[piggity]

SQL Server Standard is $2K per core - with > 4 cores per socket, things flip around a bit.

I'm not a SQL licensing guru; so perhaps I'm confused as well...

[MichaelGG]

So let's say 4 cores @ $2L, $8K. Then you pay like 35% a year for software assurance; so you'd end up with $2800 a year.

No one buys MS servers products at the flat retail price. They work out plenty of long-term strategies to help you pay.