Please Help!

[Guest]

I am working on a network that has been pieced together and we are having connection problems. We have one machine running win2k adv server but we are NOT using AD. We are using a second server, and NT 4 server as a domain controller. We are using the 2k server as a terminal services server with 5 CALs. The problem is that we are experiencing problems where users are getting the no more connections available on this computer error when we are trying to run an application in a share on the server. We can remote in, but cannot connect to the share. We also have two users that connect to the share over the LAN. I know that a workstation only allows 10 connections, but my question is what constitutes a connection in our situation, and what is the connection limit in our situation? The number of connections that we can make seems to vary from 5 to 8 to 10. I would read the manual, but the owner doesn't keep silly stuff like that around or at least looses it, and I have tried to find the answer online, but nothing seems to cover our situation. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

You need a Windows 2000 server CAL for every connection made to
this W2K server (like connection to a shared folder, using a shred
printer, user authentication, etc).
The problem that you describe indicates that you don't have
sufficient server CALs. Check in Control Panel - Licensing applet.

On top of these server CALs, you also need a W2K Terminal Services
CAL for every client that connects to the server with a TS
session. These TS CALs must be installed on a TS Licensing Server
(which can be installed on the same server as the TS, since you
are in a NT 4.0 domain).

Check the EventLog on the server to get more information.

 

[Guest]

First let me say thank you very much for your quick response! I very much apprecieate it
I saw nothing in the Event Log about connections or Licences
Let me make sure I understand you correctly. There are two types of licenses
TS licenses - for remote connections and when we run out of those users can'
even remote in
2k Server licences - for server share connections and when we run out of the
we can't conect to a share

And these two types are independent and don't effect the other type of connection
And nothing depneds on the domain controller. The 2k server licenses are installe
on the 2k machine

So, the owner and I have had an ongoing discussion about whether we map networ
drives or use UNCs. We have an app that resides on the TS server that requires that the pathname be constant for all users, so even though half of the users remote into the machine on which the app resides, it has to connect through a share since we have LAN users also. We originally had the share mapped to the M: drive but we were loosing the drive frequently. I started using UNCs, but it seems that we are now hitting the number of connection limit frequently. Is this the same animal with different stripes or a different problem? Also, please humor me and answer me this
How many connections of each type are made in this situation
I have two machines with three networked drives mapped to the server: M:, O:, and P: Both machines have a shortcut that starts a program in \\servername\sharename which happens to be the same share as M: and they are running this app. The server also has M: and O: mapped (only those two) and there are two remote clients logged in that are also running the \\servername\sharename\app. The console on the TS server also has M: and O: mapped. How many connections are there

Thanks for sticking with me
----- Vera Noest [MVP] wrote: ----

You need a Windows 2000 server CAL for every connection made to
this W2K server (like connection to a shared folder, using a shred
printer, user authentication, etc).
The problem that you describe indicates that you don't have
sufficient server CALs. Check in Control Panel - Licensing applet

On top of these server CALs, you also need a W2K Terminal Services
CAL for every client that connects to the server with a TS
session. These TS CALs must be installed on a TS Licensing Server
(which can be installed on the same server as the TS, since you
are in a NT 4.0 domain)

Check the EventLog on the server to get more information

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

I think that you have some reading to do about basic licensing
requirements. From:

Windows 2000 Terminal Services Licensing FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/tsfaq
..asp

<quote>
Q. What licenses are required to run Terminal Services in Windows
2000?

A. Three product licenses are associated with Terminal Services
in Windows 2000.

* Windows 2000 Server is required for hosting Terminal Services
sessions.
* A Windows 2000 CAL or a BackOffice® CAL is required to access
Windows 2000 Terminal Services and other basic network/application
services in the Windows 2000 operating system.
* A Windows 2000 Terminal Services CAL, a Windows 2000
Professional license or a Windows XP Professional license is
required to run applications on a Windows 2000 Server via Terminal
Services.
</quote>

Note that it doesn't matter if you map a network share or use an
UNC path. Both types of connections need a CAL.
And if you are short on CALs, you won't be able to connect through
a TS session, even if you do have enough TS CALs.

