Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Standard (Unlimited Cores & CALs) | AI-Ready, Native Vector Support & Resource Governor

Official Release Date: November 18, 2025
License Type: Perpetual / Lifetime Activation (Core-Based Model)
Platform: Windows Server 2025, 2022, 2019 & Linux (RHEL, Ubuntu, SUSE)

About the Product

Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Standard represents the most significant leap for the Standard edition in a decade. This "Unlimited" edition refers to the Core-Based Licensing model, which allows you to acquire the full processing power of your server while providing Unlimited Client Access (CALs) for an infinite number of users and devices.

The 2025 edition is the first "AI-Ready" version of SQL Server, introducing native support for Vector Data Types and DiskANN indexing, allowing you to build and host Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and machine learning applications directly within your database. For the first time, Standard edition users can now unlock the Resource Governor, allowing for granular control over CPU and memory allocation a feature previously reserved only for Enterprise users.

Key Features Defining AI-Era Data Productivity

Native Vector Data & AI Integration: Unlock the future of search. SQL Server 2025 introduces a native VECTOR data type, enabling you to store embeddings and perform high-speed similarity searches. You can acquire direct integration with Azure OpenAI and local models using standard T-SQL.
Resource Governor (Now in Standard): Take total control of your server’s performance. Previously an Enterprise-exclusive, you can now obtain the ability to throttle low-priority background tasks so that your mission-critical applications always get the resources they need.
Native JSON Data Type: Stop treating JSON as simple text. The 2025 edition introduces a dedicated JSON data type, which provides optimized storage, faster parsing, and schema validation, allowing you to unlock the performance of a NoSQL database with the reliability of SQL.
Regular Expressions (Regex) Support: Finally, you can get native T-SQL functions for pattern matching, replacing, and extraction using Regular Expressions. This allows developers to acquire much cleaner code when handling complex string manipulations.
Unlimited User Access (No CALs Required): With this specific Core-based license, you obtain the freedom to connect as many users, web visitors, or IoT devices as your hardware can handle. It is the ultimate solution for public-facing websites or large organizations that want to get rid of the complexity of CAL management.

Microsoft SQL Server 2025 Standard FAQ

What does "Unlimited Cores" mean in this context?

While the SQL Server 2025 Standard engine itself has a software limit of 32 cores, this license is an "Unlimited Core" activation key. It means the license does not restrict you to a specific count; it will unlock and license the server for the maximum core count supported by the Standard Edition.

Is this a lifetime license?

Yes. When you acquire this key, you receive a perpetual retail license. There are no monthly fees, and you can get all the minor updates for version 2025 indefinitely.

Does it support the new Windows Server 2025?

Yes. It is fully optimized to obtain the best performance on Windows Server 2025, taking advantage of the latest security features and NVMe storage optimizations.

Can I use this for AI and Vector Search?

Absolutely. This is the ultimate version for modern developers. You can unlock vector indexes and use the new VECTOR_SEARCH functions to power your AI applications directly on-premises.

How to Download & Install SQL Server 2025 Standard

Download the Setup: Visit the official Microsoft SQL Server download portal and select the 2025 Standard installer.
Run the installer and choose "New SQL Server stand-alone installation".
On the Product Key page, select "Enter the product key" and paste your unique activation code.
Activate the received key during setup to unlock the "Unlimited" core and user benefits.
Complete the installation and install the latest version of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to begin managing your AI-ready database.