Microsoft releases SQL Server 2012

[Arthur]

Not generally available until 01/04/2012, but you can download it from TechNet/MSDN if you have a subscription or via the links below if you don't mind using the evaluation or Express edition.

Homepage / Download (Evaluation / Express) / What's New / System Requirements / Release Notes / Editions / Licensing Overview

SQL Server 2012 released – The world’s most widely deployed data platform, Microsoft SQL Server 2012, has released to manufacturing (RTM), with an evaluation version available today. General availability will start on April 1. (Source)

Please take note that SQL 2012 licensing is very different from what you are used to and there is a migration path for those with Software Assurance/upgrade rights.

Before you go upgrading your SQL, make sure that your products support SQL Server 2012. Don’t just go assuming that they will, e.g. System Center. (Source)

For anyone using SIMS, SQL Server 2012 isn't officially supported by Capita until the Autumn 2012 release. See resource no. 17910 for details.

[pete]

Hmm

Licensing by computing power - Core based licensing

With the release of SQL Server 2012, the licensing for computing power will be core-based.

Enterprise and Standard will be available under core-based licensing. Cored-based licenses will be sold in two-core packs. The Standard Edition will also be available as a Server+ CAL licensing option.
To license a physical server, you must license all the cores in the server, with a minimum of 4 core licenses required for each physical processor in the server.

and

Database virtualization - Cloud optimized licensing

With databases that use just a fraction of the compute power of a physical server, you can save by licensing individual database Virtual Machines (VMs).

To license a VM with core-based licenses, simply pay for the virtual cores allocated within the virtual machine (minimum of 4 core licenses per VM).
To license a VM under the Server + CAL model (for the Business Intelligence and Standard Editions of SQL Server 2012), you can buy the server license and buy associated SQL Server CALs for each user.
Each licensed VM that is covered with Software Assurance can be moved frequently within your server farm or to a third party hoster or cloud services provider.
Servers fully licensed with Enterprise Edition Core licenses with Software Assurance allow you to deploy an unlimited number of database VMs on the server (or server farm) in a heavily consolidated virtualized deployment to achieve further savings.