Terminal Services Client Access Licenses (TS CALs)

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

There are two types of Terminal Services client access licenses (TS CALs):

  • TS Per Device CALs

  • TS Per User CALs

Important

The Terminal Services licensing mode configured on a terminal server must match the type of TS CALs available on the license server. For more information, see Configuring License Settings on a Terminal Server.

When Per Device licensing mode is used, and a client computer or device connects to a terminal server for the first time, the client computer or device is issued a temporary license by default. When a client computer or device connects to a terminal server for the second time, if the license server is activated and enough TS Per Device CALs are available, the license server issues the client computer or device a permanent TS Per Device CAL.

A TS Per User CAL gives one user the right to access a terminal server from an unlimited number of client computers or devices. TS Per User CALs are not enforced by TS Licensing. As a result, client connections can occur regardless of the number of TS Per User CALs installed on the license server. This does not absolve administrators from the Microsoft Software License Terms requirements to have a valid TS Per User CAL for each user. Failure to have a TS Per User CAL for each user, if Per User licensing mode is being used, is a violation of the license terms.

To ensure that you are in compliance with the license terms, make sure that you track the number of TS Per User CALs being used in your organization and that you have a sufficient number of TS Per User CALs installed on the license server to provide a TS Per User CAL for each user that needs to connect to the terminal server.

In Windows Server 2008, you can use the TS Licensing Manager tool to track and generate reports on the issuance of TS Per User CALs. For more information, see Tracking the Issuance of Terminal Services Per User Client Access Licenses.