Event ID 21, terminal services licensing problem
I have users unable to connect to a terminal server. They receive a message that there are no licenses available. The licenses are PER DEVICE - I believe this cfg is partial responsible for the problem but not sure how to resolve. I checked the EVT viewer and see the following two entries :
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Event Type: Warning
Event Source: TermServLicensing
Event Category: None
Event ID: 21
Date: 10/23/2009
Time: 9:23:32 AM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER1
Description:
The Terminal Server Licensing server SERVER1 has no permanent licenses for product 'Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token'. Use Terminal Server Licensing administrative tool to register more licenses. The Terminal Server 'SERVER2 IP ADDRESS HERE' was refused licenses of type 'Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token' due to this condition.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
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Event Type: Warning
Event Source: TermService
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1028
Date: 10/23/2009
Time: 9:23:32 AM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER1
Description:
The terminal server client COMPUTER1 has been disconnected because its license could not be renewed. The license server 'SERVER2' was contacted to get Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token. license for this client.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
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TS licensing mgr image attached
How can I fix this promlem!?! Thank you for your help -
TS-licensing.jpg
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Event Type: Warning
Event Source: TermServLicensing
Event Category: None
Event ID: 21
Date: 10/23/2009
Time: 9:23:32 AM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER1
Description:
The Terminal Server Licensing server SERVER1 has no permanent licenses for product 'Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token'. Use Terminal Server Licensing administrative tool to register more licenses. The Terminal Server 'SERVER2 IP ADDRESS HERE' was refused licenses of type 'Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token' due to this condition.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
////////////////////////
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: TermService
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1028
Date: 10/23/2009
Time: 9:23:32 AM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER1
Description:
The terminal server client COMPUTER1 has been disconnected because its license could not be renewed. The license server 'SERVER2' was contacted to get Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token. license for this client.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
--------------------------
TS licensing mgr image attached
How can I fix this promlem!?! Thank you for your help -
TS-licensing.jpg
ASKER
I agree with using PER USER vs PER DEVICE. Unfortunate for me, it was originally configured by someone slse on this network pior to my employment.
It is currently occurring for only one user, so I assume another device connected recently to consume the 'last' license. Is there not a way to free one of the PER DEVICE licenses from a non-legitimate PC (someone brought a home PC to work, then took a lilcense) and make it available for a legitimate network system? thanks for your insight -
It is currently occurring for only one user, so I assume another device connected recently to consume the 'last' license. Is there not a way to free one of the PER DEVICE licenses from a non-legitimate PC (someone brought a home PC to work, then took a lilcense) and make it available for a legitimate network system? thanks for your insight -
You would need to contact the Microsoft Clearinghouse to free up the licenses.
As I have gone Mobile, I can't send you the contact info.
Hope that helps! Cheers!
As I have gone Mobile, I can't send you the contact info.
Hope that helps! Cheers!
ASKER
I just spoke with a tech and MS says that in order to free licenses, you need to uninstall TS licenses and reinstall.
So, will changing the licensing mode fix the problem? Simply by nature of PER USER not validating licensing as is the case with PER DEVICE, this should make the EVT errors disappear and allow the user to connect without incident? Is this correct?
So, will changing the licensing mode fix the problem? Simply by nature of PER USER not validating licensing as is the case with PER DEVICE, this should make the EVT errors disappear and allow the user to connect without incident? Is this correct?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Deleting the subkeys beneath MSLicensing worked! Do all TS license types have an expiration period? So, those licenses consumed by devices 'no longer in use' be returned to the pool even if they are 'PER DEVICE' cals?
Claudio - I'm sure you hear this all the time, but I have to mention - I have known of your TS expertise and read your work for years - probably back to 2000 or earlier. Nice to have some first-hand help from you!
Claudio - I'm sure you hear this all the time, but I have to mention - I have known of your TS expertise and read your work for years - probably back to 2000 or earlier. Nice to have some first-hand help from you!
Not a problem Davis. We are all here to help and share our knowledge.
All TS licenses, if not used for a while, will expire. If you keep using a device to connect to a TS, that license will be taken forever, meaning, once you stop using that device, within 59 to 89 days, that license will be available again on the per device licenses pool.
So in theory all TS licenses expire between 59 to 89 days, IF and only IF they are not used. That is the case most of the time with per device licenses. You may reformat a machine, replace it, not use one machine for four months and so on. That is why that mechanism exists.
The issue is sometimes you fall into a situation where certain devices are gone but the licenses are not expired yet and other devices that need a license cannot grab one from the pool. If this happens, MSLicensing registry deletion is the way to fix that. :-)
Cheers.
Cláudio Rodrigues
Citrix CTP
All TS licenses, if not used for a while, will expire. If you keep using a device to connect to a TS, that license will be taken forever, meaning, once you stop using that device, within 59 to 89 days, that license will be available again on the per device licenses pool.
So in theory all TS licenses expire between 59 to 89 days, IF and only IF they are not used. That is the case most of the time with per device licenses. You may reformat a machine, replace it, not use one machine for four months and so on. That is why that mechanism exists.
The issue is sometimes you fall into a situation where certain devices are gone but the licenses are not expired yet and other devices that need a license cannot grab one from the pool. If this happens, MSLicensing registry deletion is the way to fix that. :-)
Cheers.
Cláudio Rodrigues
Citrix CTP
What is the registry path for MSLicensing? I found three on my server.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
How quickly will the license renew or can I force it to update.
The KMS server has 99,000 licenses so that's not the problem.
The KMS Error:
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Terminal
Date: 5/8/2012 2:53:02 PM
Event ID: 1131
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Server
Description:
The Remote Desktop Session Host server could not contact the Remote Desktop license server KMS. Ensure that the Remote Desktop Licensing service is running on the license server, that the license server is accepting network requests, and that the license server is registered in WINS and DNS.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
How quickly will the license renew or can I force it to update.
The KMS server has 99,000 licenses so that's not the problem.
The KMS Error:
Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Terminal
Date: 5/8/2012 2:53:02 PM
Event ID: 1131
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Server
Description:
The Remote Desktop Session Host server could not contact the Remote Desktop license server KMS. Ensure that the Remote Desktop Licensing service is running on the license server, that the license server is accepting network requests, and that the license server is registered in WINS and DNS.
When using PER Device, the license is issued to that device explicitly. If someone connects from a work computer, then a home computer, then a friends laptop... you have consumed three licenses (permanently).
We use PER USER licensing. Which essentially licenses based on the quantity of users (not the devices).