Exact how many CALs are needed depends also on how you have setup
the licensing on your servers: per seat or per server. In most
situations, per seat is the appropriate setting, meaning that you
need one CAL per client device, which enables an unlimited amount
of connections from each device to all servers. Check here for
more information:

Windows 2000 Server Licensing Types: What Should You Buy?
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/server/howtobuy/pricing/types
..asp

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

 

[Guest]

After I wrote my last post I realized that the question was not clear
First, I believe the server is set up in per server mode
Second, if I have a mapped network drive, then that machine is using a CAL whether the app in that share is used or not, correct? And if I connect with a UNC, I create the connection only for as long as the user is running that app (or the user machine needs that share) correct? Therefore, it seems like connecting through UNCs is better in this situation since they connect on a need basis, not staticly at startup. Is this assumption correct
Third, if I have a mapped drive to \\server\share and I connect using a UNC, is that two CALs

Also, when I remote connected in using Admin privledges, I did not get refused. Does the TS allow Administrators in above the CAL limit?
If I am reading the documentation correctly, 2k pro users do not contribute to the CAL limit (don't user CALs) is that correct? I believe many of the client machines are 2k pro machines

Again, Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Guest]

By the way, we have 15 CALs in Per Server mode. We have four remote workstations, and four machines on the LAN other than the TS server. Since we are going over the limit, does that mean that each networked drive is a separate CAL? If a client has three networked drives, is that three CALs? And if we switch to per seat mode, and we have 20 machines but only 10 are connected in at any one time, have we gone over the 15 CAL limit?

Thanks

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

I'm not going to try to answer any detailed questions about how
many CALs are used in a specific situation, because it is nearly
impossible to get a complete understanding about who is sharing
which folders, and who is connecting. The risks that I give you a
incorrect answer are too high.

But the general idea is really very simple, and spelled out in the
licensing docementation.

Per server licensing: you need CALs for every client connection,
on every server. Always the wrong method if you have more than one
server. Note that connecting to a shared drive will take up one
CAL, but so does printing to a shared printer, authenticating with
the domain controller, etc. Many possibilities for a single client
to use multiple CALs. 20 clients can easily need a total of 60
CALs this way. Only situation in which per server is an advantage:
if you have a high number of clients, but only a very low number
of concurrent connections. Example: you have 100 clients, each
using 3 CALs when they connect, but only 10 of them connect
simultaneously. This scenario would need 10*3=30 CALs in per
server mode, but 100 in per seat. Very unusual situation.
I your case, I guess that your clients can use 2 - 4 CALs when
they start, aythenticate, connected to shares, print, etc. 10
concurrent connections would result in a need for about 20-40
server based CALs.

Per seat: you need one CAL for every device. Simple and easy to
count. 20 clients means 20 CALs.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

No, this is not correct!
W2K Pro client get a free TS CAL from the TS Licesning server, so
they don't contribute to the TS CAL count.

You current problem is with the CAL count. Those are 2 completely
different beasts.

 

[Guest]

Thank you so much for your time, you've been very helpful.

 

[Guest]

OK, one last question. If we swtich to per seat mode, I'm assuming that when a new client machine connects it consumes a server CAL and that CAL is asigned to that client machine relatively permenantly (Otherwise 20 machines only connecting 10 at a time would only require 10 CALs.) The owner frequencly buys used computers and therefore machines come and go. Is it possible to unassociate a CAL from a machine if the machine dies? And what if I replace a machine's hard drive or (heaven forbid) have to wipe the drive and reinstall windows? Thanks again

-Cass

 

[Guest]

If you disable the license logging service you won't have to worry about such things, however you still legally need to have enough CALs. The License Logging Service is non-essential and nothing depends on it

The Terminal Services Licensing Services is essential and required

Patrick Rous
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Serve
http://www.workthin.co

----- Cass wrote: ----

OK, one last question. If we swtich to per seat mode, I'm assuming that when a new client machine connects it consumes a server CAL and that CAL is asigned to that client machine relatively permenantly (Otherwise 20 machines only connecting 10 at a time would only require 10 CALs.) The owner frequencly buys used computers and therefore machines come and go. Is it possible to unassociate a CAL from a machine if the machine dies? And what if I replace a machine's hard drive or (heaven forbid) have to wipe the drive and reinstall windows? Thanks again

-Cass

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

As an addition to Patricks answer:
Make sure that your TS and LS are at least running SP3 before you
install any TS CALs on the LS.
A licensing enhancement was implemented in SP3, which sees to it
that unused TS CALs (issued to discarded, replaced or re-installed
clients) are returned to the TS Licensing Server after 52-89 days.