Licensing/CALs

[E1Designs]

Quick question. If I have a NAS device, that does not require CALs does it as it is running Windows 2003 Storage.

Secondly, if I have a Windows 2003 box with user shares on it, do I need a CAL for every user accessing this server?

Also, if I have a Windows 2003 server running Exchange 2003, that requires Windows CALs only, nothing to do with Exchange correct?

Also have ACT! on a Windows 2003 server, am I assumgin that with every use that access that SQL ACT! database we need a CAL?

Thanks!!!

 

[dberg35]

As for the NAS no CAL is needed, but depending on how you set up the server either per seat or per server. If you did it per seat the you will need a call for every pc connecting to it. As for the rest of your questions I am not sure. A good resource for answers is CDW. When ever I have questions I call my rep there and she can get me some kind of answer and best of all it is free, that is if your company has an account with them.

 

[AllUserNamesAreTaken]

Regarding Cals:

I have Exchange 2003 Server with 31 users running on 1 Windows 2003 Box.

I had to purchase 31 CAL's (for Exchange licencing) and 1 Windows 2003 Server Licence.

The Exchange CAL's also licence each user to install Outlook 2003 on their machines and also licence them for Outlook Web Access. You can ask your reseller for a Outlook 2003 disk free of charge when you purchase Exchange 2003.

Okay, so now that's cleared up;

Say each of my 31 users, 20 of them run XP, and 11 run 2000 Pro:

I still need to purchase 20 XP licences and 11 2000 Pro licences.

Be careful with SQL databases - You have to purchase a set amount licence for SQL, so when you install it, you install either a "10 licence" SQL database, or "20 licence database" etc.

Saying all that, you can lease your licences from Microsoft if you want, yes, lease them!

When you lease your licences, that entitles you to any upgrades for that product.

Ok; for example, say Exchange 2003 with 31 users just cost you £6,000 for Licences.

You can lease the 31 CAL licences for around $3,000 per year PLUS tax benefits (which is around 40% in the UK) so it works out pretty well. Also, if Exchange 2007 came out on the market tomorrow, you'd be entitled to upgrade, for free.

 

[captaincrunch00]

Call 1-800-MICROSOFT and ask them.
Get whatever they say in writing.

Dont ask us, ask the people who actually set the rules.

That being said:
The NAS: No CAL is needed

2003 File Server: You need CALs for as many people are hitting that server at a time.

2003 Exchange Server: You need Exchange mailbox licenses for each mailbox created on that server. Get those, then your users can connect to it legally.

SQL: You'll need a license for every user that connects to it.

Call Microsoft at the above number, dont ask us, just be sure to get it in writing from them so the auditors cant yell at you.

 

[E1Designs]

Thanks everyone for the overwhelming feedback!!!

 

[E1Designs]

Hey everyone...one more question. Got some info from Microsoft about a per server basis. I do not think there is any licensing manager or anything to that effect set up. how would I begin this process? Any good tutorials or documents someone could point me to?