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LICENCING ISSUES - SBS 2011 CALS / WINDOWS SERVER + EXCHANGE CALS

Anyone who can give me a definitive answer on this much appreciated!

I have a customer who has SBS 2011. Microsoft are performing their usual pain in the a** audit.

They are currently under licenced for SBS 2011 cals but they will be looking to upgrade their server in the very near future to Windows Server 2012 standard and Exchange 2013 / 2016 standard.

Obviously no point in buying the shortfall of SBS cals as they are no good for the upgraded system. If they purchase 2012 server + 2016 exchange cals on open licence, will this cover them for the shortfall on the current SBS and more importantly, not have to re-purchase when the upgrade happens?

Logically, I would say it should as they are more expensive and Microsoft have a way of getting more money out of people but I assume not as they are completely different products!

Any advice appreciated.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Cliff Galiher

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Lee W, MVP

Make sure it's a real audit. There have been a lot of what I'll call "Marketing" audits lately where they're trying to push Office 365 and if you ask them if it's a mandatory or required audit, they may say no.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't be licensed. Get the CALs you need to be compliant and continue using SBS.

Theft is theft - if it was an honest mistake not buying the CALs for the last 2 years (or even 6 months, for example), then you should have - you're not "saving money" by not buying them and upgrading - you're stealing rights until you decide to upgrade. You would be, at best/worst, delaying the payment.

Your perspective may vary... that's mine.

dleckenby

ASKER

It has been a genuine mistake (customer has added extra external users for email accounts and we were not made aware), we are not recommending our customers steal the rights, I was merely pointing out that if we are purchasing licences (that we have to) and the full product cals (both server and exchange) would cover them for sbs then obviously this is the way to go to save buying sbs now and then the others sometime soon.

Thanks for the input

dleckenby

ASKER

Thanks for clarification, thought so, just trying to get a straight answer from Microsoft is sometimes impossible!