HELP - CONFUSED: W2K3 Server - Why need CALs?

[VB Programmer]

We setup a Windows 2003 Server (Enterprise Edition) and are running an
ASP.NET website on it. (It is a trial version of the OS.) We were planning
on buying many CALs down the road. While testing we noticed that we can set
the server up to accepted "Unlimited" connections.

My question: Why should we buy CAL's if we can just set it up to
"Unlimited"?

As far as I know we don't have any "CALs", yet my co-worker and I can
connect fine to the server and view the website.

Thanks.

 

[SaltPeter]

We setup a Windows 2003 Server (Enterprise Edition) and are running an
ASP.NET website on it. (It is a trial version of the OS.) We were planning
on buying many CALs down the road. While testing we noticed that we can set
the server up to accepted "Unlimited" connections.

My question: Why should we buy CAL's if we can just set it up to
"Unlimited"?

As far as I know we don't have any "CALs", yet my co-worker and I can
connect fine to the server and view the website.

Thanks.

One buys CALs because accepting client connections beyond your license quota
is illegal and blows the contract, regardless of the number of connections
allowed/ configured. Fortunately, a connection via ASP won't need a CAL
unless the connection is using W2K authentication. Now you know why ASP is
so popular.

 

[VB Programmer]

So what you are saying is that if I have an ASP.NET website and there are
100 users using my website simultaneously I don't need to buy extra CALs for
this, right?

 

[SaltPeter]

So what you are saying is that if I have an ASP.NET website and there are
100 users using my website simultaneously I don't need to buy extra CALs for
this, right?

Consult the FAQ:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/faq.asp
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBG/TIP3300/rh3376.htm

As i mentioned, you don't need a license if W2K authentication is not
required. If ASP is using AD services and authentication, a CAL is required.
If users are all anonymous connections, no CALs are required.

 

[Rich Raffenetti]

CALs are not needed for web services. It's as simple as that. How could
IIS compete with Apache if CALs were required!

Server CALs are needed for a file server. Terminal Server CALs are needed
for access to an application server as a terminal server client.

What confuses me is that you can serve files with a web server over http.
Does that require a CAL?

 

[SaltPeter]

CALs are not needed for web services. It's as simple as that. How could
IIS compete with Apache if CALs were required!

Server CALs are needed for a file server. Terminal Server CALs are needed
for access to an application server as a terminal server client.

What confuses me is that you can serve files with a web server over http.
Does that require a CAL?

No, serving files through http won't fall in the CAL category, but...

<quote>
Q. If I do not use Windows 2000 Server file and print services, but do use
Windows 2000 Server for Intranet web-based applications, do I require CALs?

A. If those users who are accessing the applications are Authenticated
Users and/or are using any other Windows 2000 Server Services, then they do
require CALs. If those users are not Authenticated Users and/or are not
using any other Windows 2000 Server Services, then they do not require a
CAL.
<unquote>

What it boils down to is: what constitutes a W2K Server service? DHCP, DNS,
etc