Sharepoint Licensing

[Maxell]

Hello,

I have searched for Sharepoint licensing queries, but I am still getting confused..

We are looking to install it soon, for use by all students and staff internally, but also all students, staff and parents externaly.

Am I right in thinking:

• Buy a MOSS 2007 Server licence for starters.
• For all internal use, I am thinking that the Core CAL's we have from our MS desktop schools agreement will cover the use of Sharepoint.
• For external use, we will need to also get a licence for Sharepoint Internet server.

I assume we dont need external CAL's if we buy the Sharepoint Internet licence?

[Jim]

Hi Maxell,

The SharePoint licensing situation is a tricky one.

If you want to run it for use by staff, pupils, and parents, then you don't require the SharePoint for Internet sites licence. You only run this licence for SharePoint sites that are accessed by external users only. This licence is not to be used for any sites where internal users, or employees access the site.

In your situation, this is what you would require.

MOSS 2007 licence
Your Core Cal product in School agrement will cover all internal use.

As far as the parents are concerned, what you actually need is an External connector licence for the Windows Server that the MOSS sits on. Each external user (non staff) would also require a windows cal.

Hope that clarifies things for you. Any questions let me know.

Regards

[ZeroHour]

As far as the parents are concerned, what you actually need is an External connector licence for the Windows Server that the MOSS sits on. Each external user (non staff) would also require a windows cal.

I take it that means external cals for each pupil then or a buyout server license?

[Jim]

You would have to get CAL's for the students, although you could get student only cals, which are a fraction of the price.

Hopefully Microsoft will sort the sharepoint licensing scheme out soon as it doesn't really fit in with the rest fo the product schemes. A simple per processor licence would suffice, but then they would lose on revenue and i don't think that will happen somehow.

[DMcCoy]

Hi Maxell,

The SharePoint licensing situation is a tricky one.

If you want to run it for use by staff, pupils, and parents, then you don't require the SharePoint for Internet sites licence. You only run this licence for SharePoint sites that are accessed by external users only. This licence is not to be used for any sites where internal users, or employees access the site.

Microsoft have removed the restriction that stops you using both licenses on a single server, although their FAQ wrongly contains this information still.

If you are authenticating users and they have different levels of access you will need:

For the MOSS 2007 server:

Windows 2003/2008 license
MOSS 2007 server license
MOSS 2007 FIS license
Windows 2003/2008 External connector license
User cals for staff to use external access
sql per processor license (if holding the database)
User CALs for staff (not covered by external connector or usual device licenses)

MOSS Device cals for on site use will be covered by your schools agreement, but you will still need some per user ones for external access. Students and their parents (and other organisations) are covered by the for internet sites license. There is a break even point between buying all user CALs and moving to the FIS license.

The sharepoint sql server will require (if seperate from MOSS server)

windows 2003/2008 license
SQL per processor license
windows 2003/2008 external connector license.

If you don't get the per processor you will need CALs for all the users that connect to the sql server via the sharepoint server because they have been *authenticated*.

Any further servers accessed (such as file servers) will need the windows license, external connector license and any other relevant MS app licenses assuming the machines on site are already licensed. I don't believe you would need any more CALs for the staff users if you licensed them already for the sharepoint server.


If this info is wrong then you can blame MS as thats what I have managed to extract from them so far via their licensing team.

David

[Jim]

If they're saying that you can do that, it's ideal. i would get it in writing/email though, so you have a comeback. My microsoft licensing contact is providing conflicting information.

as the person responsible for licensing, you just need to show that you looked extensively at the situation and who's advice are you goign to take on microsoft licensing, i would say it should microsoft. just cover yourself as it really is a grey area with sharepoint.

[apeo]

Last time i phoned MS Licensing, what they told me exactly what DMcCoy has stated (IIRC). Best thing to do is to phone MS themselves and ask if you dont know. Last thing you want is to say 'OH i was told on a forum this is what i needed'.

[Simcfc73]

Microsoft have removed the restriction that stops you using both licenses on a single server, although their FAQ wrongly contains this information still.

If you are authenticating users and they have different levels of access you will need:

For the MOSS 2007 server:

Windows 2003/2008 license
MOSS 2007 server license
MOSS 2007 FIS license
Windows 2003/2008 External connector license
User cals for staff to use external access
sql per processor license (if holding the database)
User CALs for staff (not covered by external connector or usual device licenses)

MOSS Device cals for on site use will be covered by your schools agreement, but you will still need some per user ones for external access. Students and their parents (and other organisations) are covered by the for internet sites license. There is a break even point between buying all user CALs and moving to the FIS license.

The sharepoint sql server will require (if seperate from MOSS server)

windows 2003/2008 license
SQL per processor license
windows 2003/2008 external connector license.

If you don't get the per processor you will need CALs for all the users that connect to the sql server via the sharepoint server because they have been *authenticated*.

Any further servers accessed (such as file servers) will need the windows license, external connector license and any other relevant MS app licenses assuming the machines on site are already licensed. I don't believe you would need any more CALs for the staff users if you licensed them already for the sharepoint server.


If this info is wrong then you can blame MS as thats what I have managed to extract from them so far via their licensing team.

David

I got conflicting info from my MS guy too, I have Dsktp School All Languages Lic/SA Pack MVL (according to the MS website) which your saying should cover me for Sharepoint CAL's too?

[DMcCoy]

I got conflicting info from my MS guy too, I have Dsktp School All Languages Lic/SA Pack MVL (according to the MS website) which your saying should cover me for Sharepoint CAL's too?

The schools agreement has the core cal license from ms which includes sharepoint, but it will be a device license just as the others are. So if you only use it on site then the machines are covered, any external access is where it gets expensive.

I've not got any info from MS about using the Student only CALs (such as finding out if they are per user/device and applicable to parents etc).

In then end I'm just going to buy it all outright as the FIS license under schools agreement is virtually no cheaper (iirc) for the year than the full license.

For 100 or so staff and 1000 students/parents it's around £9000.

[markabe]

Last time I attempted to provide some answers to licensing queries I got 'beaten up', so please treat this post in the spirit with which it is intended i.e. to try and help!

I concede that licensing could be easier and almost always depends on the individual circumstances of the end customer to get precise answers. However, let me attempt some clarification.

Firstly, DMcCoy's advice looks very good to me and if followed would be very satisfactory as far as Microsoft is concerned.

Secondly, we can take parents out of the licensing equation. The official line is that parents are considered licensed when the students are licensed in some shape or form. For example, an external connector or Internet connector would cover every kind of non-staff user. In practical terms we don't require licences for parental access to school portals.

CALs have often been previously purchased by schools. The Core CAL which is often part of a School Agreement includes: SharePoint, Exchange, Windows and SMS, so these can be used for external staff access and 'topped up' where necessary.

In the first instance we would ask schpools to check with their chosen licensing partner - the bigger EdLARs have specialists that know the options - and if concerns remain the EdLAR can get confirmation from the UK Education licensing team.

regards
Mark

[Ric_]

@markabe: Are you a MS representative?

[markabe]

Yes - Mark A'Bear - I've worked at Microsoft for 11 years, 6 of which have been within the UK Education team.

My responses should be treated as unofficial i.e. from a Microsoft individual trying to help. Clarification on licensing specifics should be directed to an Education Large Account Reseller who can look at specifics and get confirmation from my team if necessary.

regards
Mark

[rpwillis]

I've come across a helpful blog post WSS Extranet Licensing - wsspectacular.

It's specifically about WSS licensing, but a lot of what it covers is relevant to MOSS as well.

Richard
SalamanderSoft Limited