Upgrade RDP Server from 2008 R2 to 2016

[newpersn]

I would like too upgrade our 2008 RDP server from 2008 R2 to 2016.

 

One thing i'm questioning my self is licencing. I know our 2008 is licenced but what do i do about 2016?

 

(I'am building a fresh server and not upgrading our current one)

[john]

RD CALS are not upscaling so if your CALS are 2008 they won't work on 2012, 2016, however it can work the other way if you have 2016 CALs they will do for lower (unless MS have changed it again....)

[cmpwat]

Umm not quite correct. I had 33 Server 2008 R2 User CALS and installed them on Server 2016 and they are working correctly. Showing in RD Licensing Manager and being issues to users.

[john]

Umm not quite correct. I had 33 Server 2008 R2 User CALS and installed them on Server 2016 and they are working correctly. Showing in RD Licensing Manager and being issues to users.

 

You can host them but they will only be valid for connection to 2008 R2 or older servers, a lot of this is based on honesty and trust from MS that you are doing what you should do and being legal.

 

The same applies with the numbers you can go over your number and it won't stop you working if you use user CALS for example, it seems very much that User CALS are quite trust based.

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-client-access-license has a nice table showing versions and compatibility options.