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All I have is just a Word Document inside the CD.

My company purchased an SQL Server a long time. We contacted the ex-employee and he mentioned to us that the license can be found inside the SQL Installer CD.

When we opened the SQL CD, we saw the license file. It was just a simple word document which can be edited, copied and easily distributed. There was no reference to our company name or any signatures in the license.

So, If Microsoft actually audits us, how would they know that our SQL Copy is genuine?

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As far as the auditing part of your question goes:

Based on past experience with Microsoft auditing Office product installations at a previous employers company. They will come in, and either request an audit of the machines on the network or perform one themselves. They will then take the total number of installations found, and ask to see evidence (be it purchase orders, receipts etc) to account for that number of installation.

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  • Thanks! That does answer my question... So ultimately, the receipts and Purchase Orders are the "Actual" licenses
    – user1034912
    Nov 8, 2011 at 6:09
  • No, but MS does not care to read the license texts - they know what they wrote on. They care that you have the number of licenses legally which.... can be easily seen from the receipts and purchase orders. Because ou are legally obliged to provide a trail of all business activity.
    – TomTom
    Nov 8, 2011 at 6:18
  • Plus, producing a license file doesn't prove you have the right to use that license.
    – David Schwartz
    Nov 8, 2011 at 7:19

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