Licencing - Where to go for advice - SELECT & Exchange

[intrigue]

Hello everyone,

I have a problem, we have a SELECT agreement here and i wanted to add

1 New Server with the following software,

- Windows 2003 Standard Edition

- Microsoft Exchange 2007 Standard

Does anyone know what else i will need.

I have 80pc's and about 20 laptops maybe 600 students and 30 staff i want all staff to be able to check their email and possibly all students.

 

Will i need 100 CAL's for exchange and server? What if i use webmail do i then need more CAL's to cover XXX number of computers connecting externally?

 

Any help is very much appreciated.

 

Thanks

Matt

[Geoff]

You need a Windows CAL and an exchange CAL for each device. For external connections I believe you need an external connector license.

[DMcCoy]

Anyone care to interperate?

 

Note: The External Connector license (EC) is an optional additional server license for external users that enables access to your servers running Exchange Server 2007. With this license, you do not need to buy individual Exchange Server CALs. The EC license is purchased for every copy of Exchange Server 2007 that can be accessed by the external user. An example of an external user is a person who is not an employee or similar personnel of the company or its affiliates. This license allows access to the Exchange server by an unlimited number of external users that can include, but is not limited to, business partners, suppliers, customers, retirees, and alumni. It is licensed per server.

[intrigue]

That sounds to me like webhosting companies and such, so basically i could get away with not having that.

 

I have worked out for Server, 100 Server CAL's, Exchange and 100 Exchange CAL's im looking at ~ £550 the external connector is over £5000.

So it must not be needed for education surely?

hmmmm

 

I am thinking the server CAL's are per device but do you need exchange CAL's per mailbox or is it per user or even per device again?

Argh i hate licencing.

 

Matt

[webman]

Argh i hate licencing.

 

Zimbra is a better alternative, zero financial cost for the software and no licence fees.

[Geoff]

No you can't, because pupils aren't employee's. Thus the only way you can cover them is to use an external connector license. Or not give them email.

 

Server CALs are per device or per user.

Exchange CALs are per device or per mailbox.

[ConTheITGuy]

An example of an external user is a person who is not an employee or similar personnel of the company...

Not an employee, but surely must come under "similar personnel"

 

 

Andy

[DMcCoy]

I guess I should point out there is an expanded externa connector license for Education, I just need to find it. I know its part of the schools agreement, but not sure if its for general education orders

[DMcCoy]

http://www.microsoft.com/education/serveraccess.mspx

[DMcCoy]

Ok, reading that it seems you have to buy a CAL for all students anyway!

[intrigue]

Argh i hate licencing.

 

Zimbra is a better alternative, zero financial cost for the software and no licence fees.

But its linux only, glad i spent 20 mins looking into this fantastic product to realise that i would have to go through the linux learning curve, which may be an option as it happens.

 

matt

[Geoff]

But its linux only, glad i spent 20 mins looking into this fantastic product to realise that i would have to go through the linux learning curve, which may be an option as it happens.

 

You're needlessly shutting yourself out from a lot of great software by avoiding the 'linux learning curve'.

[Ric_]

I asked about this IIRC. I use per device licensing so have 200-odd CALs for my machines in school.

 

If I were to want to use Exchange externally, I have two options:

1. Swap to per user CALs (I would need about 1300 of these)

2. Buy and External Connector License (ECL)

 

Obviously in this instance, an ECL and device CALs is more cost effective.

 

If I were to allow access to my terminal servers, it works in a similar way. However, you need an ECL per server (£1k each IIRC). This is in addition to device CALs for internal use. Depending upon the number of servers, it may be cheaper to switch to per user CALs so that the ECLs are not required (I think 7 or 8 was the magic number of servers when i worked it out last).

[GrumbleDook]

Hosted solutions (in education usually as part of the RBC service or an MS Learning Gateway / Sharepoint) will usually be issued under a SPLA licence. An annual fee paid by the service provider to host and allow connections to services running on their boxes.

 

From looking at some recent figures this is not far from the costs that you would pay for the Core CALS under the Schools Agreement.

 

If in doubt have a chat with MS UK edu licencing team (details previously on a thread here) or your regular (or irregulr) MS licence provider.

 

It is always worth talking to both in my expereince ... several times over ...

[intrigue]

But its linux only, glad i spent 20 mins looking into this fantastic product to realise that i would have to go through the linux learning curve, which may be an option as it happens.

 

You're needlessly shutting yourself out from a lot of great software by avoiding the 'linux learning curve'.

 

Well i may have another go at this as it seems its going to be the most cost effective way however, i really don't think i will have time and that is the major problem.

 

I am, however, downloading a copy of fedora as we speak

 

Matt

[Geoff]

Well, there's an easy way to decide which is the way to go. Ask yourself "In your current situation which of the following is in shorter supply?" Is it:

 

A) Time?

B) Money?

 

If your short of time, spend the money on Exchange licensing. If your short of money, take the time to learn and setup *nix and Zimbra.

[intrigue]

What about if i am short of both?

 

Which i assume you knew would be my answer to the above question.

 

matt

[Geoff]

The obvious solution is to put this project on hold. Then raise the lack of resources issue with your SMT.

[fooby]

Remind them that implementing email is not,

 

1. Double Click Setup.exe

2. Next

3. Agree (Fully read of course )

4. Next

5. Next

5. Email!

 

But a whole lot more planning and implementing.

 

Capacity Planning for servers, backups for this, including storage space and a server to handle this, tapes? disks?, then the number of users per server, disk space and speed needed... all tie'ing in with which server OS you use as to what specs it needs for that.

 

We use Exchange 2003 btw.

 

fooby

[intrigue]

I am the one pushing for this not them.

They don't use email here, almost at all, so i am trying to get them to use it as a better way of communicating as well as the fact its part of the BECTA self review framework.

 

I have now installed Fedora 7 ona box i have at home and am trying to install the open source version of Zimbra as a test to see how i get on, i will then try and run my home email services with Zimbra to see if it does excactly what i need it to.

 

Linux is a dirty world to get into and i have already came up against several hurdles one of which is the fact that Zimbra needs the C++ libraries installed and it does not seem as easy as the microsoft way of downloading the libraries and installing them, the instructions i have are for building them and then installing them which just seems like a lot of hassle to me but fingers and toes crossed i will get what i need in the end after all for the saving and the addition to my ever expanding knowledge base, it has to be worth it.

 

Wish me luck.

 

Matt

[webman]

I find Ubuntu (6.06 LTS, 5 year support) better for Zimbra - there's a nice easy howto at Howtoforge.

 

Installing the dependencies is as easy as:

 

admin@mail:~$ sudo apt-get install curl fetchmail libpcre3 libmp3c2 libexpat1 libxml2 libtie-ixhash-perl libstdc++5

 

No searching, downloading and running a setup; or compiling and building required.