SQL 2005 database mirroring licencing

I'm testing database mirroring on beta2 and it works fine so far.
But I'm wondering just how many licences will the customer need when
configured with witness server?
All three for all three SQL instances or just two, for principal and mirror?
I heard something about using Express edition for witness server but I
haven't had the chance to test that configuration.
Does it work?
Is licencing known for mirroring configurations?

I'm also wondering if mirroring will be available in standard edition or
only in enterprise?

Thanks
Tom

You need a valid licensed Sql Server for each.  But you can use SQL Express
for  the witness which is licensed but happens to be free.

--
Andrew J. Kelly  SQL MVP


"Tom" <mcseman2002@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:u4XL09QNFHA.3988@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I'm testing database mirroring on beta2 and it works fine so far.
> But I'm wondering just how many licences will the customer need when
> configured with witness server?
> All three for all three SQL instances or just two, for principal and
> mirror?
> I heard something about using Express edition for witness server but I
> haven't had the chance to test that configuration.
> Does it work?
> Is licencing known for mirroring configurations?
>
> I'm also wondering if mirroring will be available in standard edition or
> only in enterprise?
>
> Thanks
> Tom
>

Have a look at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/spotli...ndsqlserver.asp
and http://www.microsoft.com/sql/2005/p...005features.asp

Standard Edition supports Database Mirroring (with some odd CPU limit, SE
supports 4 CPU but if mirroring only supports 2 CPU - don't know how they
came up with that <g> ) and for totally passive servers you don't need a
license

"Finally, when it comes to passive servers, which includes clustering,
disaster recovery, and backup servers, your secondary, passive servers are
free. Please remember that they must be passive, which means that you cannot
have people running queries on them or actively using the server."

--
HTH

Jasper Smith (SQL Server MVP)
http://www.sqldbatips.com
I support PASS - the definitive, global
community for SQL Server professionals -
http://www.sqlpass.org

"Tom" <mcseman2002@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:u4XL09QNFHA.3988@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I'm testing database mirroring on beta2 and it works fine so far.
> But I'm wondering just how many licences will the customer need when
> configured with witness server?
> All three for all three SQL instances or just two, for principal and
> mirror?
> I heard something about using Express edition for witness server but I
> haven't had the chance to test that configuration.
> Does it work?
> Is licencing known for mirroring configurations?
>
> I'm also wondering if mirroring will be available in standard edition or
> only in enterprise?
>
> Thanks
> Tom
>