AdminXP.com: Licensing 1: Basic information

Licensing 1: Basic information

License - right to use programs on one or more computers. Using on more computers is called multilicense and determines on how many computers the program may be used.
Client Access Licenses (CALs). - In case of Windows 2000 server the client licenses (CAL) are bought together with the server and enable to connect x amount of computers to the server according to the amount of bought licenses. When the computer network is being extended another licenses can be bought. On purchase of licenses you obtain certificates confirming your ownership of the correspondent amount of licenses. When you exceed the amount of licenses you contravene the copyright.
License of the server - License appropriate to server product. It is a license allowing legal use of server application on one or more computers (classic license allowing use of software product). For computers accessing to the server and using the server product the client licenses must be bought! These rules are valid especially for the products of Backoffice (Windows 2000, SQL, Exchange, Site Server, SNA, SMS, Proxy). For particular products of Backoffice or for server products from another producers the rules can differ.

Two types of licensing - Per server and Per Seat

Per Server

For each connection to the server a license is required - Suitable for small firms and networks with one server. It is an appropriate way for a server that is used occasionally, e. g. in the network in which the central server functions are executed by other operating system and you need another server for limited amount of users. It is enough to buy number of licenses determining maximum number of clients using the other server.
It is an advisable solution when you are licensing some BackOffice product, because it is not necessary to use the access from all network stations (e. g. in case of SQL server)
Number of licenses defines maximum amount of concurrent connections to the server. In case you reach the appropriate amount of licenses each next connection will be denied and the user has to wait till the other user using the connection logoffs.
50 concurrent connections to the server = 50 licenses
100 concurrent connections to 2 servers = 200 licenses

Per Seat

Each computer has its own license - Suitable for bigger companies and networks with more servers with Windows 2000.
Number of licenses defining the amount of computers accessing to the server. Number of maximum amount of concurrent connections is not limited.
In case there are more users using one computer, more licenses are displayed than really used. In this case you do not have to be dread, but if you are still discomposed you can get more information in the article "10 users may not mean 10 licenses."
50 computers accessing to one server = 50 licenses
100 computers accessing to 2 and more servers = 100 licenses

For administrators who are not sure of the way of licensing the licensing "Per Server" is recommended. Terms of the license contract enable to change licensing to a workstation in case of need. In the other way you are breaking the terms of the license contract.
The most frequent used way of licensing is on "Per Seat". An exception exists - internet servers which do not require licenses for the http, nntp, ftp internet connections.