Commserve upgrade and licensing

You can use your own SQL license provided the SQL version is supported and the SQL instance is only used for our application:

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/2801_commserve_server_system_requirements_windows_02.html

“The Microsoft SQL Server application that is installed on the CommServe computer must be dedicated to support the software and cannot be shared by other applications.”

https://documentation.commvault.com/2022e/expert/1721_configuring_existing_sql_instance_for_server_packages.html

“The instance must reside on the computer where you plan to install the server package.” It means CommServe and SQL engine must reside on the same server.

Thanks for the reply.

So what’s the way to use our own licensing? I mean how can we move away from Commvault provided SQL license to our own license? How does this reflect on yearly cost in terms of Commvault? Does this mean cost paid to Commvault does come down? Is there any documentation on how to separate DB in terms or licensing? I understand it needs to be on same server. thanks

@GarySurati 

You would need a new server / VM on which you install your SQL software onto as per the notes @Ledoesp  linked to above. You can then install the Commvault Software which will use your pre-installed SQL instance and then in turn recover the Commserve DR set. I suppose you could also take a DR Backup of the Commserve and uninstall all the software before following that process too. 

As far as I am aware it makes no difference to the purchase or support costs from a Commvault perspective should you choose to supply the SQL software / license. 

SQL is always bundled with our software and I do not believe it can be excluded from a cost perspective. Some customers may opt to bring their own licenses to gain additional SQL features not included with standard edition like replication, mirroring etc.

This has come up over the years and the answer was that the license in the bundled SQL version is authorized solely for the Commserve databases, and nothing else.

You can provide your own install, though you can’t utilize the license in another manner.

Not part of your question, though worth mentioning: be sure to install the same version as the CS would install, and do not install Enterprise.

the reason is that if a future installer wants to automatically upgrade, Enterprise cannot upgrade to Standard (higher version).

I know your question is more about the license, though this point is important.

Thanks for the replies.

So basically it’s ideal and best practise to run SQL DB for Commserve on same server where Commvault is installed instead on different server as it needs to be dedicated to CV. SQL and Commvault are licensed as single pack and even if we provide our own licensing for SQL it won’t bring down cost of Commvault. 

You got it, @GarySurati !