Windows 2012 Licensing Question

[Kenazo]

We're looking at Dell's AppAssure backup for our firm. Right now we have sufficient Windows 2008 CAL's for all of the individuals in our firm.

We're thinking of running Windows 2012 on the Appassure Core machines (basically just backup dump locations). Am I going to need 2012 CAL's for every single user in our firm to do this?

I'm a bit confused as to if all of our individuals are "users" in this situation or if just the servers that are being backed up are the "users", so I don't know if I would need just a CAL for each server being backed up or 40 CAL's, to cover all of our firm staff.

Crazy licensing.

 

[imagoon]

You only need 2012 CALs for the users that connect to it.

 

[Kenazo]

So in this case, just for the two servers? We would be backing up an exchange server and a RDS server. We have 40 users accessing those, but none of them would access the Core, as I understand the definition of "access".

 

[imagoon]

So in this case, just for the two servers? We would be backing up an exchange server and a RDS server. We have 40 users accessing those, but none of them would access the Core, as I understand the definition of "access".

Client access licenses are for the clients (ie people, except in the rare case you use a device license) Since your domain is very likely in per person CALs, if no one connects to the 2012 server, no 2012 CALs are consumed. However you as an admin and any other people that connect would need CALs. If you can, upgrade the CALs you need as they are backwards supported for prior releases.

 

[Kenazo]

You're correct.

We currently have 40 2008 per-user cal's that we're using for accessing the other servers. I really want to run the AppAssure Core on 2012, but don't want to have to upgrade 40 user Cal's to make it happen. If my Server2012 Core machines are fully licensed without those user cal's (given that the only machines accessing them are the servers being backed up), then I'd go that route.

I suppose if I wasn't just a casual IT guy then I might know these things.

 

[imagoon]

You're correct.

We currently have 40 2008 per-user cal's that we're using for accessing the other servers. I really want to run the AppAssure Core on 2012, but don't want to have to upgrade 40 user Cal's to make it happen. If my Server2012 Core machines are fully licensed without those user cal's (given that the only machines accessing them are the servers being backed up), then I'd go that route.

I suppose if I wasn't just a casual IT guy then I might know these things.

Well like I said, you as the admin is accessing it so you need at least 1. They sell them 5 at a time so you would get that.

 

[Mushkins]

Well like I said, you as the admin is accessing it so you need at least 1. They sell them 5 at a time so you would get that.

Doesn't 2012 give you a single special-use CAL specifically for Admin access cooked in? I know they nixed the 5 user CALs, but there should be rights for one admin still bundled. I'll have to reread the licensing documents.

 

[imagoon]

Doesn't 2012 give you a single special-use CAL specifically for Admin access cooked in? I know they nixed the 5 user CALs, but there should be rights for one admin still bundled. I'll have to reread the licensing documents.

I would have to dig in but I think that is for "administrator." If you have one admin you might be able to say you only are using an admin CAL. If you have more than one admin, technically you should have a cal for each. It gets pretty limited because otherwise you could claim that all users are admins and run unlimited. While stupid.... I could see it being claimed.

 

[Zargon]

I thought you got x amount of CALS with each server license anyways?

 

[imagoon]

I thought you got x amount of CALS with each server license anyways?

Not always. Retail nearly always had some (5?), OEM might (5-25) and VLK usually had zero.

 

[Mushkins]

I thought you got x amount of CALS with each server license anyways?

Not anymore. 2008 R2 and previous versions all came with 5 user CALs as part of the OS license. They did away with that in 2012, you strictly get the OS software and a single limited CAL for administration. Gotta pony up for *all* of the users. It sucks, but it makes the paperwork a little easier I guess. No more "we have 50 CALs so we can have 55 users, right?" 55 users = buy 55 CALs.