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2008 RDS Single CAL and Downgrade Options
2008 RDS Single CAL and Downgrade Options
- I've read the blog post here: http://blogs.msdn.com/rds/archive/2009/10/22/rds-cal-single-pack-now-available-in-retail-channel.aspx about being able to buy a single RDS CAL, but I can't find a part number for it anywhere. My normal reseller for MS CALs is insisting that Microsoft is telling them that you must have a volume license agreement to buy a single RDS CAL. Anyone know the retail part number for a single device RDS CAL? Or does anyone know of a list of part number for all the RDS CAL options available?
The other part of my questions is whether or not the single CAL can be downgraded and installed on a Server 2003 TS License server. I haven't been able to find anything that addresses that issue specifically, only a KB article in the link above that talks about a hotfix for Server 2008 and a single CAL.
Answers
- Hi,
Here are the part numbers for the retail single packs:
Part# 6VC-00025 2008 R2 RDS Per-User CAL
Part# 6VC-00101 2008 R2 RDS Per-Device CAL
It does not matter that much if Microsoft creates a hotfix for 2003 or not because there is no need for you to install the CAL on your 2003 servers to be compliant with the EULA. In order to comply with the license agreement, simply purchase the required number of CALs. Once you have the CALs, set the TS license mode on your 2003 servers to Per User in Terminal Services Configuration (tscc.msc).
You still need to install TS Licensing server as well as activate it, but it is not mandatory to install any licenses, even if you purchased Per Device, so long as you set your TS licensing mode to Per User.
I would be surprised if the single CAL packs did not provide downgrade rights, however, I have not read the EULA for them so I cannot tell you for sure. If they did not allow downgrade it would go against the pattern they follow for almost all similar licenses.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks.
-TP
All Replies
- telero,
I called the ms support team at: 800-426-9400. This is what I was told:
Right now they can confirm that you can purchase the RDS single CAL through Volume licensing. You must have an active and volume license agreement to do this. If you don't have an active volume license agreement, you van get one by purchasing 5 licenses (they don't have to be RDS related, could be office etc).
The part numbers for the single RDS CAL are:
device: 6vc-01161, $81
user: 6vc-01164, $81
I am getting a call back in the next 24 hours from Microsoft Corporate Licensing the confirm whether or not the single RDS CAL can be purchased from retail / OEM.
I also put in a call to some major distributors. More to come on what I find out...
Hope this helps,
Kristin L. Griffin
Co-Author of the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit (and a SUPER BIG fan of the Microsoft RDV Team!!!) - well the info I got back was not 100% conclusive, but here is what Microsoft said:
Remote Desktop Cals are available via Volume Licensing;
Windows Remote Desktop Services – Open Business;
6VC-01161
WinRmtDsktpSrvcsCAL 2008 SNGL OLP NL DvcCAL
2008
Non-specific
Standard
Non-specific
No Level
0
81.00
Win Rmt Dsktp Svcs CAL
Single Language
OPEN
Servers
6VC-01164
WinRmtDsktpSrvcsCAL 2008 SNGL OLP NL UsrCAL
2008
Non-specific
Standard
Non-specific
No Level
0
81.00
Win Rmt Dsktp Svcs CAL
Single Language
OPEN
Servers
- We could not locate anything on OEM.
I also called Dell, and they too only offer the single RDS user or device CAL as VL. Their part numbers are:
A3064818 = RDS SINGLE USER CAL
A3064438 = RDS SINGLE DEVICE CAL
Hope this helps,
Kristin L. Griffin
Co-Author of the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit (and a SUPER BIG fan of the Microsoft RDV Team!!!)- Proposed As Answer byKristin L. GriffinMVP, ModeratorWednesday, November 04, 2009 11:30 PM
- We could not locate anything on OEM.
- Thanks for the investigation so far. The blog entry I referenced in my initial post is only a couple weeks old, so maybe all the information isn't out to the resellers yet. It'd be nice if Silvia (the blog entry author) could chime in. I hope she frequents the forum.
- Single CAL Pack is available in the Retail Channel. With VL, you could buy Single CAL pack previously also. The blog is specific about Retial Channel only.
About the downgrade options, I am not sure. I will confirm with one of the concerned person and update the thread...
Thanks for your patience.
Silvia
Remote Desktop Services Team Blog: http://www.blogs.msdn.com/rds- Proposed As Answer bySilvia Doomra [MSFT]MSFTThursday, November 05, 2009 5:36 AM
- Hi Silvia,
What is the Microsoft Part#/SKU for the Retail Single CAL Pack? Major resellers do not have it in their databases at the moment, which is what triggered the original question.
Thanks.
-TP - Thanks for confirming again that this is a retail license and not volume. I was 99.999% sure that it was, but several people told me it was only for VL (even with the reference to the blog entry). As TP mentioned in reply, a part number would be nice as it could give the resellers something to look for.
