Set a preferred license server

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

By default, terminal servers communicate with license servers in the same domain. This behavior might force them to use wide area network (WAN) connections to find a license server, even if there is a license server from another domain located within the same site. By explicitly specifying a license server, you enable the crossing of domains for license tracking and accounting purposes.

If your terminal server is running Windows Server Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), you can do this by using Group Policy settings or Terminal Services Configuration, or you can use the registry or a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) script. If your terminal server is running Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 without SP1, you must use the registry or a WMI script. For information about how to use Group Policy, Terminal Services Configuration, or the registry, see the following procedures. For three scripts that you can use to set preferred license servers, delete preferred license servers, or query preferred license servers, see "Preferred License Server WMI Scripts" (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=26220) in Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server Licensing, on the Microsoft Web site.

You can set a preferred license server by doing one of the following:

• Using Group Policy (on Windows Server 2003 SP1 only)

• Using Terminal Services Configuration (on Windows Server 2003 SP1 only)

• Using the registry (on Windows Server 2003)

• Using the registry (on Windows 2000)

Using Group Policy (On Windows Server 2003 SP1 Only)

• This Group Policy setting is only available on Windows Server 2003 with SP1.

Use this procedure to configure the local Group Policy object. To change a policy for a domain or an organizational unit, you must log on as an administrator. Then, you must open Group Policy through the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in or Group Policy Management Console.

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider Using Run as to perform this procedure.

To set a preferred license server by using Group Policy (on Windows Server 2003 SP1 only)

1. Open Group Policy.

2. In Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services, double-click Use the specified Terminal Server license servers.

3. Click Enabled.

4. Enter the names of the Terminal Server license servers you want this Terminal Server to contact first when attempting to obtain client access licenses (CALs), and then click OK.

Using Terminal Services Configuration (on Windows Server 2003 SP1 Only)

This feature is available only on Windows Server 2003 with SP1, and it only affects terminal servers running Windows Server 2003 SP1. Additionally, you can only apply this setting in a domain only if you have opened the Group Policy object for editing on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 SP1 (make sure that the .adm files have been copied to the \Adm directory in the Group Policy template).

To set a preferred license server by using Terminal Services Configuration (on Windows Server 2003 SP1 only)

1. Open Terminal Services Configuration. To open Terminal Services Configuration, click Start, click Control Panel, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Terminal Services Configuration.

2. In the console tree, click Server Settings.

3. In the details pane, right-click License server discovery mode, and then click Properties.

4. Click Use these license servers, and enter the names or IP addresses of the license servers in the text box, separating them with commas.

5. Click Check names, make any necessary corrections, and click OK.

Using the Registry (on Windows Server 2003)

To set a preferred license server by using the registry (on Windows Server 2003)

1. On the license server, open Registry Editor. To open Registry Editor, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

2. Locate, and then click, the following key in the registry:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters

3. On the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type LicenseServers to name the new key.

4. Locate, and then click, the following key in the registry:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters\LicenseServers

   On the Edit menu, point to New, click Key, and then type ServerNamewhere ServerName is one of the following:

   • The FQDN of the server (for example, Server1.contoso.com)

   • The NetBIOS name of the server(for example, Server1)

   • The IP address of the server (for example, 206.73.118.1)

5. Restart your computer.

Using the Registry (on Windows 2000)

To set a preferred license server by using the registry (on Windows 2000)

1. On the license server, open Registry Editor. To open Registry Editor, click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.

2. Locate, and then click, the following key in the registry:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters

3. Add the following value:

   Name: DefaultLicenseServer

   Data type: REG_SZ

   Data value: ServerName

   Where ServerName is the NETBIOS name of the appropriate license server. If the license server is located on a remote subnet, make sure that the terminal server can resolve the NetBIOS name.

4. Restart your computer.