Re: Licensing model
- From: "Chad A. Gross [SBS MVP]" <chad.gross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 5 Jul 2005 00:56:30 -0500
Hi Ray -
First, SBS doesn't do concurrent licensing. Here's the skinny:
Historically speaking (prior to Windows 2003), in the Windows server world
we had two licensing modes to choose from - Per Server or Per Seat. The
difference was simple: if we chose Per Server, then we had to have server
CALs for each server on our network, and the number of CALs on a given
server represented the number of concurrent connections we could have to
that server. With Per Seat licensing, we needed a CAL for each device
(workstation, laptop, whatever) that was accessing the network. Per Seat
licensing did not allow for concurrent connections, as the CAL belonged to
the client device, not the server(s). As a result, Per Server licensing was
usually beneficial for a single server setting - whereas Per Seat was
beneficial for multiple server environments. SBS 4.x and SBS 2000
effectively used Per Seat licensing, where each device on the network
required an SBS CAL, and we did not need CALs for additional servers joined
to the domain.
Enter Windows 2003. Microsoft made a small change to their server licensing
where Per Seat is now referred to as Per User / Per Device. As mentioned
above, prior to Win2k3, our only option for Per Seat licensing was by
device. With Win2k3, when we opt for Per Seat licensing, we can choose
whether we want to license our devices (workstations, laptops, PDAs, etc.)
or our Users. Note that Per User licensing relates to ACTUAL USERS - not
user accounts. So if you have 10 users (actual employees logging in) on
your network, and 25 user accounts defined on your server, you only need 10
User CALs. Per Server licensing remains unchanged, where the number of CALs
in Per Server licensing mode dictate the number of concurrent connections
allowed. It is important to note that Per Server mode is the only mode
where the concurrent connections model exists.
SBS2003 cannot be licensed in Per Server mode - which means it cannot
legally do concurrent connections. It is always licensed as either Per User
or Per Device. You can choose how you want to use the 5 CALs that come with
SBS - either as Device or User CALs. Generally speaking, it is normally
beneficial for an SBS shop to chose User CALs - as it's easier to track.
While it is recommended that you keep all of our CALs consistent (use only
User CALs or only Device CALs), you can mix User & Device CALs. A prime
example of this is that you have a manufacturing business with 10 executive
/ administrative users and 50+ manufacturing employees. You have 5 PCs set
up in a break room for the manufacturing employees to check company email,
announcements on the companyweb, etc. You can have 10 user CALs for your
executive / adminsitrative users (which let's them use any device to access
network resources), and 5 device CALs for the 5 PCs in the break room (which
allows any user to use those devices).
Les still has the best method to visualize SBS licensing. Take our example
above with 10 user CALs and 5 device CALs. Take 10 Post-It Notes and stick
one on the forehead of each user who you want to have a User CAL (our
executive / administrative users). Now take 5 more Post-It Notes and stick
them on the devices you want to have a Device CAL (the PCs in the break
room). Now any time someone accesses the network, we have the actual user,
and the device they are using to access the network. In order for the
access to be licensed, either the user must have a Post-It Note (User CAL)
assigned to them OR the device they are using must have a Post-It Note
(Device CAL) assigned to it. So if one of the executive users logged in
from home, he's licensed because he has a User CAL. If that same executive
accesses the network from one of the breakroom PCs, it's legal because both
the user & the device have a CAL. If one of the manufacturing users
accesses the network from one of the breakroom PCs, it's legal because the
PC has a device CAL. However, if one of the manufacturing users accesses
the network from home, it isn't legal because neither the user nor the
device has a CAL. Make sense?
Note that since we're using the Per Seat licensing model, you don't need
extra Windows CALs if you add a member server to your network - the SBS CALs
cover access to the member server.
--
Chad A. Gross - SBS MVP
SBS ROCKS!
http://msmvps.com/cgross
.
- References:
- Licensing model
- From: Ray Cassick \(Home\)
- Licensing model
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