small business server licensing

I am trying to parse the legalese of the server licensing to determine how
many we are using and how to use them more efficiently and if we need more.

My understanding when I read the licensing agreement is that a license is
taken for every concurrent connection to the server.

When I read this I imagine that a license is constantly taken by any
computer that authenticates to the domain controller (which is the sbs with
the licenses). There are other computers that map a drive to the server, but
do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always have a
license? Because it says concurrent connections I was wondering if a
computer that has the mapped drive, but currently doesn't have any folders or
files open, will that still be taking a license?

Thanks for the thoughts in the discussion or if this needs to be in another
forum please let me know.

Just so we know what version of SBS? SBS is different in that it has both
user and device CALs and you have to manually keep track of which ones you
bought and how they are being used. How can a computer map a drive without
authenticating? The SBS 2003 server management licensing will show you how
many total licenses are installed. SBS 2008 doesn't really track licenses at
all. How can a computer map a drive without authenticating?

"icccapital" <> wrote in message
news:EEEC806F-76C9-4F8D-A91E-...
>I am trying to parse the legalese of the server licensing to determine how
> many we are using and how to use them more efficiently and if we need
> more.
>
> My understanding when I read the licensing agreement is that a license is
> taken for every concurrent connection to the server.
>
> When I read this I imagine that a license is constantly taken by any
> computer that authenticates to the domain controller (which is the sbs
> with
> the licenses). There are other computers that map a drive to the server,
> but
> do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always have a
> license? Because it says concurrent connections I was wondering if a
> computer that has the mapped drive, but currently doesn't have any folders
> or
> files open, will that still be taking a license?
>
> Thanks for the thoughts in the discussion or if this needs to be in
> another
> forum please let me know.

On 03/05/10 20:45, icccapital wrote:
> I am trying to parse the legalese of the server licensing to determine how
> many we are using and how to use them more efficiently and if we need more.
>
> My understanding when I read the licensing agreement is that a license is
> taken for every concurrent connection to the server.
>
> When I read this I imagine that a license is constantly taken by any
> computer that authenticates to the domain controller (which is the sbs with
> the licenses). There are other computers that map a drive to the server, but
> do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always have a
> license? Because it says concurrent connections I was wondering if a
> computer that has the mapped drive, but currently doesn't have any folders or
> files open, will that still be taking a license?
>
> Thanks for the thoughts in the discussion or if this needs to be in another
> forum please let me know.

The ultimate advice is to ask Microsoft licensing; preferably several
times, as you don't always get consistent answers.

But the big point to make is that licensing for the last two versions of
SBS, 2003 and 2008, is *not* based on concurrent connections. Some
software is, SBS isn't. It's based on potential connections, either by
nominated users or by nominated devices. Depending on your ratio of
users to computers and patterns of use, you choose to buy CALs of the
type you find most suitable.

But the actual type and duration of connection, and degree of
concurrency, is irrelevant. A computer or user that will at some time
need to use a resource on the SBS must be licensed continuously.

--
Joe

Thank you steve for the reply. I always forget some information when
posting. We are running SBS server 2003. And I have looked at the licensing
information offered in the tools, but it just shows the maximum at some
point. As far as how can it map without authenticating I mistyped, what I
meant was that the computer is not a member of the domain, but has a mapped
drive. So does it take a license all the time or only when that drive is
directly being accessed? Thanks

"SteveB" wrote:

> Just so we know what version of SBS? SBS is different in that it has both
> user and device CALs and you have to manually keep track of which ones you
> bought and how they are being used. How can a computer map a drive without
> authenticating? The SBS 2003 server management licensing will show you how
> many total licenses are installed. SBS 2008 doesn't really track licenses at
> all. How can a computer map a drive without authenticating?
>
> "icccapital" <> wrote in message
> news:EEEC806F-76C9-4F8D-A91E-...
> >I am trying to parse the legalese of the server licensing to determine how
> > many we are using and how to use them more efficiently and if we need
> > more.
> >
> > My understanding when I read the licensing agreement is that a license is
> > taken for every concurrent connection to the server.
> >
> > When I read this I imagine that a license is constantly taken by any
> > computer that authenticates to the domain controller (which is the sbs
> > with
> > the licenses). There are other computers that map a drive to the server,
> > but
> > do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always have a
> > license? Because it says concurrent connections I was wondering if a
> > computer that has the mapped drive, but currently doesn't have any folders
> > or
> > files open, will that still be taking a license?
> >
> > Thanks for the thoughts in the discussion or if this needs to be in
> > another
> > forum please let me know.
>
>
> .
>

For SBS 2003, a license is *assigned* to a computer or user. You haven't
mentioned whether you have user CALs or device CALs. But in the event if a
user CAL, you actually document which user (in AD) is assigned a license and
then that user can access a file share from any device (domain joined or
not) and only be using his/her license.

If you have device CALs then, similarly, you document which device has a
CAL. No device without a CAL can access SBS. *concurrent* doesn't matter.
If you plan on a device accessing SBS in a week, it needs to have a CAL
assigned.

-Cliff


"icccapital" <> wrote in message
news:2A3EECDE-1A6B-4CF1-AC4D-...
> Thank you steve for the reply. I always forget some information when
> posting. We are running SBS server 2003. And I have looked at the
> licensing
> information offered in the tools, but it just shows the maximum at some
> point. As far as how can it map without authenticating I mistyped, what I
> meant was that the computer is not a member of the domain, but has a
> mapped
> drive. So does it take a license all the time or only when that drive is
> directly being accessed? Thanks
>
> "SteveB" wrote:
>
>> Just so we know what version of SBS? SBS is different in that it has both
>> user and device CALs and you have to manually keep track of which ones
>> you
>> bought and how they are being used. How can a computer map a drive
>> without
>> authenticating? The SBS 2003 server management licensing will show you
>> how
>> many total licenses are installed. SBS 2008 doesn't really track licenses
>> at
>> all. How can a computer map a drive without authenticating?
>>
>> "icccapital" <> wrote in message
>> news:EEEC806F-76C9-4F8D-A91E-...
>> >I am trying to parse the legalese of the server licensing to determine
>> >how
>> > many we are using and how to use them more efficiently and if we need
>> > more.
>> >
>> > My understanding when I read the licensing agreement is that a license
>> > is
>> > taken for every concurrent connection to the server.
>> >
>> > When I read this I imagine that a license is constantly taken by any
>> > computer that authenticates to the domain controller (which is the sbs
>> > with
>> > the licenses). There are other computers that map a drive to the
>> > server,
>> > but
>> > do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always
>> > have a
>> > license? Because it says concurrent connections I was wondering if a
>> > computer that has the mapped drive, but currently doesn't have any
>> > folders
>> > or
>> > files open, will that still be taking a license?
>> >
>> > Thanks for the thoughts in the discussion or if this needs to be in
>> > another
>> > forum please let me know.
>>
>>
>> .
>>

In article <EEEC806F-76C9-4F8D-A91E->,
says...
> There are other computers that map a drive to the server, but
> do not authenticate to the domain, so my question is do they always have a
> license?
>

If a computer "Maps a drive to the server" then it's authenticating with
the server.

--
You can't trust your best friends, your five senses, only the little
voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
(remove 999 for proper email address)