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Understanding Microsoft Licensing

I am trying to get our licensing within the legal constraints that Microsoft defines. After looking into purchasing a new server and SQL 2005, this has raised a few questions. Actually...a lot of questions. But I'll give you just one and leave it open ended.

"Please explain Microsoft licensing..."

Ok, maybe that's a little too open ended. What I'm looking for is some best practices when it comes to Windows OS, Windows Server, and other MS software. Volume licensing? Pre-installed OEM? CALs? Cost-effective Solutions? What's required? What's legal?

Here's a little bit about our environment to help you give better examples:
- 5 Servers running Server 2003 Standard
-Apps/File/Print Server
-SQL Database Server
-Web Server
-Citrix Server
-Remote Office File/Print Server

- About 100 workstations running Windows XP Pro

- Various levels of MS Office (2000 to 2007, Basic to Pro)

Thanks for your help. Hopefully this will help others also.
~bruno71

SOLUTION

Lee W, MVP

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jboddy

Have you spoken to a representative of your software supplier?
If they are not Microsoft Licensing Sales Specialist (MLSS) or Microsoft Licensing Sales Expert (MLSE) qualified, look for a new supplier!

Or read the training material yourself:
https://partner.microsoft.com/UK/40032720

bruno71

ASKER

Thanks for the info so far. The above link has some good PDFs. (Kinda funny that MS has to give study material & exams for people to understand their licensing:-)

Two points of clarification needed...

CALs - Is there any adverse affect to not having enough CALs? Is access limited in some way? Or is it just something that we're 'supposed' to have enough and could get into trouble if we don't?

Per Processor Licensing - With Per Processor licensing (ex: SQL 2005), do you need licenses for all physical processors in the server? Or just the processors used by the software? In our case, if we were to use SQL 2005 on a server with 2 physical processors, but I set the processor affinity so that SQL only uses one of them, do I need two licenses or just one?

Thanks
~bruno71

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

jboddy

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jboddy

SQL licence depend upon the number of processors the native OS is accessing - from URL above.

"A license is required for each physical or virtual processor accessed by an operating system environment running SQL Server. This license does not require any device or user client access licenses (CALs)."

bruno71

ASKER

CALs - If I purchase 'Per Device' CALs for Windows Server 2003, do I need just one CAL per device, or one CAL per device per server?

example: We have 5 servers and 100 workstations. Do I need 100 CALs or 500 CALs?

~bruno71

bruno71

ASKER

...and can I still use Windows NT/2000 CALs for Server 2003/2008?

~bruno71

SOLUTION

Lee W, MVP

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bruno71

ASKER

Thanks so much for the clarification. I understand things much better now.

~bruno71