Dolphin Handheld Question 1

[mattjurado]

This looks like the best forum to post this. I have a question. I have 10 Dolphin handheld's from HHP. Using the terminal services client to access an application server. The server is Windows 2003. I'm curious if anyone knows how the licensing works on these guys. I don't see the handhelds in my license manager (actually, I only see one, the first one I setup, so perhaps when I copied the IPSM folder to each subsequent device, the terminal server sees them all as the same unit???). Any info would be helpful.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[stussy]

Hi Matt

I use 5 of the Dolphin 9550's off a 2000 terminal server in app mode. Like you, the licensing never seems to make sense for me. Have you looked at 'temporary' licenses in the licensing manager? The bulk of my licences are always there, rather than in the proper TS Cals section. One thing I would say - if you ever have problems logging the Dolphin on, check the event viewer for 'failed to issue a client license' errors - you can normally fix this by deleting the registry key on the Dolphin, and forcing it to get a new licence.

This guy has a great TS section - loads of good info:

http://ts.veranoest.net/

HTH

Mike

 

[mattjurado]

Yes, I have looked at the temporary section too. Nothing there. Just the one IP address of the first handheld I setup. Again, I suspect that because I have copied the IPSM folder and the registry file to each device, that the terminal server may believe they are all one unit. Thanks for the info.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[stussy]

Interesting, not that I would advocate piracy, but that would seem to be a very simple get around for running more clients than cals available! Would have thought MS would have been on top of that!

 

[mattjurado]

Then you will like this one. The vendor that sold us the Dolphins has been in contact with Microsoft on TS Licensing, and he was told that they have no means of controlling the Per User CALs at all. Couple that with the fact that you can call and say you need to free up device CALs, and they will just give you more (if you say the hard drives failed). They have a lot of loopholes they need to work out with their TS Licensing.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[dput]

Of course, since people have traditionally taken advantage of loopholes in licensing, we ocassionally get drastic schemes to protect licensing that cause operations nightmares. I have always taken the attititude that we will stay within our licenses. If everyone did, life would be easier.

Dan

 

[stussy]

We have 5 dolphins and 5 TS licenses. It seems to me that on the one hand MS makes a huge noise about the amount they lose through unlicensed software, and yet despite TS licensing being so convoluted, Matt's supplier can tell him that MS have no control over it. I don't think either of us were suggesting it was a good idea.

How can SBS (and XP for that matter, witness the number of people with problems when they try and run an XP machine as a server) be so efficient at telling you when you've maxed out on connections, and yet TS can't manage it?

 

[mattjurado]

Yes I am not advocating using what I have learned as a loophole around purchasing the correct licenses, but it is amazing that they have no method of monitoring the TS Per User CALs, just as stussy points out the fuss MS makes about unlicensed software.

Anyways, back on topic...

I did verify it is something in the registry that if duplicated from handheld to handheld, the TS server will see any and all Pocket OS devices as the same hardware, thus decrementing your license count by one (so if you duplicate the registry to 100 handhelds, only 1 license will be shown in use in your TS License Manager). I spoke with MS yesterday, I tried changing the Device ID, and of course the handhelds had unique IP addresses, same thing. We deleted the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSLicensing key in the registry. Reconnected to the Terminal Server, and the key was recreated, but still nothing in my license manager. So I ran this test on one handheld.

I renamed my registry backup file from one of my handhelds to .old (which just makes it unusable to Windows). I then performed a cold reboot (which wipes out all of my settings from the registry). I then reconfigured the IP settings and
wireless settings for the handheld. When I connected
to the terminal server now, I now see that a temporary
CAL was issued to my newly assigned IP! So there is
something in the registry that was duplicated to all
of my handhelds, that the TS Licensing thinks they are
all one unit. Funny thing is that after connecting
10-20 times, it would not issue me a permanent
license. So, I renamed my registry backup file to
what it should be, and cold booted. This restored all
of my registry settings the way they originally were.

I still don't know what it is in the registry that was causing this behavior, and I'm not quite sure why I was only getting a temp license when I ran the above mentioned test. But at least now I am comfortable that the units are using a permanent license, so I won't have connectivity issues after 90 or 120 days, whatever the grace period is from MS on 2003 terminal server.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.