Downgrade Rights: If you purchase a license for a newer version of SQL Server through Volume Licensing, you often have "downgrade rights" that allow you to legally run SQL Server 2012 using a legacy key provided by Microsoft.
Security Vulnerabilities: Unofficial installation media often contains malware or backdoors. i--- Sql Server 2012 Enterprise Edition Product Key
Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC): The most secure way to find your key is to log into your organization's Microsoft VLSC account. Downgrade Rights: If you purchase a license for
Legal Risk: Using unauthorized keys violates Microsoft’s End User License Agreement (EULA), leaving your organization liable during a Software Asset Management (SAM) audit. You must license all physical cores in the
Core-Based Licensing: This is the primary model for Enterprise. It provides a more precise measure of computing power. You must license all physical cores in the server, with a minimum requirement of four cores per physical processor.
