Win2k server Licensing issue

[baoluanle]

Thanks in advance for your inputs, and here is my problem, our school purchased 20 CAL's for 15 computers and a server for our lab. And we basically have everything set up and working almost properly. The problem is that we could not get more than 10 computers logged on to our server all at once, we always get error message like along the line that our server don't accept anymore connection because the maximum number has been reached. Apparently, our system is set up with 20 CAL's per server so I just don't know what the problem is! Could it be the network bandwidth? All of our machines are connected at 10Mbps (we couldn't afford fast-ethernet). Again, Thanks a lot for any suggestions, we are pretty desperate at this moment since we are in Vanuatu and there just isn't anyone qualified or know enough to help us out around here!!!!

[kenja]

Have you looked at the "Licensing" module in Control Panel on the server?

[baoluanle]

Yeah, I also tried looking in Licensing in both Control Panel and Administrative Tools and it show 9 or 10 licenses being handed out, the most ever was 12. I also tried to cheat a little bit by adding 20 more CAL's (with the intention to take them off later) which didn't do anything either!!! Anyways, What do you think the problem is? Microsoft support hasn't answered my plead yet so hopefully you'll able to help us out.
Thanks tho,

[kenja]

I don't have my network up and running right now to test out this scenario, but...I've installed Win2k server in "Per Server" licensing mode, and I'm not using Terminal Services.

Using Control Panel, I just added 20 CALs to the 5 I actually own and it now shows a total of 25 concurrent connections.

[baoluanle]

As of now we have 40 concurrent connection licenses, but when we turn on all fifteen computers we get a warning message telling us that the licenses run out and that we need to check with Licensing manager or view the Event log. When we go in Licensing manager in Administrative Tools, under the the License reached, we can only see 9 or 10, the most ever that we saw was 12. The weird thing is that all users can log on and have their passwords and usernames validated but some workstations and users do not have group policy applied. Also shared folders on the server would accept only 10 connections and then rejects the rest. Does it have anything to do with "slow connection" feature? We have "slow connection detection" disabled and force group policy regardless of connection speed. Anyways, Thank You Much for trying to figure this out for us!!!

[kenja]

For my clarification: Your licensing mode is "Per Server" (appropriate for a single-server network), not "Per Seat"? You aren't using Terminal Services (which requires a separate license after 30 days)?

I really don't have a clue, but maybe it would help if you posted likely error messages from Event Viewer.

As I recall, the "slow connection" feature is intended for dial-up connections, and I would think 10bT would be fast enough (even if a hub instead of a switch is being used).

Here are four MS links I found when searching on "slow connection": 1 (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/gp/17.asp), 2 (http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/techinfo/reskit/en/GP/17.htm), 3 (http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q227/2/60.ASP), 4 (http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/techinfo/reskit/en/GP/16.htm).

[This message has been edited by kenja (edited 09-15-2001).]

[baoluanle]

The error message in Event Log that we get is something like this, "No available licenses for user domain/username using SMB server 5.0... ". I don't know where or how to find out whether SMB service is running on our machine, we didn't see anything about SMB service in Services in Administrative Tools. We don't have any NetWare stuff, it's all Win 2k. How does this affect the shared folders? We can't get more that 10 users connected to the same shared folder!!! Anyways, Thanks a lot!!!

[baoluanle]

kenja, many thanks any ways, I just installed win2k sp2 and it seems to fix the problem, I think! It doesn't give me any more error messages and group policy also seems to work fine, for now!!! Again, Thanks!!!

[kenja]

Thanks for the update, baoluanle. I've been thinking about you, but I didn't know what else I could say. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif