2003 Server Licensing Question

[bschoolm]

I have a Windows 2000 DC server currently, just purchased a 2003 Enterprise application server.

Enterprise comes with 25 cals, but I'm wondering if I can use the cals in my current environment. Would I only be able to use these cals if I decided to make the 2k3 server a DC server? If I upgrade my 2k server to 2k3, would I be able to use the 25 cals from the enterprise server? I'm a little confused as to how/what I'm allowed to do with the enterprise cals.. I've only used standard edition server and purchased 5 and 10 packs of cals.

Thanks,
Brad

[DMcCoy]

There are only user and device CALs with Windows server (2000 and 2003) there is no differentiation between standard or enterprise. There is a difference between 2003 and 2000 CALs though, you can connect to a 2000 server with 2003 CALs, but not vice versa as the 2003 ones have downgrade rights so they can be used with 2000.

[bschoolm]

Thanks for the update... yes, I was wondering how I use the cals? How can I transferr it to the w2k server?

[FN-GM]

You don’t its just a bit of paper the auditor will ask for. You don’t put them on anything.

You must have the appropriate cals for all servers. So if you have 50 users you must have 50 cals for the Windows Server 2003 and 50 for the Windows 2000 Server.

[bschoolm]

If I converted my w2k server to w2k3, I will need to have a license code to install the CALs correct?

How would I get the license code from the w2k3 exterprise?

[localzuk]

If I converted my w2k server to w2k3, I will need to have a license code to install the CALs correct?

How would I get the license code from the w2k3 exterprise?

There are no license codes for CALs, they aren't a tangible asset - just a bit of paper saying 'you have X CALs'.

[FN-GM]

You will get the Licence code for Server 2003 when you buy the product.

Z

[kmount]

You must have the appropriate cals for all servers. So if you have 50 users you must have 50 cals for the Windows Server 2003 and 50 for the Windows 2000 Server.

I don't profess to being a licensing expert but it depends on how your CALS are deployed as to whether the above is accurate. - If the CALS are licensed per server, then yes, you are correct, but otherwise it would mean that every time a new server is deployed you would need to buy in a load of CALS for every device on the network which would push the cost up ridiculously.

We operate the other way, whereby our devices carry the 2003 CALS and connect to each server without incurring massive costs whenever we roll out a new server.

Linky

[FN-GM]

Microsoft Licencing always throws me. So for every client you buy one cal for the licence server?

[kmount]

Basically, we buy a 'laptop' and a CAL which as far as I understand it covers it for all of the servers in our domain.

If I need to buy a CAL for the laptop for EACH server, it would cost me a fortune in the long run.

Similarly, if I had to buy a CAL for each laptop every time I buy a new server it would cost an absolute fortune given I pay roughly £3 per CAL which if I have 400 clients would add £1200 onto the purchase price of each new server.

I could be wrong mind, but then I agree, microsoft licensing is confusing between Open, Open Academic, Select, etc!

[FN-GM]

Right, thanks

[kmount]

Don't take me as gospel, I'm a linux guy ...

[SYNACK]

There are two distinct ways to liscence windows server.

Per Seat: Each client computer gets a CAL say for 2k3 server and is then liscenced to connect to any 2k3 or below server in your domain. These are handled by the liscencing server and oftern each CAL pack comes with a code that is entered to add the liscences to the liscencing server. This is the most cost effective for a multi server environment.

Per server: Each server is liscenced to receive a certain number of simultaneous connections from whatever computer. This is more cost effective in a single server environment. Each time you got another server you would have to buy enough liscences for the whole school to connect to it.

[FN-GM]

Oh right thank you. Sounds easy when you put it that way.

[Lee_K_81]

There are two distinct ways to liscence windows server.

Per Seat: Each client computer gets a CAL say for 2k3 server and is then liscenced to connect to any 2k3 or below server in your domain. These are handled by the liscencing server and oftern each CAL pack comes with a code that is entered to add the liscences to the liscencing server. This is the most cost effective for a multi server environment.

Per server: Each server is liscenced to receive a certain number of simultaneous connections from whatever computer. This is more cost effective in a single server environment. Each time you got another server you would have to buy enough liscences for the whole school to connect to it.

If i'm correct you can also add "per user" CALS into the mix. This would be useful in a situation whereby you have 20 users. Each has a workstation and a laptop. They could connect to 2 servers from either machine. Per server licensing = 80 CALS (1 CAL per device * 2 servers). Per Device = 40 CALS (40 client devices). Per user = 20 CALS.

As far as i was aware most licensing now was either the per user or per device mould. Per server is pretty much out the window. In a school it is highly unlikely you would ever use per user as it is extremely unlikely that you will have more client machines that users.