SQL Server cost... HELP!!!

[JerryMungo]

Firstly, why is it so darn difficult to find an MS sales number in the US (I want to phone tonight)?
Secondly, why did MS totally confuse the world with their pricing for SQL Server 2012?

So what I do understand is that, in order for me to provide my US based client with SQL Server 2012 on an Amazon EC2 small/medium virtual Windows instance using per core licensing:
- I need to purchase 4 cores (minimum).
- Each purchased license on the per core model affords me 2 cores
- I therefore need 2x SQL Server Standard code model licenses (2x2 = 4).

Where i'm struggling is how to figure out how much it's going to cost. I don't want software assurance, I don't want anything but the license. Their quote page is too confusing for words (apart from the fact that it won't work in anything but IE)...

I got a quick quote for SQL Server 2012 under an open license (2 of) on the MS quote page:
http://mla.microsoft.com/default.aspx

using these options:


and got the following results:



Seems reasonable. Then I tried the full quote... SQL Server 2012 License only open model per core, added one VOSE (Virtual OS), selected 'Pay at time of agreement', no software assurance, two year agreement term, blah blah and ended up with this quote...



Vastly different... and if I opt to download the same quote, I get this (saved online as quote #6B9-22B-21C):

What the heck is that about? Why the recurring billing every two years? What exactly do I tell my client about what it will cost? Vrek MS are the absolute worst when it comes to trying to keep it legal.

What I want to know is... when Amazon sell this
http://www.amazon.com/SQL-Server-St...id=1361458373&sr=1-2&keywords=sql+server+2012
What the heck is it?
Does the client even know what they're purchasing when they put that one in the cart?

 

[Praemon]

Wow, what a convoluted pricing model. The only thing I could make out was that the core licensing model is a real rip-off . It might just be easier going with Amazon's RDS service (http://aws.amazon.com/rds/sqlserver/), since you already use their EC2 server, and pricing is a bit more straight forward (assuming you know more or less the resources you require). Or, you know, persuade your client to move over to MySQL

 

[InvisibleJim]

MS Licensing GRRRRR...

I feel your pain

Got a quote recently for SQL Server 2012, my supplier sent me a 36 page Microsoft document about SQL Server 2012 licensing options. What I really wanted was a 2008 per processor license for a 6 core processor so a 2012 per core license was effectively one third more expensive than the 2008 per processor. To top it off, when you downgrade 2012 standard to 2008, it is to 2008 Workgroup edition so you're not even getting the full features of the standard edition you have paid for.

The only direct contact I have ever had with Microsoft is about licensing. This is not value and the architects of M$ licensing will be the first ones against the wall when my evil plan for world domination comes to fruition.