This is especially important given the potential price variance when looking at different editions on the same platform. For example: a 2 processor 4 core Intel chip server licensed per processor for an SE1 (explained below) instance cost would be $11,600* list price, whereas an EE instance on the same configuration would be $190,000 without including any extra database management options. Adding options could easily take the total licensing cost past $300,000 for just one server.
Clearly, making the right decision in terms of what edition is right for the particular application can make a significant financial difference. The same meticulous approach to intelligent licensing is also vital in an NUP metric scenario as well. Say the application only ever has five people accessing it. An SE 1 license with the same processor configuration above will cost around $900 list price, while an EE instance would be $95,000 list price. The bottom line is that selecting the right edition matters. A lot!