Maximum Number of Processors Supported by the Editions of SQL Server

SQL ServerĀ supports the specified number of processor sockets multiplied by the number of logical CPUs in each socket. For example, the following is considered a single processor for purposes of this table:

  • A single-core, hyper-threaded processor with 2 logical CPUs per socket.

  • A dual-core processor with 2 logical CPUs.

  • A quad-core processor with 4 logical CPUs.

SQL Server is licensed per processor socket, and not per logical CPU basis.

SQL Server edition

Number of processors supported

Datacenter

Operating system maximum 1

Enterprise

8

Developer

Operating system maximum

Standard

4

Web

4

Workgroup

2

Express

1

Express with Tools

1

Express with Advanced Services

1

1 Support for Windows Server 2012 was added in a cumulative update for SQL Server 2008 SP3. Although Windows Server 2012 supports 64 physical processors and 640 logical processors, not all of the SQL Server 2008 or 2008 R2 services were retrofitted to support the additional processing capability of Windows Server 2012. Specifically, Analysis Services does not support more than 64 logical processors in either SQL Server 2008 or SQL Server 2008 R2.