Terminal Server 4 User CALs but.... 1

[NightSkull]

Hi there all!

We have a Windows 2003 Server that is not a DC but joined to a domain. We installed Terminal License Server in a domain/workgroup environment and activated 4 User CALs. At this same machine, Terminal Server is installed. In TS Configuration, Licensing is already set Per User, Active Desktop is Disabled. Users have been defined local (ex. User1, User2, etc.) and have been given Member Of Admin, Terminal Server Computers and Users. The actual plan is to run a 3rd-party application thru TS.

Problem is when one logins from a Windows XP Pro workstation using Active Desktop and use User1 to login, User1 is being given a Temporary License for Windows Server 2003 - Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token (as according to the Terminal Server Licensing Window) and not the Terminal Server Per User CAL Token. Why is that?

Because of this, the application cannot be run. How do you specify connecting to use the CAL Token whereas it has already been configured as per User?

Anything that I missed out? Or something configured incorrectly? Please help!

 

[markdmac]

Temp licenses are always issued first. The user will then be issued one of your other liceses when the temp one expires.

The type of CAL should have no bearing on your application. The license merely authorizes the use of the server, not the type of use. Your problem has to be with the application.

Did you install the application AFTER addding Terminal Services or BEFORE? You need to reinstall the application if it was installed BEFORE. You will also need to make sure that you install it byu going through Control Panel Add/Remove Programs for the program to be setup correctly with Terminal Services use. Just running the setup.exe won't do that.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NightSkull]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the advice, I'll try it out and have the vendor re-install the application. Will share with you what happens.

Just another question though, when I tried the user's ID again and checked the TSL, according to the Temporary License that the certificates would expire 1 month later. Is this still normal?

Regards,

Mike

 

[markdmac]

Yes, that is normal.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NightSkull]

Hi Mark!

You are right! Re-installing the application did it. Now it is working fine!

Thanks!

 

[markdmac]

Thanks for the follow up.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NightSkull]

Hi,

Now I got another problem, since the above scenario went OK (thanks to Markdmac!). Our company deployed the other 12 Windows 2003 Server. And these 12 would be another 12 Terminal Servers. Ok, so I hardcoded the machine's address in the registry of these 12 new servers using Microsoft's Article 279561 How to override the license server discovery process. And vendor installs the application after I did the terminal server.

As a test, I logged in from an XP workstation to TS Server 2 and ran the application and it works fine. Then in another workstation, a colleague logged in there to TS Server 3, and so on. Everything worked fine until we finished testing all the servers yesterday.

However, just this morning, when I tried to login to one of the TS Server, I was able to get in though but when I tried running the application I am getting a message "The maximum number of workstation is reached. This workstation cannot run." I even tried it on the License Server itself (that has a TS also) and also the same problem.

I checked the TS Licensing plug-in. The Windows Server 2003-Terminal Server Per User CAL Token - Total 4 - Available 4 - Issued 0.

Temporary Licenses for Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Per Device CAL Token - Issued 12.

What has happened? It seemed like the licenses where used up but didn't indicated in the plug-in. What can I check/do? Does it got to do something with the Temporary License?

Please help. Thanks In Advance!

 

[markdmac]

Need to better understand where you are getting that error. Are you getting it conencting to the TS or to the application? Does the application have a limit on user licenses?

What is the application, might help in understanding the problem.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NightSkull]

Hi again Mark,

Users can get thru TS, but once they ran the application the error occurs. The application is a third-party application from France and a laboratory information system.

Vendor said the application is dependent on the number of TS CAL license we have. In this case 4 User CALS for now. The strange thing is no one else uses it as we are still on a test phase and yet the licenses suddenly been used up. We swore that we log-off the application properly when we where testing.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[markdmac]

You will need to check with your application vendor. Just because you logged off does not mean that the application isn't seeing the licenses used up. If your test users connected from each server and were issued temp licenses which are per machine licenses, then those licenses have been permanently associated with those servers. Another user connecting will have a different license issued, hence a fifth license.

By the sound of it the way they are implementing the security for licenses is crappy. You might be able to convince the vendor to issue you double your paid for licenses if you explain this to them. When testing int he future, do so as the users who will be using the application to ensure the registered licenses are issued to the correct users.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[NightSkull]

Thanks Mark,

Really looks like an application problem this time. Big thanks for your advice. Really appreciated it!