TS licensing question

[Hyun Yu]

We have Win2K terminal servers running in our domain. We also have a TS
Licensing Server, which is one of our ADCs. We have four types of terminal
server clients accessing those servers: Win2K Pro desktops, WinNT4 WS
desktops, thin clients (these first three are all in our domain), and then
we have our users accessing from home using whatever OS they might be
running.

If I understand the TS licensing properly:

- the Win2K Pro desktops in our domain gets "free" TS CALs from the TS
Licensing Server for 90 days, and those will get renewed a few days before
the expiration of the 90 days;

- WinNT4 WS desktops and thin clients (which comes with a version of Windows
CE installed in a ROM chip, I believe) will require CALs to be purchased and
installed on the Licensing Server;

- for the client machines that are not Win2K Pro, if purchased CALs are
available, then they'll be issued one for 90 days and renewal will work
similar to the Win2K Pro clients; if CALs are not available, then they'll
get a 90-day temporary license, after the expiration of which they will not
be able to access TS unless we purchase more TS CALs.

Is this right?

For the users accessing from home via MS Terminal Services Client
software--if they are running Win2K Pro or XP Pro, will TS Licensing Server
provide them with a free CAL as well? Or does the free CAL only work for
the machines in our domain?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Hyun Yu

 

[Ron King]

All you have here is correct, except the last few lines:

if CALs are not available, then they'll
get a 90-day temporary license, after the expiration of which they will not
be able to access TS unless we purchase more TS CALs.

Temorary licenses can be removed, and the computer can reconnect and will be
issued either an available CAL, or a new temp license.

Ron King

 

[Hyun Yu]

Ron,

Thank you for the reply.

Temorary licenses can be removed, and the computer can reconnect and will be
issued either an available CAL, or a new temp license.

This would seem to indicate that it's possible for a non-Win2K Pro client to
indefinitely access the TS with a temporary license without having to buy a
permanent CAL. Am I missing something here?

Thanks again,

Hyun.

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Ron,

Thank you for the reply.


This would seem to indicate that it's possible for a non-Win2K
Pro client to indefinitely access the TS with a temporary
license without having to buy a permanent CAL. Am I missing
something here?

Thanks again,

Hyun.

No, Ron is missing something: the EULA.
Deleting the license from a client is only allowed for
troubleshooting purposes. Doing so on a regular basis to avoid buying
licenses is a violation of the EULA.

Moreover, I'm not so sure that this would work (but have never tried
it, for obvious reasons From

248430 - How to Transfer Terminal Services CAL from One Computer to
Another
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=248430

<quote>
Note that deleting this key only removes the license from the client;
it does not remove the issuance history contained in the Terminal
Services License server.
</quote>

That sounds as if the LS is smart enough to know that this particular
client already has been granted a temporary license.