Database Install Issue I was navigated over here from Stack Overflow, hopefully you can help me out.

So I've got a dilemma. Our company has bought a volume license for Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition. We purchased the per core license scheme. All of that didn't have any issues; we even installed it without any problems.

The issue is coming from Microsoft though. When I configured our Volume License Account they said:


  We will issue a special installation file that will not require a key for usage. In order to install this to the proper processor
  allocation you purchased you'll need to install the file that many
  times.


So from what I've gathered, a Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Standard Edition Per-Core License by default is configured as a dual-core. So I understand if I have a quad-core I have to purchase it twice. What I don't understand, why would I need to install it two times?

I can't find any documentation on this.

That process doesn't seem correct, is there a way to test how many cores SQL is running on? Any assistance would be terrific-

Things I've Tried:


SQL Installation Guide
SQL Getting Started  
Calling Microsoft


Some how I feel this issue shouldn't be nearly as complicated as it has become.

Those haven't let me come any closer to my goal, I get the notion that I should only have to install it once. But with what that Microsoft Licensing Technician said I suddenly have a cloud of doubts over my head.

Thanks again.



Update:

So within our Microsoft Volume License Account this is all it provides with our download:




Which I feel is adding to this confusion.  We have it installed on the Server; but I'm not entirely sure if I can check to see that it is running all cores.  The receipt shows we've purchased multiple licenses- 

If I understand the answer posted; it should be built into our license file from the installation.  Is there a way to check that?
Have never encountered anything remotely like this and suspect something has been lost in translation. I will of course apply the usual caveat for licensing questions, "don't take anything you read here as gospel, check it with your licensing partner, and Microsoft, and call both back to speak to a different individual. There's a good chance you'll get a different answer the second time around".

You get a key, you install the software. Any CPU limitation is a product of the physical environment or version of SQL Server. For standard edition that is:


  Limited to lesser of 4 Sockets or 16 cores [source]


A volume license agreement is essentially a discount pricing arrangement, it does not involve a different installation, key distribution policy or CPU utilisation limitation:


  If you plan to buy five or more software licenses, Microsoft offers
  price advantages for volume purchasing. Discover how Microsoft Volume
  Licensing can help your organisation realise its goals and find out
  what customers and analysts have to say about it.
  [source]


Licensing is always complex. Microsoft licensing is at least as complex as other vendors. Unfortunately, my experience has been that they have not yet mastered the art of training their own, or their resellers employees about license models. 

There is much fun to be had by locking a Microsoft licensing specialist in a room with a reseller specialist and watching them argue about the finer points of SQL Server or MSDN license arrangements. If you think SQL Server is a minefield, try MSDN.

NB: The "helpful" diagram at the top of the article explaining edition compute capacity limits neatly demonstrates why folk lose their way.