Licensing resources
SharePoint 2010 supports intranet, extranet and Internet applications from a single, integrated platform. The specific licences you need depend on three factors: what capabilities are used, how SharePoint is deployed and where the system is hosted.
The following information provides details about buying and licensing SharePoint for your company. The links below also provide more information:
SharePoint 2010 product lineup
You can use SharePoint 2010 to set up intranet, extranet and Internet sites. Intranet sites are licensed using a Server/CAL (Client Access Licence) model. SharePoint Server 2010 is required for each running instance of the software, and CALs are required for each person or device accessing a SharePoint Server. Extranet and Internet sites are licensed using a Server-only model—no CALs are required. For more information on licensing models, see Licensing Details.
SharePoint Server 2010: Intranet scenarios
Client Access Licence
The Standard CAL delivers the core capabilities of SharePoint 2010:
Sites: A single infrastructure for all your business Web sites
Communities: An integrated collaboration platform
Content: ECM for the masses
Search: Relevance, refinement and people (excludes FAST Search)
Composites: Do-it-yourself business solutions (excludes Access Services and InfoPath Services)
For more details on the specific features in the Standard CAL, see Edition Comparison.
Enterprise Client Access Licence
The Enterprise CAL delivers the full capabilities of SharePoint 2010:
Sites: A single infrastructure for all your business Web sites
Communities: An integrated collaboration platform
Content: ECM for the masses
Search: Relevance, refinement and people (includes FAST Search)
Composites: Do-it-yourself business solutions (includes Access Services and InfoPath Services)
Insights: BI for everyone (includes PerformancePoint Services, Excel Services and Visio Services)
Note that the Enterprise CAL is additive: To access the Enterprise edition features, a person/device must have both the Standard CAL and Enterprise CAL. For more details on the specific features in the Enterprise CAL, see Edition Comparison.
SharePoint Server 2010: Internet/extranet scenarios
SharePoint Server 2010 for Internet Sites, Standard
SharePoint for Internet Sites, Standard, delivers the core capabilities of the SharePoint 2010 Standard CAL for use on an Internet or extranet site. This server licence is designed for small and mid-sized companies, and deployment is limited to a single domain and related subdomains. A domain is a combination of a public domain (such as .com, .net, .org) and a second-level, proprietary domain (such as MyCompany, MyOrganisation, MyClub). Examples of valid domains are MyCompany.com, MyOrganisation.net and MyClub.org. Subdomains are any URL prefixes to the left of the second-level domains.
SharePoint Server 2010 for Internet Sites, Enterprise
SharePoint for Internet Sites, Enterprise, delivers the full capabilities of the SharePoint 2010 Enterprise CAL for use on an Internet or extranet site. This server licence also includes the rights to FAST Search for use in Internet or extranet scenarios. You can deploy a single server licence of SharePoint Server 2010 for Internet Sites, Enterprise, as a SharePoint server or a FAST Search server—but not both concurrently.
Questions?
To speak to a Microsoft representative in the United States, call (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call (877) 568-2495.