Terminal Services CAL Licensing Question.
Hi Experts.
Here is my question.
I have a 2003 DC.
I am installing a brand new Windows 2008 Server Standard as a member sever and deploying a Business application there.
Users from a remote office are going to login to the TS on 2008 and use the business Application.
Approx - 10 users.
My question is:
Do I need to buy:
5 pack RDS/TS Cal for Widnows 2008 and use the 5 pack CAL which comes with the server ?
10 pack RDS/TS Cal for Windows 2008
There will be a site to site VPN for users to login to Windows 2008 server directly.
The users need to login and access this application on desktop - no other features / outlook / vdi / app-v is required.
thanks for your comments.
Here is my question.
I have a 2003 DC.
I am installing a brand new Windows 2008 Server Standard as a member sever and deploying a Business application there.
Users from a remote office are going to login to the TS on 2008 and use the business Application.
Approx - 10 users.
My question is:
Do I need to buy:
5 pack RDS/TS Cal for Widnows 2008 and use the 5 pack CAL which comes with the server ?
10 pack RDS/TS Cal for Windows 2008
There will be a site to site VPN for users to login to Windows 2008 server directly.
The users need to login and access this application on desktop - no other features / outlook / vdi / app-v is required.
thanks for your comments.
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You need to buy 10 pack RDS/TS Cal for Windows 2008 Standard CALS that come with the server are no TS CALs
ASKER
Thanks for quick comments.
Here is the tricky part
These 10 users from a remote location will be accessing this for 6 months or so, before they move all users under one roof.
Ts licenses will be useless in that scenario - cost wise.
Please post youir thoughts
Thanks
Here is the tricky part
These 10 users from a remote location will be accessing this for 6 months or so, before they move all users under one roof.
Ts licenses will be useless in that scenario - cost wise.
Please post youir thoughts
Thanks
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ASKER
Dave this is a 2003 domain and 2008 is a member server.
RWW is not part of the plans right now.
I was thinking along the following lines:
Cheap:
a) Buy 5 pack user cal. Gives us 10 user cal (5 CALs are loaded with the server)
have the existing users connect to 2008 over Sonicwall VPN and access the 2008 server as users.
Expensive.
b) buy 10 pack TS/RDS cal. Have the users connect to the TS
Let me know your thoughts.
thanks
RWW is not part of the plans right now.
I was thinking along the following lines:
Cheap:
a) Buy 5 pack user cal. Gives us 10 user cal (5 CALs are loaded with the server)
have the existing users connect to 2008 over Sonicwall VPN and access the 2008 server as users.
Expensive.
b) buy 10 pack TS/RDS cal. Have the users connect to the TS
Let me know your thoughts.
thanks
ASKER
Thanks LeeW and Dave
I'd rather go with TSCALs than go for user CALs and have a situation where TS applications dont work.
I'd rather go with TSCALs than go for user CALs and have a situation where TS applications dont work.
You may be mistaken. It may be the other way around. You haven't specified any real details about the App or the kind of performance it needs or the link speed between the sites. But if the link speed isn't great and/or the application demands are high, then it may be MORE EXPENSIVE to NOT use a terminal server since the productivity of the remote workers could be seriously affected... if it takes them 3x longer to do the job, are you really saving money?
Sorry, as you have SBS, and its already installed, thought it maybe an option for you :)
VPN would do the trick as long as you have enough bandwidth to cope, without knowing what applications you want to use, your internet line speed etc, its hard to say the best option.
Safe bet is TS, you know it will work, but the cheap way would still work as long as you can cope from a bandwidth point of view. You will have to have 10 CALs at some point either way for when your users move in to the building, so get those, and see how the VPN works, if its not usuable, you can swap to TS and buy those CALs
VPN would do the trick as long as you have enough bandwidth to cope, without knowing what applications you want to use, your internet line speed etc, its hard to say the best option.
Safe bet is TS, you know it will work, but the cheap way would still work as long as you can cope from a bandwidth point of view. You will have to have 10 CALs at some point either way for when your users move in to the building, so get those, and see how the VPN works, if its not usuable, you can swap to TS and buy those CALs
ASKER
ok - maybe I closed the question a little too early and didnt get time to check the last 2 comments.
@leew
a) This is a ERP application running on Foxpro.
The "ERP Server" resides on Windows 2008.
clients have shortcuts on their desktop and connect to it over LAN.
The ERP vendor suggested going the TS route, where remote users will connect to TS - and login using the application shortcut on the desktop.
This terminal services method was working ok for another set of remote users without any separate TS CALs on 2003 server.
I really wasnt sure what is the way to go as far as 2008 is concerned as user/device licensing has changed.
@dave
b) I dont have SBS. I had just posted it on that queue to get "attention" :)
Sorry about the confusion it caused.
VPN will take care of the transport side, but in the end they will be logging in to Server 2008 using TS - not application shortcuts.
As you said safe bet is TS > hence I am recommending that as a solution.
I dont want to get into a situation where I recommend a cheap solution - but it doesnt work.
I am planning to swap TS CALs later down the line when they move into the same building.
@leew
a) This is a ERP application running on Foxpro.
The "ERP Server" resides on Windows 2008.
clients have shortcuts on their desktop and connect to it over LAN.
The ERP vendor suggested going the TS route, where remote users will connect to TS - and login using the application shortcut on the desktop.
This terminal services method was working ok for another set of remote users without any separate TS CALs on 2003 server.
I really wasnt sure what is the way to go as far as 2008 is concerned as user/device licensing has changed.
@dave
b) I dont have SBS. I had just posted it on that queue to get "attention" :)
Sorry about the confusion it caused.
VPN will take care of the transport side, but in the end they will be logging in to Server 2008 using TS - not application shortcuts.
As you said safe bet is TS > hence I am recommending that as a solution.
I dont want to get into a situation where I recommend a cheap solution - but it doesnt work.
I am planning to swap TS CALs later down the line when they move into the same building.
Ahh no problem :)
option (VPN) 1) you get it all up and running, you test it with a few users, find its ok spend a few days making sure its stable.. once you get all 10 users, It could end up being slow as hell, and having to deploy TS anyway.
Option 2 (TS): you know it will work from the offset, but costs a bit more due to licenses that you wont be able to use in 6 months.
If you have the time to be able to spend tested, monitoring, and making sure speeds are ok across the WAN Link, you can try option 1 and if its no good, go with option 2, but if you cant spend that time, go with TS from the get go and swallow the Cost... TS Licences are all ways useful for remote working anyway.
option (VPN) 1) you get it all up and running, you test it with a few users, find its ok spend a few days making sure its stable.. once you get all 10 users, It could end up being slow as hell, and having to deploy TS anyway.
Option 2 (TS): you know it will work from the offset, but costs a bit more due to licenses that you wont be able to use in 6 months.
If you have the time to be able to spend tested, monitoring, and making sure speeds are ok across the WAN Link, you can try option 1 and if its no good, go with option 2, but if you cant spend that time, go with TS from the get go and swallow the Cost... TS Licences are all ways useful for remote working anyway.
ASKER
I agree Dave.
I am going with option 2.
Better safe than sorry :)
I am going with option 2.
Better safe than sorry :)
ASKER
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/pricing.aspx
I have gone through these also
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/client-licensing.aspx
https://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/licensing-faq.aspx#cals
really dont want to stick the client with a $750 Remote Access license bill if it can be done with $200