Stoopid licencing question

Discussion in 'Windows Server 2003 / 2008 / 2012 / 2016' started by dales, Apr 4, 2011.

  1. dales

    dales Terabyte Poster

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    I've read the MS licencing documentation and think I understand it but it does seem awfully expensive, so I thought I'd ask here just for clarification.

    Say for example I had 50 users in my organisation, does licencing work by server that is to say if I bought 2 servers for file duties I'd have to buy 100 CAL's. I think thats what the documentation is saying but I would like to confirm as I'm a little worried about the cost implications (10 servers = 500 Cals)!?
     
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  2. ThomasMc

    ThomasMc Gigabyte Poster

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    You would only need 50 "per user" CAL

    To explain a little better;

    if I bought 3 Server 2003 OEM version they come with 5 CAL as default and when install I would select "Per User" so that would cover me for those 3 servers and 15 Users and I would need to purchase an additional 35 "Per User" CAL to allow 50 Users
     
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  3. dales

    dales Terabyte Poster

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    Oh ok, so you effectivly buy per user cals by how many users you have in the domain and not by how many servers they connect to.
     
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  4. ThomasMc

    ThomasMc Gigabyte Poster

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    I haven't seen many places using concurrent connection as they mainly fall into the Per Machine or Per User catagory.
     
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  5. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    In an nutshell yes, but obviously the servers need a licence as well. Also, quite a few MS technologies require cals, so if you had SQL on one of the servers as an example.
     
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  6. dales

    dales Terabyte Poster

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    Ok cool I get it now, coming from a mainly Linux or netware shop licencing is a little bit alien to me other than the stuff I read in the MCSA books. Thanks for that guys!
     
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  7. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Well, it depends on how many users you want logged on at the same time. If you had 50 "per user" CALs then a maximum of 50 users can be logged on at the same time, nothing to stop you having 60 AD accounts though. :biggrin
     
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  8. Modey

    Modey Terabyte Poster

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    Not to mention Enterprise CALs which are a different kettle of fish completely. :)

    Confused? You will be. :)
     
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  9. GSteer

    GSteer Megabyte Poster

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    Even Microsoft can't answer licensing queries about their own products. I'm currently awaiting a sensible answer regarding available SBS 2011 CALs that will correctly "downgrade" and work with SBS 2003 R2 Premium. Their contact line answer was at odds with the SBS 2011 FAQ Doc. And that FAQ indicates that there is no option except 2008 Premium CALs to downgrade, which leaves no future upgrade path unless we get them with SA.

    Sigh - I wonder if there are actually any other companies that have a certificate in licensing.
     
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  10. Phoenix
    Honorary Member

    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    why would anyone actually buy a nice shiney 2011 CAL then downgrade it to 2003? god i hate clients like that :)

    2011 is an awesome SBS offering
    2003 is a pile of crap! (most of the time)


    Enterprise CAL and Core CALs are CAL suites that cover multiple products, not really pertaining to the question
    i don't believe per user cals are concurrent though, they are per named user in my understanding, but i could be wrong, i try to avoid such things :P
     
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  11. GSteer

    GSteer Megabyte Poster

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    Don't get me started on the rest of the licenses they were miss-sold by their last IT company :x
     
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