Change the Terminal Server Licensing mode

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

When there is a mismatch between the Terminal Server Licensing mode configuration on the terminal server and the configuration on the license server, remote sessions can be disconnected prematurely. You can resolve this problem by making sure that the Terminal Server licensing mode on the terminal server matches the type of licenses installed on the license server. This procedure describes how to change the Terminal Server Licensing mode from Per Device to Per User.

Important

Per User CALs are not enforced by Terminal Server. As a result, client connections can occur regardless of the number of licenses installed. This does not remove administrators from End User License Agreement (EULA) requirements to have a valid terminal server CAL for each user, however. Failure to have a Per User CAL for each user, if Per Device CALs are not being used, is a violation of the EULA. To ensure that you are in compliance with the EULA, make sure that you track the number of Per User licenses being used in your organization and that you have a sufficient number of licenses to provide a Per User CAL for each user.

The following text is from the EULA for Windows ServerĀ 2003:

"Two different TS CALs are available to you: 'Device' and 'User.' Each TS Device CAL permits one Device (used by any User) to conduct Windows Sessions on any of your Servers. Each TS User CAL permits one User (using any Device) to conduct Windows Sessions on any of your Servers. You may use a mix of TS Device CALs and TS User CALs simultaneously with the Server Software in your environment. You can have a Terminal Server request Per User licenses or Per Device (default) but not both simultaneously."

You can change the Terminal Server Licensing mode from Per Device to Per User by doing one of the following:

  1. Using Group Policy

Using Terminal Services Configuration

By default, when the Per Device licensing mode is used, after a client logs and authenticates to a terminal server for the first time, and after the terminal server locates a license server, the terminal server issues the client a temporary license. After a client logs on and authenticates to a terminal server for the second time, if the license server is activated and at least one Per Device CAL is installed on the license server and not yet issued, the terminal server issues the client a permanent, Per Device CAL. Per User CALs, however, are not enforced. Additionally, if you use the Per User licensing mode, when a client logs on to a terminal server for the second time, the temporary license is not upgraded to a permanent CAL.

Using Group Policy

When you use Group Policy to configure the Terminal Server Licensing mode, note that Group Policy overrides the configuration set with the Terminal Services Configuration tool, and that this Group Policy setting is only available on Windows Server 2003 with Service PackĀ 1.

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, and then open Group Policy by using the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. For ease of administration, it is recommended that you assign all terminal servers using the same license server to a single organizational unit (OU). Doing this enables you to create and assign a single policy to configure and manage these servers, rather than configuring each manually.

Important

You should thoroughly test any changes you make to Group Policy settings before applying them to users or computers.

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 change the Terminal Server Licensing mode to Per User (using Group Policy)

  1. Open Group Policy.

  2. In Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Terminal Services, double-click Terminal Server Licensing Mode.

  3. Click Enabled.

  4. Click Per User, and then click OK.

Using Terminal Services Configuration

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 change the Terminal Server Licensing mode to Per User (Using Group Policy)

  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 Licensing Mode, and then click Properties.

  4. Select Per User, and then click OK.