Understanding Database Pricing

Summary

You can make a more informed decision when considering which database is best for your organization by understanding the direct and indirect costs of deploying and managing an enterprise database solution. It is a crucial step in understanding database pricing to know all the components of the licensing models and the new multicore technology, and to know how these influence the overall cost.

Based on critical analysis, SQL Server has proven repeatedly to provide a cost-effective solution that can meet high service-level expectations. This paper demonstrates that, compared with other database management solutions, SQL Server features lower hardware costs, decreased software licensing costs, significantly reduced support and maintenance costs, and the ability to meet business/user requirements. Read this white paper to understand and compare database pricing for the three leading database vendors: Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM.

Included in this document:

•	Introduction
•	Editions
•	Options/Add-ons
•	Multicore Licensing
•	Maintenance and Support
•	Price Comparison • Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle 10g • Microsoft SQL Server and IBM DB2 8.2
•	Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)