Bigger, Faster ... Free-er? SQL Server 2016 takes aim at Oracle

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is probably every marketing team's favorite sleight of hand, and Microsoft is hoping it works some magic for SQL Server: The company took pointed aim at Oracle during a live event today (you can stream it here), comparing the total cost of ownership between SQL Server 2016, which they noted includes a lot of functionality with its base price, with a comparative deployment of Oracle's offerings.

The result? SQL Server 2016 cost (320,000 for a data analytics solution that including everything from warehousing to end user dashboards, while a similar set up for Oracle would cost a projected )3,745,000, 11.7 times more. Of course, since Microsoft developed the scenario, mileage might vary wildly in the real world, which even Judson Althoff, the Microsoft vice president who made the comparison, acknowledged.

But he still wasn't done.

To sweeten the deal even more, Microsoft is going a step farther, offering Oracle customers free SQL Server licenses. There's a caveat, as a Software Assurance subscription is required to take advantage of the deal, but that's 25 percent to 29 percent of the regular license cost.

And, of course, this comes right after it was announced SQL Server is coming to Linux next year.

Check out more details on the free license offer here, and subscribe to our newsletter to get more SQL Server news.