Releasing unused licenses

[Rich]

I have set up Term Server on a 2003 box with a 2000 Domain
controller acting as license server. I installed a 5-user
CAL and have been testing it from a variety of machines,
both inside and via VPN. It now seems that license server
has mapped all these accesses and I have run out of
legitimate licenses for the actual users. Can licenses be
released for use by others? I am now getting an immediate
message "The terminal server has ended the session." even
when trying to log in as Administrator from a machine that
has worked in the past. What is wrong here?

 

[Guest]

Well it's not that all of you're licenses are allocated, because Per-User Terminal Server CALs are unmanaged, meaning they can't be issued/allocated to a named user. If the Per-User TSCALs are installed on a 2003 TSLS, the 2003 TS & TSLS are in per-user mode and the TS can locate the TSLS it should work

Do you have a Terminal Services License Service running on a 2003 Server in this domain? Check the Terminal Server event logs for errors pertaining to not being able to locate the terminal services license service

If the TSLS is NOT on a 2003 DC then you must configure the registry to override the license service discovery and point directly to the specific server hosting the service

How to Override the License Server Discovery Process in Windows Server 2003 Terminal Service
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=27956

2003 Terminal Services Licensing FAQ here
http://www.workthin.com/tsls2k3.htm

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

----- Rich wrote: ----

I have set up Term Server on a 2003 box with a 2000 Domain
controller acting as license server. I installed a 5-user
CAL and have been testing it from a variety of machines,
both inside and via VPN. It now seems that license server
has mapped all these accesses and I have run out of
legitimate licenses for the actual users. Can licenses be
released for use by others? I am now getting an immediate
message "The terminal server has ended the session." even
when trying to log in as Administrator from a machine that
has worked in the past. What is wrong here

 

[Rich]

Thank you, Patrick. I will try to implement your
suggestions later today. Meanwhile, the TSLS is actually
on the W2K Server, which is a Small Business Server box
and the only DC. The W2K3 Server is the TS and is a
member server in the domain. I don't know if these facts
materially affect your suggestions.

Rich

-----Original Message-----
Well it's not that all of you're licenses are allocated,

because Per-User Terminal Server CALs are unmanaged,
meaning they can't be issued/allocated to a named user.
If the Per-User TSCALs are installed on a 2003 TSLS, the
2003 TS & TSLS are in per-user mode and the TS can locate
the TSLS it should work.

Do you have a Terminal Services License Service running

on a 2003 Server in this domain? Check the Terminal
Server event logs for errors pertaining to not being able
to locate the terminal services license service.

If the TSLS is NOT on a 2003 DC then you must configure

the registry to override the license service discovery
and point directly to the specific server hosting the
service:

How to Override the License Server Discovery Process in

Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Windows 2003 TS *must* have a Windows 2003 TS Licensing Server.
W2K doesn't work, since a W2K LS cannot handle the new Per User
and Per Device TS CALs.
I believe that your current problem is caused by a lack of server
CALs, not TS CALs, since the TS should still be within it's grace
period. But you need to install and activate a 2003 LS as well,
following Patricks directions.

 

[Rich]

Thank you, Vera. I am troubled by the information you
have given me, though. If Microsoft needs to abandon
interoperability from older technologies several releases
back when releasing newer OS's, I understand. But if a
subsequent OS is incompatible with the previous, I don't
understand. If indeed I must use a W2K3 TSLS with a W2K3
TS, I have a problem. Can this be made to work, as is,
using per device licensing?

 

[Guest]

I don't understand the problem you have with Vera's statement. A 2003 Terminal Services Licensing Service can serve both 2000 and 2003 Terminal Server Licenses, however 2000 can't server 2003 licenses at all. This is just like Microsoft Access 2003 can open 97, 2000 & 2002 files, but Access 97 can't open 2000+ files. 2000 & 2003 Terminal Servers can coexist in the same environment, it just involves changing where your TSLS is

You can easily load the TSLS on a the 2003 TS is that's the only 2003 server you have. The moral to this story is to do your reading before deploying a product into a production environment. All of this information is available for you to read if you take the time

I'm not picking on you, just stating that it's good practice to be very confident in your deployment strategy before going live, i.e. build a test environment, test, deploy a pilot, evaluate, deploy to everyone... Nothing you do that can affect a large user base should be taken lightly or have any assumptions. The worst assumption on can make is "it worked in version X, so it will work in version Y

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

----- Rich wrote: ----

Thank you, Vera. I am troubled by the information you
have given me, though. If Microsoft needs to abandon
interoperability from older technologies several releases
back when releasing newer OS's, I understand. But if a
subsequent OS is incompatible with the previous, I don't
understand. If indeed I must use a W2K3 TSLS with a W2K3
TS, I have a problem. Can this be made to work, as is,
using per device licensing

 

[Rich]

Patrick,

This is a very useful thread for me. I am certainly not
naive about the need to test before deploying. I thought
I had. What I was really seeing was the grace period,
not the actual workings of a properly implemented TS.
Now I am stuck with a situation that demands some quick
thinking. Should I upgrade the W2K SBS box to W2K3 SBS
Premium in order to allow TS to work with its TSLS?
That's something I would be willing to do for this
client, but will have to assure myself that their line-of-
business app will work on a W2K3 Server. What do you
think? Conversely, (and I think I know the answer to
this) can I set up the W2K3 box to serve as its own TSLS?

-----Original Message-----
I don't understand the problem you have with Vera's

statement. A 2003 Terminal Services Licensing Service
can serve both 2000 and 2003 Terminal Server Licenses,
however 2000 can't server 2003 licenses at all. This is
just like Microsoft Access 2003 can open 97, 2000 & 2002
files, but Access 97 can't open 2000+ files. 2000 & 2003
Terminal Servers can coexist in the same environment, it
just involves changing where your TSLS is.

You can easily load the TSLS on a the 2003 TS is that's

the only 2003 server you have. The moral to this story
is to do your reading before deploying a product into a
production environment. All of this information is
available for you to read if you take the time.

I'm not picking on you, just stating that it's good

practice to be very confident in your deployment strategy
before going live, i.e. build a test environment, test,
deploy a pilot, evaluate, deploy to everyone... Nothing
you do that can affect a large user base should be taken
lightly or have any assumptions. The worst assumption on
can make is "it worked in version X, so it will work in
version Y"

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Aren't you lucky that Patrick and I are in very different
timezones? Feedback around-the clock

You can simply install the TS Licensing server on the Windows 2003
member server that also acts as TS. No problems there, since a
2003 LS does not need to run on a Domain Controller.

Windows Server 2003 Pricing and Licensing FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pric
licfaq.mspx

But remember also to check your 2003 server CALs, since you might
have a problem with these as well. The EventLog will tell you
exactly what licenses are missing.

 

[Rich]

I am lucky indeed! The newsgroup concept has been
enormously helpful to me, and I do hope I reach the point
where I can help others on more than just the obvious.
Thank you, Vera, for the straight-forward (and highly
beneficial) answer to my question. I will check the logs
and beat this conumdrum most rhythmically.