Use cases
SQL Server for enterprise workloads
Enterprise unlocks unlimited virtualisation, Always On AGs with multiple secondaries, Transparent Data Encryption and online index operations — required for OLTP above 24 cores.
Who it's for
Banking, healthcare, retail back-office, regulated industries.
Why this works
- No core ceiling — scale up to current hardware
- Always On with up to 8 secondary replicas
- TDE at rest + Always Encrypted in motion
- Software Assurance gives Azure Hybrid Benefit
Recommended licenses
- SQL Server 2025 Enterprise
Latest engine — best perf/watt + new vector functions.
from €279 · View licence →
Alternatives
- SQL Server 2022 Enterprise — Choose if you must match an existing 2022 cluster.
Things to know first
- Enterprise per-core licensing is in 2-core packs; Windows Server core minimums (16/server) also apply if you run Standard/Datacenter underneath.