Windows Server 2003 Standard and Licensing

[PowerMacG5]

Hi, I set up a windows server, and was looking around the licensing setting. I purchased 10 additional CAL's in addition to the 5 that the OS came with. I have two questions.

If I user per server licensing, do I enter 10 or 15 licenses when I click the Add License button in the Licensing control panel?

And, if I use Per Device or Per User licensing, where do I enter the CALs?

All CALs were purchased with the machine when it was bought from Dell.

Thanks in advance.

 

[RebateMonger]

I haven't dealt with licensing on "plain" Windows Server 2003. But, from my reading and testing, it appears that you can, basically, ignore it, from a functional point of view. The License Logging Service seems to be turned off by default in Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft Support: Description of the License Logging Service in Windows Server

This is not true of SBS 2003, which DOES use a licensing server, and will, eventually, complain if adequate licenses aren't purchased. SBS doesn't have a "per Server" licensing mode. Only User and Device CALS.

In Windows Server 2003, it also appears that you can simply enter the "Per Server" mode, and add as many licenses as you desire. This will allow xx number of concurrent authenticated network connections. A seting of "0" will deny access to all network connections. So, in your case, a setting of "15" would be appropriate....if you use the licensing services at all.

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
I haven't dealt with licensing on "plain" Windows Server 2003. But, from my reading and testing, it appears that you can, basically, ignore it, from a functional point of view. The License Logging Service seems to be turned off by default in Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft Support: Description of the License Logging Service in Windows Server

This is not true of SBS 2003, which DOES use a licensing server, and will, eventually, complain if adequate licenses aren't purchased. SBS doesn't have a "per Server" licensing mode. Only User and Device CALS.

In Windows Server 2003, it also appears that you can simply enter the "Per Server" mode, and add as many licenses as you desire. This will allow xx number of concurrent authenticated network connections. A seting of "0" will deny access to all network connections. So, in your case, a setting of "15" would be appropriate....if you use the licensing services at all.

Thanks for the help. Is there any reason I would or wouldn't want to use the licensing service?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
Thanks for the help. Is there any reason I would or wouldn't want to use the licensing service?

Sorry, but I don't have any experience there. You might try a UseNet search on the topic.

License Logging Service (LLS) is a tool that was originally designed to help customers manage licenses for Microsoft server products that are licensed in the Server Client Access License (CAL) model. LLS was introduced with Windows NT Server 3.51. By default, LLS is disabled in Windows Server 2003. Because of original design constraints and evolving license terms and conditions, LLS cannot provide an accurate view of the total number of CALs that are purchased as compared to the total number of CALs that are used on a single server or across the enterprise. The CALs that are reported by LLS may conflict with the interpretation of the End User License Agreement (EULA) and with Product Usage Rights (PUR). LLS will not be included in future versions of the Windows operating system.

That doesn't sound like a very positive recommendation from Microsoft. 🙂

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
Thanks for the help. Is there any reason I would or wouldn't want to use the licensing service?

Sorry, but I don't have any experience there. You might try a UseNet search on the topic.

License Logging Service (LLS) is a tool that was originally designed to help customers manage licenses for Microsoft server products that are licensed in the Server Client Access License (CAL) model. LLS was introduced with Windows NT Server 3.51. By default, LLS is disabled in Windows Server 2003. Because of original design constraints and evolving license terms and conditions, LLS cannot provide an accurate view of the total number of CALs that are purchased as compared to the total number of CALs that are used on a single server or across the enterprise. The CALs that are reported by LLS may conflict with the interpretation of the End User License Agreement (EULA) and with Product Usage Rights (PUR). LLS will not be included in future versions of the Windows operating system.

That doesn't sound like a very positive recommendation from Microsoft. 🙂

Haha yeah, it seems as if they may be taking the good faith approach on that if you buy the OS, you know how many people or devices are going to connect to it, and are therefore going to purchase the right amount of CALs.

Ugh, I am now discovering how complicated MS Licensing is now that I want to set up a Terminal Services Server.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
Ugh, I am now discovering how complicated MS Licensing is now that I want to set up a Terminal Services Server.

Ohh....Terminal Server. That's something I know something about. Terminal Services is an interesting aspect of Windows Server. There are some weird complications with antivirus applications and applying Group Policies are interesting, too. And TS licenses are really pricey.

MS doesn't recommend that you install TS on an Domain Controller, since, if a session crashes, it could, potentially, leave the DC vulnerable to attack. MS doesn't even allow TS on a SBS 2003 Server.

The actual setup isn't that tough.
1) Install Terminal Services. You have a grace period (90 days?) before you have to:
2) Install a Terminal License Server. You then have a second grace period (120 days?) before you have to:
3) Install TS licenses.

Unlike the Server 2003 licenses, Microsoft DOES enforce these. After the limits expire, you won't even be able to do an Administrative Remote Desktop connection!

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
Ugh, I am now discovering how complicated MS Licensing is now that I want to set up a Terminal Services Server.

Ohh....Terminal Server. That's something I know something about. Terminal Services is an interesting aspect of Windows Server. There are some weird complications with antivirus applications and applying Group Policies are interesting, too. And TS licenses are really pricey.

