Terminal server license 2

[integrator1]

Hello All,
I am working a contract at a small company that recently laid off a couple main administrators and now they are experiencing problems with Citrix. The company has a remote office connected by T1 with PC's running Citrix Metaframe. I have been presented with two PC's that are notifying the user that their temporary terminal server licenses are expiring in 4 days. This happens when the ICA client fires up. I have been asked to look into this (I have no Citrix experience). I do understand what Citrix is and how its used on an architectural aspect but no administration. The clients are running on NT 4.0 workstation and Win98. Where can I get another temporary license to limp them along until I find out how to fix it or what can I do here? I do not see any terminal services service running on the Win98 machine and I do not know what this message is being spawned from. Can someone HELPPPPP?

Thanks in Advance,
Integrator1

 

[Hof]

Are you running NT4 TSE or W2k TS on the Citrix servers? It sounds like it is W2k. The error message problably comes from the Terminal Services Licensing service. Which in W2k environment issues temporary Microsoft TS CALs if you haven't purchaced enough CALs for NT4 and Win9x clients. If you run W2k professional or Windows XP on the clients they have the TS CAL builtin so there you don't have to buy additional CALs (Client Access Licenses). You should check how many TS CALs that have been bought and how many are used on your Terminal Services Licensing server (which could be one of the MeteaFrame servers). To solve the problem you need to buy more CALs or upgrade your clients to W2k pro (or XP).
Hope this helps

 

[Guest_imported]

I've also run across machines that have been rebuild and take up a CAL license twice. If this is the case you can call Microsoft Clearing House and re-issue a block of licenses. I think their phone number is listed on the license server but can't remember exactly where it is located. If you need the number I can find it and add it to this reply later. You will need you original CAL purchase paperwork so they can get the number off it to re-issue.

I think Windows 2k and 2k pro are the only OS's that have built in CAL's as mentioned above.

 

[mjbrown]

Windows XP also have built in TS CAL's. There is a Hot Fix for the client taking up 2 CAL's on Microsoft's site. It is part of the Security Rollup Package. This adds a timer to the CAL's that will return them to the license server pool afetr so many days (random from 52-89 days). Mike Brown CCA

 

[integrator1]

TS CALs,
Thanks for the information. I called Microsoft and found out that if a PC is running Win2k then TS licenses are paid for as part of the operating system license and you can connect to the TS without CALs. If the PC is running less than XP or Win2K, you have to buy CALs. It has been a learning experience to say the least and I appreciate everyone's help here. We got it working again. I now know alot more about it and can be a better admin to my client.

Thanks Again,
Integrator1

 

[mjbrown]

I submitted a FAQ in this area in regards to licencing. I spent a couple weeks on creating it (and as you said, it's a learning experience). Check it out and let me know what you think.
If you have any other problems with Citrix, post it here, I have yet to find a more helpful, non-condescending group of people in any other forums... Mike Brown CCA