Windows Terminal License Server

[w33mhz]

Can a Terminal License Server setup on a W2k3 domain controller issue licenses for W2k term servers ? I want to up grade my domain to fully W2K3 Domain, but not upgrade my W2K term servers to W2K3 quite yet.

 

[Davetoo]

Yes

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[w33mhz]

ok so even if the license say Win2k3 they will work for Win2k?

 

[Davetoo]

Yes.

And no matter how many different ways you reiterate the same question, just assume I answer "Yes" to those as well.

Thanks.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[kmcferrin]

The one potential catch is that Windows 2000 Terminal Server CALs were included with XP and 2000 Pro, whereas Windows 2003 Terminal Server CALs are not and have to be purchased separately. I don't know if the TS Licensing server that is part of 2003 is smart enough to distinguish between a TS in App mode on 2000 versus a TS in App mode on 2003, in which case you may need new CALs.

Anyone know for sure?

 

[w33mhz]

I know that if I install the licenses on a 2000 TS License Server, they will show up as 2000 CALs, and I know that I install that same license on a 2003 TS License Server, it will show up as 2003 CALs. Thus, my dilema, but as Davetoo states he will say yes to that because this is basicly a reiteration of the same question.
I am try to get around the whole buisness of buy more CALs, for the time being. I do know that the CALs are interchangable, my hang up is that (its pretty mundane)it says that it is a 2003 CAL not a 2000/2003 CAL.

 

[kmcferrin]

Microsoft licenses are always allowed to be downgraded. CALs and Volume licenses for 2003 Server are good for 2000 as well, same goes with Exchange 2003 and 2000.

The only reason that I asked my question was because if you had a purely Win2K Terminal Server environment and all of your clients were Win2K Pro/XP Pro, then you didn't have to buy any CALs. But if your Terminal Server environment was based on 2003 Server then you would have to buy CALs. So the question I had was whether the licensing server determined what kind of CALs you needed or if the Terminal Server itself did. Assuming that you can run a mixed environment with a 2003 Licensing Server and a 2000 Terminal Server to begin with.

 

[Davetoo]

Well, I must admit I love questions that make me go look...and in this case it appears I might be wrong.

When browsing through

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823313

it appears you'll need to keep a W2K License server up and running and point your W2K TS's to that server for licensing.

Interesting that MS didn't make the license server smart enough to detect if the server requesting it is W2K or W2K3. Then again, the license server in W2K3 is "broke" anyway as it will not register in per seat mode nor will it prevent access after 120 days. Go figure.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[w33mhz]

Well I did read the article and others within it, and this is what I found:

Under the old licensing model with desktop operating system equivalency, only operating systems with the same version number (or later version number) of the corresponding version of server operating system qualified to be the equivalent of a TS CAL—for example, a Windows NT 4.0 workstation connecting to a Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server, or a Windows 2000 Professional desktop connecting to a Windows 2000 Terminal Server. Even if desktop equivalency had not been removed for Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Professional desktops would still have to have had a Windows Server 2003 TS CAL to connect to a Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server, and as such, the transition plan focuses on Windows XP Professional licensees.

So that pretty much tells me that I have to upgrade my TS servers as well, if I wish to upgrade my domain to a W2K3 domain. Because of the fact that I will need to have W2K3 Terminal Service Server licenses as well.

Well I appriciate your comments Davetoo and kmcferrin you both have me steered in the right direction. It is a rather disappointing outcome for me, but THX.

 

[kmcferrin]

I thought that it might be something like that. At my last employer we ran a Win2K TS and Licensing server, and one of the things that held us back from upgrading was that we would need to spend a TON of money on TS CALs.

Unfortunately, Win2K isn't going to be around that much longer so eventually you'll have to bite the bullet.

 

[Roadki11]

You will probably need to call the MS Clearing House for this. Sorry if this gets long winded as its been many years since i set this up. My TS license server is on a 2k3 domain controller, i have several 2k3 TS's and several 2k TS's. In the TS license manager snapin i have a container for 2k TS tokens and several containers for 2k3 TS tokens. I have several 2k3 containers because i purchased 2k3 TS licenses at different times. If memory serves me, i had to call the Clearing House and they walked me through registering the 2k license container for "free". The reason for this is that under the 2k TS license agreement you in essence get a "free" TS access CAL for 2k and xp pro workstation when connecting to a 2k TS. So when a pc connects to a 2k TS it gets a 2k token(for free so to speak) and they never expire, if they connect to a 2k3 TS they get a 2k3 token that does expire. Hope i havent added to the confusion here.

RoadKi11