Moving TS license svc to 2003 member srv

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Guest

I am planning on moving our terminal server licensing service and have a few
questions.

Currently we are in an NT 4 domain. We are running 2 W2K servers in
terminal server application mode. The TS license service is running on one
of the terminal servers. We have plenty of purchased CALS for all of our
clients.

In preparation for an AD 2003 upgrade I am planning on moving the TS license
service. I am planning on installing and activating my license service on a
2003 member server (not yet in the domain). I will use the same purchased
CALS that are currently on the W2K terminal server. I will then turn off the
terminal services on the existing w2K terminal server and test connections.
At this point I am assuming that the 2003 license service (on the member
server) will pick up and start handling the licenses. Is this correct?

Also - this 2003 member server will be upgraded to a Domain Controller when
we upgrade to AD. When this server is promoted to a DC, will the license
service remain functional ?

Thanks for any input on this venture.

JT
 
You will have to hardcode the name of the 2003 TS Licensing Server
into the registry of the W2K Terminal Server. It will not be able
to locate the LS automatically, if the LS is not in the same domain
and not running on a DC.

The 2003 Licensing Server will run without problems on a DC.

You will have to phone the Clearinghouse to get your existing TS
CALs reissued for installation on your new Licensing Server.

239107 - Establishing Preferred Windows 2000 Terminal Services
License Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=239107

291795 - HOW TO: Locate a Phone Number for the Microsoft
Clearinghouse
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=291795
 
I have successfully deactivated my TS licenses on my W2K terminal server
(shut down the license service) and activated the licenses on my 2003 server
(this server is not yet in the domain). I have hard coded the license server
in to the registry of my terminal servers (both can resolve the netbios name
of the 2003 license server) and have rebooted those term servers.

On reboot I get event 1010 errors 'The terminal services could not locate a
license server'. However, clients are connecting fine and the license server
has issued 2 licenses from the Win 2000 server CAL catagory (purchased CALs).
It however is not showing any liceses issued from the Existing Win 2000
server CAL token catagory (built in CALs). Shouldn't connecting W2K pro or
XP pro clients show up under this catagory? Many clients have been
connecting since the license server change.

I'm assuming that most of those clients have existing licenses (issued from
the deactivated license server). When those licenses expire will the new
2003 license server start issuing the built in CALs to W2k pro and XP pro
clients?

How does this process work if a client connects with an existing built in
license, but that license can't be found because that license and license
server have been deactivated?

Thanks for any info on this process.

JT
 
OK, good questions, you have obviously monitored your servers
closely! I think that there's nothing to worry about:

* The EventID 1010 is sometimes seen after hardcoding the LS
address, because you are bypassing the automatic LS discovery
process. Documented here:
281258 - Event 1010 Is Reported After Specifying Default License
Server
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=281258

* the fact that the 2003 LS has issued 2 purchased W2K TS CALs
proves that the W2K TS can locate the 2003 LS and that the LS is
issuing TS CALs as it should. So this confirms that you can ignore
the 1010 Event.

* the fact that "old" clients don't show up in Licensing manager is
because they still have an existing and valid license stored
locally on the workstation, exactly as you assumed. When these
licenses expire, they should get a new "Existing Windows 2000 TS
CAL" from the new LS, and that's when you first see your clients.

* you can test the above by deleting the existing license from one
of your W2K Pro or XP Pro clients. On next connection, it should
first get a temporary TS CAL. On second connection, they should get
an "Existing ....".

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___
 
Excellent - this worked! I deleted a RDP license on a W2K client and then
reconnected. It was issued a built in license from the license server.

I will ignore the 1010 errors. We are upgrading the LS to an AD DC in about
3 weeks. At that point the LS discovery process should work.

Is it necessary to delete the hard coded LS entry at that point?

Thanks so much for your help.
 
Glad that you got it confirmed that everything works!
You can (and should) delete the registry entry only when the LS has
been promoted to be a DC *and* the Terminal Servers are in the same
domain as the LS (or at least in the same AD forest).

_________________________________________________________
Vera Noest
MCSE, CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
___ please respond in newsgroup, NOT by private email ___
 
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