MS doesn't recommend that you install TS on an Domain Controller, since, if a session crashes, it could, potentially, leave the DC vulnerable to attack. MS doesn't even allow TS on a SBS 2003 Server.

The actual setup isn't that tough.
1) Install Terminal Services. You have a grace period (90 days?) before you have to:
2) Install a Terminal License Server. You then have a second grace period (120 days?) before you have to:
3) Install TS licenses.

Unlike the Server 2003 licenses, Microsoft DOES enforce these. After the limits expire, you won't even be able to do an Administrative Remote Desktop connection!

Yeah, I've been looking in to all this. I am going to be getting a second server for the TS server.

What complications do you know of? I have deployed SAV Corporate Edition to the clients, and want it on all the servers. Also, what Group policy complications do you know of?

I am going to be using TS for an Application server for remote users to run Quickbooks. When they log on, the only thing visible will be Quickbooks. I can't want for Longhorn Server because of the new advancements to TS (mainly the fact that remote applications will look at feel as if they are being run on the local computer known as Seamless Windows).

EDIT: Also, do you know how to set in Group Policy to enable the taskbar clock for the client desktops connected over Terminal Services?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
What complications do you know of? I have deployed SAV Corporate Edition to the clients, and want it on all the servers. Also, what Group policy complications do you know of?

I know that several client AV solutions will refuse to run in TS mode. Be sure to check into it for your specific product.

UseNet discussion of AV solutions for Terminal Server.

GPO's on Terminal Server are just something that I find difficult to visualize sometimes. But I haven't spent much time trying to do so.

I am going to be using TS for an Application server for remote users to run Quickbooks. When they log on, the only thing visible will be Quickbooks. I can't want for Longhorn Server because of the new advancements to TS (mainly the fact that remote applications will look at feel as if they are being run on the local computer known as Seamless Windows).

As I understand it, Quickbooks 2006 has SERIOUS issues with Terminal Server mode. Note: R3 of Quickbooks 2006 may have fixed this. Previous versions of Quickbooks (except Enterprise Edition) are NOT SUPPORTED by Intuit in Terminal Server mode, although many people use previous versions that way. The only use mode supported by Intuit is for the client software to run on the client PC, accessing the data file that can be located on a server.

The other problem with Quickbooks is that the user HAS to be a Local Administrator on the PC. It's a really tacky problem that Intuit STILL hasn't addressed in QB 2006 (maybe now fixed with R3?). It means that all the Domain Users who use Quickbooks in Terminal Server will have to be Local Admins on your Terminal Server.

Intuit has some (unsatisfying) discussion of this issue on their web site.

If Quickbooks functionality is what you are looking for, you might try out MS's Small Business Accounting. It has some nice features, doesn't have a messed up Security model, and imports old Quickbooks files just fine. Be SURE to update to SP1 before doing a Quickbooks data import. There are MAJOR improvements in importing in SP1.

 

[PowerMacG5]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: PowerMacG5
What complications do you know of? I have deployed SAV Corporate Edition to the clients, and want it on all the servers. Also, what Group policy complications do you know of?

I know that several client AV solutions will refuse to run in TS mode. Be sure to check into it for your specific product.

UseNet discussion of AV solutions for Terminal Server.

GPO's on Terminal Server are just something that I find difficult to visualize sometimes. But I haven't spent much time trying to do so.

I am going to be using TS for an Application server for remote users to run Quickbooks. When they log on, the only thing visible will be Quickbooks. I can't want for Longhorn Server because of the new advancements to TS (mainly the fact that remote applications will look at feel as if they are being run on the local computer known as Seamless Windows).

As I understand it, Quickbooks 2006 has SERIOUS issues with Terminal Server mode. Note: R3 of Quickbooks 2006 may have fixed this. Previous versions of Quickbooks (except Enterprise Edition) are NOT SUPPORTED by Intuit in Terminal Server mode, although many people use previous versions that way. The only use mode supported by Intuit is for the client software to run on the client PC, accessing the data file that can be located on a server.

The other problem with Quickbooks is that the user HAS to be a Local Administrator on the PC. It's a really tacky problem that Intuit STILL hasn't addressed in QB 2006 (maybe now fixed with R3?). It means that all the Domain Users who use Quickbooks in Terminal Server will have to be Local Admins on your Terminal Server.

Intuit has some (unsatisfying) discussion of this issue on their web site.

If Quickbooks functionality is what you are looking for, you might try out MS's Small Business Accounting. It has some nice features, doesn't have a messed up Security model, and imports old Quickbooks files just fine. Be SURE to update to SP1 before doing a Quickbooks data import. There are MAJOR improvements in importing in SP1.

We have Quickbooks Enterprise Edition 6.0, and according to Intuit it has full support for Terminal Services.

Yeah, I noticed that dirty little "feature" where you need to be a local admin to use it. Which is the reason that I am going to use a special server simply for this (and maybe other random non-critical/non-confidential data).

The company has deeply invested in Quickbooks and is not going to turn away any time soon. Believe me, I have tried.

Also, do you know how to set up Group Policy to enable the taskbar clock for the client desktops to display on connected clients?