost.

When customers choose the PAYG option, they get the consistent hybrid capabilities as the License + Software Assurance (L+SA) option, all powered by Azure Arc (which supports different types of hybrid deployment for SQL Server, no matter it’s on-premises or in 3rd party cloud).

Q: Does the pricing change affect all versions, editions, and SKUs?

Yes, the pricing will affect all versions, editions, and durations, and should be effective at the next renewal on or after January 1, 2023.

Q: How will this price change impact existing SQL On-Premises customers?

Existing customers are not impacted until their next renewal after December 31, 2022.

1. Will there be any changes to the Education, Public Sector or Consumer list prices?

Yes, these prices will also increase 10%. 

Q: If a customer is on SQL Server 2019 or prior and has no need to upgrade, why are they paying more?

Customers with existing agreements (EA/EAS/SCE or MCA) should not be impacted per the terms & conditions until their next renewal. In addition, certain capabilities of cloud-connected features of SQL Server 2022 will be made available to SQL Server 2019 customers, including Microsoft Purview integration and unidirectional Link to Azure SQL Managed Instance, so customers will benefit from innovation even if they do not upgrade to SQL Server 2022.

Additionally, customers with active Software Assurance will have the opportunity to modernize to SQL Server 2022 at any time.

Q: How can the price increase add velocity/value to the Azure cloud migration discussion?

We are not increasing the price of pay-as-you-go Azure SQL, so this price increase can actually be a lever to drive cloud migration. Additionally, a new licensing benefit associated with SQL Server 2022, Disaster Recovery to Azure SQL Managed Instance (SQL MI), provides a free SQL license for the Azure SQL secondary. Synapse Link, a new feature in SQL Server 2022, will drive additional use of Azure Synapse Analytics. Finally, SQL Server 2022 offers integration with Microsoft Purview.

Q: What about foreign exchange?

Unless otherwise noted, all USD increases will be passed along to local currency pricing.

Q: How will these price changes impact the Step-ups?

Step-ups are calculated as the difference between the prices of the corresponding SKUs so they will be adjusted accordingly.

 

Q: If a customer is renewing on one of the impacted SKUs in CY 2023 and wants to commit early to lock in pricing, what are the time windows?  

We (Microsoft or Partners) should not push customers to drive early renewals, that will be the customer’s choice and should be driven on their end. 

Q: How can Arc-enabled SQL Server and Arc-enabled SQL MI help me hit my targets or earn incentives?

For Arc-enabled SQL Server, the pay-as-you-go licensing is eligible as Azure Data Services (ADS) revenue performance. For Arc-enabled SQL MI, all purchasing options are also eligible for ADS recognition.

Q: Are there any additional price increases happening in January 2023?

Yes, there will be an incremental 9.5% increase on CSP 1-year subscriptions, due to changes introduced to the CSP program in Oct 2022 (new options for partner hosted cloud). See details from the prior announcement on this: September 2022 announcements – Partner Center | Microsoft Learn.

Q: Will there be promotions to support customers looking to make an upgrade at or around the time of the price increase? If so, where can I find more information?

There are no new promotions to be announced at this time.

Q: Will we ever raise the price of SQL Server again, or is this a “Once every 10 years” thing?

Our priority is to continue adding value to SQL Server to address the evolving needs of our customers. This is the first substantive update to our list price since SQL Server 2012 and reflects the significant value that we have added over that time. We regularly evaluate the pricing of our offerings based on the value that we are delivering to customers, so there is no pre-determined schedule of price increases.

Q: How do I address customers who are not willing to pay the new price?

If price change becomes a customer issue/blocker, discuss migration alternatives such as migration to Azure SQL or PAYG via Azure Arc Enabled Data Services, or explore options for migration to Azure SQL.

 

Q: What should I do with a customer who wants to upgrade to SQL Server 2022 after January 1, 2023, but before they reach anniversary or renewal?

As long as their SQL license is covered by Software Assurance, they can refresh to SQL Server 2022 once it becomes available.

Q: Is SQL Server 2022 available in all regions?

SQL Server 2022 will be in all regions except Russia and Belarus.

Q: What is the guidance for customers who are planning to purchase SQL Server 2022 after GA on November 16 but before January 1?

Customers can “Buy Now” at the lower price (but SQL 2022 will not be available for CSP, SPLA & OEM licensing types until January 1, 2023)

Q: In addition to AHB, what Azure pricing programs can help me lock in the lowest prices for my SQL Server on Azure?

Azure Reserved Instances or the recently announced Azure Savings Plan for compute can be stacked with Azure Hybrid Benefit for additional savings.  Azure Reserved Instances allow customers to commit to a single type of compute in advance for 1 or 3 years for up to 72% savings.

Q: As SQL matures and moves to the cloud, some customers may use fewer of the other features – is there a discount for JUST using the SQL core engine? 

We will continue to evaluate and evolve our SQL Server licensing, but there are no changes along these lines at this time.

Q: “I am a regulated customer and cannot go to the cloud, where is my value in this release?”  

SQL Server 2022 offers tremendous innovation (including data security & governance improvements) to the core SQL Server engine, including:

• Ledger:A new technology that brings the benefits of blockchains to relational databases, by cryptographically linking the data and their changes in a blockchain structure, to make the data tamper-evident and verifiable. By baking trust into the SQL Server Database Engine, Ledger makes it easy to implement multi-party business processes, such as supply chain systems, allowing participants to verify the integrity of the centrally housed data, without the complexity and performance overheads of a blockchain network. Ledger can also help customers streamline compliance audits, providing cryptographic proofs of data integrity to auditors and eliminating manual forensics.
• Intelligent Query Processing enhancements: We are expanding more scenarios based on common customer problems. For example, the “parameter sensitive plan” problem refers to a scenario where a single cached plan for a parameterized query is not optimal for all possible incoming parameter values. With SQL Server 2022’s Parameter Sensitive Plan optimization feature, we automatically enable the generation of multiple active cached plans for a single parameterized statement. These cached execution plans will accommodate different data sizes based on the provided runtime parameter values.
• Query Store: We are adding support for read replicas and enabling query hints to improve performance and quickly mitigate issues without having to change the source T-SQL. Also, Query Store hints arrive on SQL Server 2022. Query Store hints provide an easy-to-use method for shaping query plans without changing application code.
• Security enhancements in SQL Server 2022 include Azure Active Directory authentication, support for richer queries in Always Encrypted with secure enclaves, backing up and restoring certificates using the PFX format, and multiple other improvements to enhance default cryptography in SQL Server to meet the evolving threat landscape.
• Contained Availability Groups: Supports managing objects (users, logins, permissions, SQL Agent jobs, and more) at the availability group level using specialized contained system databases within the availability group.
• Multi-write replication: We are automating the last-writer wins rule. Now, when a conflict is detected, the most recent modification time will be chosen to be persisted on all replicas. This helps keep your multi-write scenarios running smoothly.
• Data lake virtualization and object storage: Query any data lake and backup/restore SQL to S3-compatible object storage.
• JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data: New JSON functions to increase the ability to query and manipulate JSON data.
• Memory and concurrency: In-memory online transaction processing (OLTP) memory enhancements and system page latch concurrency enhancements.