
Why Stack Exchange performs so well under incredible load - vshlos
http://highscalability.com/blog/2011/10/24/stackexchange-architecture-updates-running-smoothly-amazon-4.html
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joshfinnie
Please don't use URL shorteners when submitting.

URL = [http://highscalability.com/blog/2011/10/24/stackexchange-
arc...](http://highscalability.com/blog/2011/10/24/stackexchange-architecture-
updates-running-smoothly-amazon-4.html)

I am nervous that this has 8 upvotes already with a shortened link...

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ck2
What blows my mind is SE runs on Windows and IIs

[http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/10369/which-tools-
an...](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/10369/which-tools-and-
technologies-build-the-stack-exchange-network#10370)

They basically did an end-run around the $10k SQL Server license.

~~~
nknight
> _They basically did an end-run around the $10k SQL Server license._

Could you elaborate on that? I have utterly no idea what it means based on
that post, and Microsoft's semi-functional site is not enlightening me,
either.

~~~
jsight
I am assuming he means the BizSpark program:
[http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/03/stack-overflow-and-
biz...](http://blog.stackoverflow.com/2009/03/stack-overflow-and-bizspark/)

That's not so much an end-run as a delay, though, IMO.

~~~
gbeech
It is a little more complicated than that. The bizspark program lets you
continue using the software you have installed without buying the licenses at
the end of the program - as long as your use falls within certain parameters.
Namely, this "gift" is based off of something like 2 windows standard servers
and 1 SQL standard server. We are way beyond that and will have to pay for our
licensing at the end of the program. But for a lot of startups that haven't
gotten our funding it is a great boon.

~~~
ck2
The Microsoft "gift" is a balloon payment that could potentially slaughter
some startups.

What happens if you are a year in development and then the service is not
profitable yet after two years post-launch?

Does the SQL server just stop running?

