Licensing

[Guest]

How do I force the licensing server to remove all the temporary licenses that
were issued? We've already installed additional TS CAL's. If I'm not
mistaken, the temporary licenses needs to expire first before it can grab one
of the permanent ones. Was wondering if there was a way to not wait until the
temp licenses expire and just for the licensing server to flush out all the
the temp and start renewing.

Thanks!

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

No, that's not correct. If a client currently holds a temporary
license, and there are permanent licenses available, it will issue a
permanent license to the client.

Which OS are you running on your TS? and your LS? and your clients?
If you are running 2003 on TS and LS, which type od TS CALs did you
install? Per user or Per Device? Does the licensing mode of the
Terminal Server match the type of TS CALs you installed?

Which license related events doe you see in the EventLog on the
Terminal Server?
Are you sure that the TS can locate the LS?

 

[Guest]

Hi Vera,

That's very strange then. When I rung MS licensing support, they told me
that getting the "Your license will expire in x days" message is normal even
if I've already installed additional TS CALs in there. They said that once
the temp license expires it'll be changed to a permanent one since I've
loaded additional ones in there.

OS on TS - Win2k3 Server SE
OS on LS - Win2k3 Server SE (same server as above)
OS on Clients - varies. Some are on winxp, others are on thin clients (Wyse
term)
TS CALs installed - Per device
Licensing Mode - Per device
I'm pretty sure the TS can locate the LS because the other machines work.
Only getting a problem with a handful.
I saw this warning on the event log (and looks like the only license related
issue):

"Replication of license information failed because the License Logging
Service on server par-svr01.rehab.net could not be contacted."

Your thoughts?

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

What they've told you is not according to the documentation here:

Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Licensing White paper
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/terms
ervlic.mspx

A temp. license is exchanged for a permanent license on the first
possible opportunity, to the best of my knowledge.

What is the EventID and Source of the event you see, about
licensing replication?

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE,CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

 

[Guest]

The eventId is 213 and the Source is LicenseService

On another note, would there be a way to flush out some of the permanent
licenses? Some of the licenses were issued to machines that are not supposed
to be connecting via TS. And these boxes are using up the licenses.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Event 213 from the LicenseService has to do with normal server
CALs, not TS CALs.
It seems that the License Logging Service is disabled on server
par-svr01.rehab.net, but not on the server which logs the Event
213. By default, this service is disabled on 2003.
To solve this issue, have a look at this article:

824196 - Description of the License Logging Service in Windows
Server Operating Systems
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=824196

or check this error on EventID.net:
http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=213&eventno=52
&source=LicenseService&phase=1


About the permanent TS CALs that are issued to the "wrong"
clients: no, there is no way to revoke licenses. They are issued
on a first-come basis, and it is your responsibility to make sure
that only authorized clients can connect to the TS and take up a
license.
The only thing you can do now is to make sure that these clients
don't connect anymore, and wait for the licenses to expire.

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE,CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

 

[Guest]

II feel the need to chime in here. I have a system that has been in place
for 4 years. As a result, I have devices that have been issued PERMANENT
licenses that are no longer in existance. Also, the computer naming
conventions in the past were confusing and I have since changed them for most
of the workstations. However, I am not able to do so for TS client machines
the have PERMANENT licenses. I had asked the same question a while back
regarding deleting (revoking) license entries and did not get anywhere. It
seems silly to me that a license cannot be removed for an obsolete machine or
to have to keep obsolete name to use an existing license. I believe this to
be a short-coming on MS side. I sure wish there was a way to fix this!

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

There's a way to fix this!

I understand that you are running W2K on your Terminal Server, and
that you have installed (part of) your TS CALs in the good old time
before SP3 . That's the reason that those licenses are permanent
and not expiring. The automatic expiration and renewal of TS CALs
was introduced with SP3, exactly for the reasons you mention.

Assuming that you now are at least running SP3, phone the
Clearinghouse, and they will re-issue your lost licenses.
That in itself will give you your licenses back, but it will not
delete the obsolete machines from the Licensing manager.
If you want to make a complete fresh start, follow the instructions
here:

273566 - How to Reset Windows 2000 Terminal Services Licensing
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=273566

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
TS troubleshooting: http://ts.veranoest.net
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