Microsoft Windows RDP Cal Question

[swain90]

Hi All,

Hopefully a simple question to answer...

We have a Server which would require at anyone one time, a maximum of 4 users to login due to shift patterns.

There are a total of 8 users, each user has their own laptop from which they would be remoting into the Server from.

Users 1 - 4 would be logged in between 08:00 - 20:00 and Users 5 - 8 would be 20:00 - 08:00.

Reading around online it doesn't really cover this scenario. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Swain90

 

[Armageus]

From what I can see there is no concurrency aspect to RDS CALs, so you'd need either 8 device CALs or 8 user CALs

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...te-desktop-services/rds-client-access-license

(If the two shifts shared the same laptops - i.e. 4 laptops total, then you could get away with 4 Device CALs)

 

[On Holiday]

If it's a server then you only need 4 RDS CALS. You get two included so only need 2 extra and they can be legitimately very cheap. Is your server on-prem or hosted in a datacentre? Who do you pay the Windows licence to or is it owned?

 

[#Chri5#]

If it's a server then you only need 4 RDS CALS. You get two included so only need 2 extra and they can be legitimately very cheap. Is your server on-prem or hosted in a datacentre? Who do you pay the Windows licence to or is it owned?

Has the licensed changed then? My memory says the 2 included RDS "CALS" were for remote administration of the server, not general user use. Without reading the RDS license doc's again, I would agree with the post from @Armageus

 

[On Holiday]

Has the licensed changed then? My memory says the 2 included RDS "CALS" were for remote administration of the server, not general user use. Without reading the RDS license doc's again, I would agree with the post from @Armageus

Ah yes that's right! I'm used to dealing with customers that have all Administrator-privilege accounts so had overlooked that.

4 simultaneous RDP connections only requires 4 RDS CALs in total to work and let you in, no matter the different usernames or devices connecting to it specifically.

 

[#Chri5#]

4 simultaneous RDP connections only requires 4 RDS CALs in total to work and let you in, no matter the different usernames or devices connecting to it specifically.

That implies concurrency but, again AFAIK, you either license individual users (so 8 users) or devices (8 devices as the OP hasn't marked them as being shared).

 

[swain90]

Thanks for the replies people.

Just to confirm the server is owned by the business and for other licenses we usually go through an IT supplier, e.g. Insight.

It sounds like then for my requirements as there's a 1:1 mapping between user and device it doesn't really matter which license I order?

 

[Armageus]

It sounds like then for my requirements as there's a 1:1 mapping between user and device it doesn't really matter which license I order?

Doesn't matter much imo, but personally would go Device as not sure you can mix/match. Device gives you the option to "hot-desk" devices down the road if anything changes (i.e. more than 1 user to a device, e.g. different use on different days/time of the week)

 

[Nikumba]

I think you need 8, as when a licence is assigned its kept by that user for about a month when I looked our out RDS licence box. So while you would only have 4 users at a time, once the first 4 have logged on then technically there are no licences for the other 4 users, is my understanding

 

[Euphoria]

You will need a user cal for whoever is logging into the server. 8 users = 8 cals.
In this scenario user cals seem far easier to manage than device, as users computers may break etc and you will end up buying another until the old one drops off.
Whoever mentioned the 2 free user licenses with the server is incorrect. if you had 4 users you would need 4 cals NOT 2 cals. the 2 users you are referring too are admin users