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This is a fairly simple licensing question that has me confused.

We have 3 servers: SERVER1,SERVER2,SERVER3 running on Windows Server 2003.

We have 25 users.

Do I need to buy 75 user licenses for the users to access all the servers or can I get by with 25?

If I then upgrade 1 server to Windows Server 2008, do I need to buy a new set of user licenses. If I then upgrade the other 2, do I then need to buy 2 more sets of user licenses?

Sorry for the confusion!

user64300
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    Talk to your Microsoft rep. They are the only ones who will be able to provide accurate information. – jscott Dec 21 '10 at 13:01
  • Well, It's all about CALS. What type of workstation? Windows XP includes a Devide CAL for each original installation. That means that you will need no aditional CALS if all are XP (regadless of users), if the Servers are configured by "Device" CAL. IF you configure them to "USer" CAL, then you only need 25 (one for each user) to access to the 3 servers. In any case... I'm quite possitive than you dont need 75 :) – Carlos Garcia Dec 21 '10 at 13:13
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    @Carlos - This is precisely why licensing questions should be closed out on ServerFault. Windows XP does NOT include CALs of any kind and must be purchased. There is simply too much erroneous information floating around out there and could cause some serious issues for people that listen to that same information. – GregD Dec 21 '10 at 13:24
  • @GregD-I don't know if it's necessarily erroneous, but rather just plain confusing, since MS likes changing their terms per company and per (business) client AND they've changed terms over the years so what worked in one case didn't work a year later. Basically MS licensing boiled down to "whatever we say when you call us," so the only answer is "call your rep, bargain them down if you are purchasing enough." Licensing confusion and arbitrary terms is the biggest non-technical reason I've hated Windows. – Bart Silverstrim Dec 21 '10 at 13:44
  • @Bart, XP never came with any CALs, what Carlos said is dead wrong. There are bundles that you can buy which include various CALs and client machine licenses as well, but that's not the same. @Greg, I agree only because so many people are willing to provide information when they don't know what they're talking about... – Chris S Dec 21 '10 at 13:51
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    @user64300 No need to apologize for the confusion. It's Microsoft that should be apologizing... – GregD Dec 21 '10 at 13:58
  • What I was trying to get at is that we have bought 3 copies of Windows 2003 Server at separate times and each time we have bought 25 user CALS as well. Is it enough just to buy the user CALs once? – user64300 Dec 21 '10 at 14:12
  • @user64300, it depends on licensing choices you make for your environment. Each CAL can be used two different ways, once a particular way is chosen (generally) it can't be changed. There are different advantages to each choice, so we can't simply tell you ABC is what you need, because XYZ might be a better choice (we don't know your environment well enough to know, which is why you should contact a MS Licensing expert, like MS directly, or a reseller or local consultant). – Chris S Dec 21 '10 at 14:53
  • @GregD - I suppose I'm wrong. But the more important problem is, as Bart said, that Microsoft changes and isn't clear on the problem. @Cris I'm not working for MS, But in practice, I can assure that I have installed a lot of Windows, OEM, Open Licenses, Licensing Volumes, 2000, 2003,2008, XP... And I have seen, thought license manager, a License for each XP that conected to the server, and that license didnt change with the user. That Was long ago (+-3 years) but I'm quite sure I saw that. – Carlos Garcia Dec 21 '10 at 15:10
  • Inventive naming scheme for your servers :P – Tom O'Connor Dec 21 '10 at 15:12

2 Answers2

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There are per user/device licenses which allow that user or device access to how ever many servers you have and you have per server licenses which are a single (expensive) license which allows unlimited users to that one server. You would need a per server license for every server.

Then the upgrade to 2008 would require you to rebuy every CAL for every user/device which will access the 2k8 server.

fov
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  1. CAL's can be assigned to workstations which allow then to access as many windows servers as there are. Check the CAL definition.
TomTom
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