Client Access Licensing???

[preet]

Hi.
Here is my scenario,
Suppose i am building a network of five workstations with XP pro installed connected to a server with Windows Server 2003 installed. I am using a router and a switch. I want to understand where do CAL(Client Access Licensing) come into action.

thanks.

[jlreich]

You have to purchase a license for however many machines you want to connect to that server. This is on the server side and has nothing to do with the clients really.

I don't know if it works exactly like this for windows servers, but I know there are a lot of companies that will, for instance, to save money buy limited amount of licenses for a VPN. Usually this is fine because not everyone will want to be connected via the VPN at once. But say they have 10 licenses, if an 11th user tries to logon the VPN they will not be able to.

This is also the reason why you will often see tons of warning to log off properly instead of just closing the VPN or other licensed program. Often if you don't it will still show you as logged in and will not release the license for the next person to use until it times out.

There are others more familiar with windows servers that can explain the details much better than I can.

[preet]

What i have i understood is all those clients who will be accessing the server should have a license which is the CAL and that license is entered when creating the login. By the way suppose we don't create login like environment, we just share the file, do we need the CAL?

[Variable]

If a client machine accesses the server and is authenticated you need a license for it. If you have 10 client machines buy 10 cals.

[preet]

A more precise question, as i have never done that before, at what instance do we enter the CAL exactly?

[Variable]

I would add cals when you see errors in Event viewer saying that you were out of licenses. It depends on if the server was set up as per server or per user and if you have a Volume license agreement. If you are not getting an error saying that you are out of CAL's then I wouldn't worry so much. You can also remove old users and check Licensing under Administrative tools. I always use per server. If you do that you will normally not run in to issues. I see most problems with SBS.

[preet]

OK.
I will try that.
thanks