Event ID 81 — Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) Availability

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

When a client—either a user or a device—connects to a Remote Destkop Session Host server, the RD Session Host server determines if a Remote Desktop Services client access license (RDS CAL) is needed. The RD Session Host server then requests an RDS CAL from a Remote Desktop license server on behalf of the client attempting to connect to the RD Session Host server. If an appropriate RDS CAL is available from a license server, the RDS CAL is issued to the client, and the client will be able to connect to the RD Session Host server.

RDS CALs are installed onto a license server by using the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool.

Event Details

Product: Windows Operating System
ID: 81
Source: Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-Licensing
Version: 6.1
Symbolic Name: TLS_E_LICENSE_REVOKE
Message: The Remote Desktop Services client access license (RDS CAL) issued to "%1" could not be revoked because the revocation limit for the product "%2" is reached. %3 of the installed %4 RDS CALs are already revoked. The RDS CAL revocation of this product type will be allowed after %5.

Resolve

Install additional RDS Per Device CALs or wait until the date specified

To resolve this issue, do either of the following:

  • Install additional Remote Desktop Services Per Device client access licenses (RDS Per Device CALs) onto the Remote Desktop license server.
  • Wait until the date specified to revoke additional RDS Per Device CALs.

In Windows Server 2008 and later, you can revoke RDS Per Device CALs by using Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. However, only a certain percentage of RDS Per Device CALs can be revoked during a particular time period. Because the revocation limit is based on a percentage of RDS Per Device CALs installed, installing additional RDS Per Device CALs will increase the revocation limit and you will be able to revoke additional RDS Per Device CALs if necessary. If the revocation limit has been reached and you attempt to revoke an RDS Per Device CAL, Event 81, with a source of TerminalServices-Licensing, will be logged in the System log, and will provide the date when you can try again to revoke an RDS Per Device CAL.

For more information about revoking RDS Per Device CALs, see "Revoke a Remote Desktop Services Per Device Client Access License" in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager Help in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177753).

Install RDS Per Device CALs onto the license server

Note: The automatic RDS CAL installation method requires Internet connectivity from the computer running the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool. Internet connectivity is not required from the license server itself. This method uses TCP/IP (TCP port 443) to connect directly to the Microsoft Clearinghouse. You can also install RDS CALs onto the license server by using a Web browser or by the using the telephone. For more information about these installation methods, see "Install Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licenses" in the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager Help in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177605).

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To install RDS Per Device CALs automatically:

  1. On the license server, open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. To open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
  3. Ensure that the connection method for the Remote Desktop license server is set to Automatic connection (recommended) by right-clicking the license server on which you want to install RDS Per Device CALs, and then clicking Properties. On the Connection Method tab, change the connection method if necessary, and then click OK.
  4. Right-click the license server on which you want to install the RDS Per Device CALs, and then click Install Licenses. The Install Licenses Wizard starts.
  5. Click Next.
  6. On the License Program page, select the appropriate program through which you purchased your RDS Per Device CALs, and then click Next.
  7. The License Program that you selected on the previous page in the wizard will determine what information you will need to provide on this page. In most cases, you will have to provide either a license code or an agreement number. Consult the documentation provided when you purchased your RDS Per Device CALs.
  8. After you have entered the required information, click Next.
  9. On the Product Version and License Type page, select the appropriate product version, license type, and quantity of RDS CALs for your environment based on your RDS CAL purchase agreement, and then click Next.
  10. The Microsoft Clearinghouse is automatically contacted and processes your request. The RDS Per Device CALs are then automatically installed onto the license server.
  11. To complete the process, click Finish.

Verify

To verify that Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) are installed and available on the Remote Desktop license server, use the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool.

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To verify that RDS CALs are installed and available:

  1. On the license server, open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. To open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
  2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
  3. In the left pane, expand All Servers, and then click the license server. In the right pane, the type, version, and number of RDS CALs installed on the license server is listed.

Note:  To verify that the Remote Desktop Session Host server can contact a Remote Desktop license server with the appropriate type of RDS CALs, use Licensing Diagnosis in the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool on the RD Session Host server.

Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) Availability

Remote Desktop Services