How does Frog Gateway get round MS External connector licences?

[Ex-MGSTech]

Frog Learning Platform - Secure Gateway

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/thin-client-virtual-machines/18807-ts-external-connector-license.html

 

I can't see MS allowing licence free remote access to everyone can you?

 

Steve

[mavhc]

Is that the one that's accessing desktops, not TS?

[Ex-MGSTech]

I believe so, it was explained to me as being like RDP?, so I assume that you have to leave all your desktops on 24/7?

[Ex-MGSTech]

bit more here:-

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/licensing-faq.aspx#extconn

 

inc the following on EC licenses:-

 

Q. When do I need a Windows External Connector (EC) license?

 

A.

An EC license is not mandatory. It is a licensing option available to address a specific customer scenario. When you need to allow your business partners or customers to access your network, you have two choices:

 

You can acquire Windows Server 2008 CALs for each of your external users, or

 

You can acquire External Connector licenses for each Windows Server that those external users will access.

 

 

Q. For which Windows servers do I acquire EC licenses?

 

A.

External Connector licenses should be acquired for each Windows server that the external user is accessing (not just for the server to which they are authenticating).

 

 

Q. Who qualifies as an External User?

 

A.

An external user is a person who is not an employee, or similar personnel of the company or its affiliates, and is not someone to whom you provide hosted services using the server software.

 

 

Q. If a student accesses a school's network, is the student considered an External User?

 

A.

Yes, and thus the student can be covered under an External Connector license.

[Ric_]

ECLs are not the only way to license remote access and they probably aren't the cheapest since they apply per server.

 

Assuming terminal services... for each user, you will need a Windows CAL (since you are authenticating against one or more DCs), a RDS CAL (Remote Desktop Services CAL for using terminal services/remote desktop services) and a per device license for Microsoft Office if you wish to let your users run that remotely. You may additionally require licenses for other software too.

 

The Windows CAL and RDS CAL both come in per server ECL variants but are pricey!

[Ex-MGSTech]

My head hurts!

[Ric_]

It's crazy!

 

Speak with your Microsoft partner and they will be able to contact their Microsoft licensing person who can work it out for you

[TomNomNom]

For those interested: Frog doesn't *have* to use Terminal Services / Windows Server for it's remote gateway, it can do dynamic routing to point external users directly at their desktop machines inside the school.

[dhicks]

it can do dynamic routing to point external users directly at their desktop machines inside the school.

 

So, as mentioned earlier, Frog is actually directing external connection requests to individual workstations, then? I understood each Windows license comes with a single remote-use license - as long as only one person is using the machine at a time, either locally or remotely, then you're okay (is that just Windows XP - might have changed by Windows 7?). Okay, you have to leave a bunch of machines on for people to connect to, but you don't have to pay for servers or TS licenses.

 

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David Hicks

[TomNomNom]

So, as mentioned earlier, Frog is actually directing external connection requests to individual workstations, then? I understood each Windows license comes with a single remote-use license - as long as only one person is using the machine at a time, either locally or remotely, then you're okay (is that just Windows XP - might have changed by Windows 7?). Okay, you have to leave a bunch of machines on for people to connect to, but you don't have to pay for servers or TS licenses.

 

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David Hicks

 

You are correct sir. Without patching Windows you can only have one user logged in at a time - so you're not violating that.

 

Frog doesn't do WOL AFAIK, but you could throw something together to turn machines on remotely without too much trouble - that way you wouldn't have to leave them running all the time.

 

Also, the main use-case seems to be teachers/staff who would usually be on site working from home during opening hours - so you're not actually using up any more power in the school as a result of the workstation being powered on in this case.

[dhicks]

you could throw something together to turn machines on remotely without too much trouble

 

Good point - hmm, now wondering just what facilities I could provide for people connecting remotely... That would probably let us run things like Cubase, which requires a local USB licensing dongle to run, from a remote session - could be very useful.

 

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David Hicks

[TomNomNom]

That would probably let us run things like Cubase

 

Nice idea!

 

I'm not sure an audiophile would appreciate the sound quality that RDP provides though :-D

[SYNACK]

Good point - hmm, now wondering just what facilities I could provide for people connecting remotely... That would probably let us run things like Cubase, which requires a local USB licensing dongle to run, from a remote session - could be very useful.

 

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David Hicks

The audio latency over RDP would be horrific, probably not the best test case, you would be better looking for a networkable USB server that would allow the dongle to talk to a selected machine at a time over the network for that one.

http://www.digi.com/products/usb/anywhereusb.jsp#overview

 

http://www.virtualserialport.com/products/usb-over-network/

Edited June 30, 2010 by SYNACK

[Guest Guest]

That would probably let us run things like Cubase

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David Hicks

 

Hmm, I think id try that one out first before assuming itll work. The latency will be beyond appauling (assuming cubase will use the TS sound driver)! But then if that doesnt matter and all the kids do is pretty basic editting it might be alright.

[dhicks]

The audio latency over RDP would be horrific

 

I get the impression the music department use Cubase more for editing scores than actually playing music - as long as the audio got to the client eventually, in some sort of recognisable form, that would be good enough.

 

you would be better looking for a networkable USB server that would allow the dongle to talk to a selected machine at a time over the network for that one

 

Thanks, good idea - I'll try and look in to that over summer.

 

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David Hicks