Win 2003 and TS CALs

I understand that the CALs available on TechSoup only work with the software purchased on TechSoup, e.g. Windows 2003 Server.

My questions are:

Does anyone know if I purchase a Win 2003 Server license from TechSoup will I have trouble with the existing CALs on my network...both OS and TS level CALs?

Also, if I purchase the Win 2003 Server license from TechSoup and already have a license, will I have to reinstall the OS to apply the new license so I can use the TechSoup CALs?

Many thanks in advance.

-Darlene

You should not have any problems with your current CAL's and should not have to reinstall the server (assuming the server was installing using an Open license, not a box product or OEM).

Thanks,

Jeramie

I think the OS is Open License. I'll have to ask our tech.

So, if I get the OS from TechSoup, do I just have our tech update the OS license some where?

Then I should be good to go with the Terminal Server CALs from Tech Soup, right?

Thanks again for the reply.

-Darlene

You won't have to do anything. Under the Open License program, if you get audited they'll just come in and count the number of Win Svr 2003 installations and look at how many total licenses you have. You don't need to install using the keycode on that specific license. For example if you place 5 seperate orders for a Windows Server license on each you would be issued 5 different keycodes. You can use just one of those keycodes to install all 5 servers (note this applies ONLY to Open licenses, retail box and OEM does not apply!)

Thanks,

Jeramie

Forgive me, I've never been on the short end of a technical conversation so I'm having trouble.

I get the part about auditing, etc. But the part that isn't sync'ing for me is the part where the Terminal Server License needs to be updated. My current license's grace period has expired. I ordered some from TechSoup expecting MS to email me CAL license numbers, but the CS rep at TechSoup said there are no licenses to ship.

Herein lies my confusion...how do I get Terminal Server working again if there aren't any actual CAL licenses shippped/emailed for the TechSoup version of Windows 2003Server/Terminal Server?

I hate being on the confused end of this. :)

Aha, for Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Licensing to work best, you need to do one of two things, depending on your network setup:
[olist][*]Make sure that the Windows component "Terminal Services Licensing" is installed on a domain controller and that your Terminal Server is a member server of the domain. Run the "Terminal Services Licensing" program. There is a menu option in this software to allow you to add Terminal Server Licenses. You will be presented with a screen to ask you some details about your license (you should receive an email from TechSoup that contains an Authorization and Agreement number on a Microsoft document). Then you tell the server to activate the licenses and they are available for use to any Terminal Server in your domain.

What this does is contact Microsoft authorization servers and makes the licenses you purcased available. There is no installation product code because Terminal Services is technically included in your normal Windows Server 2003 licenses, its not a separate product.[/*][*]If you don't use a domain, you can install the licenses onto the Terminal Server directly, so long as it also has the Windows Component for Terminal Services Licensing. Then you'll be able to activate it there, but licenses installed in this fashion are only available to the server on which they were installed.[/*][/olist]Terminal Services Licensing is accessed by going into the Administrative Tools menu from the Control Panel. If its not there, you can add it with the "Add/Remove Programs" feature in the Control Panel. Its a Windows Component, so click on the "Add Windows Component" menu option. You may need your original installation media to continue.

Thanks Chris.

I think the main problem here is that when I purchased the CALs from Tech Soup I never received the authorization and Agreement for MicroSoft and when I called Tech Soup they said there was nothing to send for the order. (Of course the web site says that when you purchase the CALs that MicroSoft will send you an email with everything you need.)

Unfortunately I don't feel like I getting good information from TechSoup and in the absense of a real IT person on staff I'm likely to just purchase the CALs outside TechSoup because my last attempt to purchase CALs from them turned into this fiasco.

Thanks for the information. :)

Darlene,

If you already purchased the licenses from Techsoup they can resend the license information. It's just an email that gives you your authorization and agreement numbers for the license. I'm sure if you call they can easily resend that information to you. There is nothing that ships out, it's all sent via email.

Thanks,

Jeramie

The authorization numbers you need are on the eopen web site, and the details for that should have come in the email from Microsoft. There isn't any media or boxed product involved, so there isn't anything that ships from Tech Soup.

I think Tech Soup can have the email resent from Microsoft with the order numbers and eopen information. It is possible for these messages to get lost in your spam filter. They are sent to the email address you registered with Tech Soup with, so that would be the mail box to check.

Dave

Darlene, you're welcome. And ditto on Jeramie/Dave. check your junk email. There's no physical piece of paper, its all done via email these days.