And thanks for checking on the downgrade option as well. It looked like there was a hotfix specific to making the single CAL work on a 2008 TS License server, so if downgrading to 2003 is possible I'm wondering how it would work on a 2003 TS License server. - If need be you could always put up a 2008 license server and it will automatically downgrade the licenses for you so they can be used in 2003.
- Jeff, I had considered an additional system for the license server as well, but I'm going to end up with 2 somewhat isolated control systems that would each need additional hardware and OS. Due to space constraints as well as costs, I'd prefer to be able to run the the license server on the terminal server, which has to be 2003 in this case.
- Silvia,
Can you please point people to where they can actually buy this product? Microsof Corp Sales has no retail SKU for it, and I checked with Dell (a big reseller) and they don't either. So who does?
Thanks!
Hope this helps,
Kristin L. Griffin
Co-Author of the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit (and a SUPER BIG fan of the Microsoft RDV Team!!!) - Update on the Single CAL Pack downgrade option:
You can't downgrade the Windows Server 2008 Single CAL Pack to Windows Server 2003 one as Windows Server 2003 Single CAL Pack is not supported.
Hope that helps!
Thanks
Silvia
Remote Desktop Services Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/rds- Proposed As Answer bySilvia Doomra [MSFT]MSFTFriday, November 06, 2009 9:55 AM
- Unproposed As Answer bytelero Friday, November 06, 2009 3:19 PM
- Still no update on a part number?
And a continuation on the 2008 -> 2003 single CAL issue:
Does 2003 not support single CALs at all? Even after purchasing a VL 5 pack minimum? I thought that it could, whether it was previously purchased as a 2003 TSCAL or as a downgraded 2008 RDS CAL. If it can do a single CAL after a 5 pack, why would there be a limitation on doing a single CAL without a 5 pack? I thought it was more of a policy issue than anything else, one that seems to have been changed due to the fact that the single RDS CAL is now being offered at retail without a previous 5 pack. - Silvia,
Can you give us the Microsoft part number and a vendor we can get this through? People are having a hard time finding it retail.
Kristin L. Griffin
Co-Author of the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit (and a SUPER BIG fan of the Microsoft RDV Team!!!) - I am following up with the concerned person and will update the thread once I get any response.
Thanks
Silvia
Remote Desktop Services Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/rds Hi,
Yes, 2003 supports installing single TS CALs if you are using a volume license program.
The TS install licenses wizard has always supported a variable number of CALs for volume licensing programs. When you install a volume TS CAL the wizard prompts you for the number of CALs to install. The retail packs are different--I believe the wizard was hard-coded to know that retail packs come in 5 or 20 quantities.
If you think about it for a moment, it makes logical sense. With a volume license purchase, the customer could purchase 1-xxxx licenses, so the wizard needed to have the ability to add a variable number of TS CALs. The other thing to remember is that the customer may not want to install all of their purchased volume TS CALs on a single TS licensing server, so that need is met as well by giving the customer the ability to enter the number of CALs to install.
The situation with the retail packs is different. When the wizard was developed it was known that retail packs would only be available in certain quantities. There was no single CAL retail pack at the time.
Now does it make sense why a hotfix was needed in order for 2008 to support single CAL packs?
I do not think you will be able to install a single CAL Retail pack on a 2003 TS Licensing server, unless Microsoft releases a hotfix for 2003. It may be possible if you connected to a 2003 TS Licensing server using the hotfix version of the 2008 TS Licensing Manager.
Thanks.
-TP- Proposed As Answer byTP [] Monday, November 09, 2009 2:16 PM
- That does make sense about 2003 not being able to suppor the single TS CAL retail packs (as of now), since it actually is a hotfix on 2008 that allows it.
I'm fairly certain that I saw mentioned that TS CALs could be downgraded from 2008 to 2003, even with the retail versions. I can't find that reference any more, I just keep finding references to check the EULA for the particular retail (FPP) license to find the details of downgrade rights. I can't seem to find the EULA for the TS/RDS CALs.
If it turns out that downgrade rights are granted to retail TS/RDS CALs, and there isn't an exception to the single CAL pack, the real question then becomes will Microsoft create a hotfix for 2003 that allows the single retail pack? - Hi,
Here are the part numbers for the retail single packs:
Part# 6VC-00025 2008 R2 RDS Per-User CAL
Part# 6VC-00101 2008 R2 RDS Per-Device CAL
It does not matter that much if Microsoft creates a hotfix for 2003 or not because there is no need for you to install the CAL on your 2003 servers to be compliant with the EULA. In order to comply with the license agreement, simply purchase the required number of CALs. Once you have the CALs, set the TS license mode on your 2003 servers to Per User in Terminal Services Configuration (tscc.msc).
You still need to install TS Licensing server as well as activate it, but it is not mandatory to install any licenses, even if you purchased Per Device, so long as you set your TS licensing mode to Per User.
I would be surprised if the single CAL packs did not provide downgrade rights, however, I have not read the EULA for them so I cannot tell you for sure. If they did not allow downgrade it would go against the pattern they follow for almost all similar licenses.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks.
-TP
