My company has a windows application that calls on a "Service Client" to retrieve data from SQL. The application is installed on say 10 users' machines. The SQL server has 1 licensed user. The Service Client uses that licensed user account to connect to SQL server. In this way, multiple users can retrieve data through the Service Client with only 1 SQL server license.
I know this methodology is a matter of debate and that is not for me to decide. I just need to know, can the Entity Framework (lets say the latest version) work in this manner?
I have a feeling it can but I wanted to get more information because I am new to using the EF.
Thanks in advance.
You could use Entity Framework on the "Service Client" where it has direct access to the underlying Database, but not from the end user clients. EF is designed to translate expressions in to SQL which get executed directly against the database. Your Service Client is acting as a proxy to control access to the database. EF has no clue how to deal with that.
As side note, this little "trick" the company uses to try and get around the SQL licensing is probably a violation of the license agreement. Microsoft probably wouldn't be very happy if they ever audited you.