Which RDS CALs 2016 license is right for me?

Windows Server operating system licenses only allow the operating system to run on the physical server of the license purchaser. It does not grant legal rights for users or devices to connect to it.

For users or devices to access the server and use certain services, they need to acquire separate licenses.

A User-CAL grants you a license to access the server. You'll have access to as many different endpoints as you want because the CAL is linked to you, not the device. A Device-CAL is for the device to have access to the server. People using this device don't need a User-CAL.

Which one suits my business?

It all depends on whether you have more employees or more devices. It also depends on the work environment, whether employees need to connect from outside the company or from the same location.

For example:

• If you have fewer employees than devices, choose User-CAL, or if your workspace requires you to connect to the server from various devices, this would be your best option.
• If you have fewer devices than users, choose Device-CAL, or if your employees are in the same location but have different schedules, and several people use the same device, this would be the best choice.

User RDS CALs License

When using the User RDS CALs license, licensing isn't enforced, and a license is granted for each user to connect to a Remote Desktop Session Host from any number of devices. The license server issues licenses from the available RDS CAL pool or the overused RDS CAL pool. It's your responsibility to ensure all users have a valid license and no overused CALs. Otherwise, you'll be violating the Remote Desktop Services license terms.

For most businesses, the User RDS CALs licence option is the most cost-effective, as they typically have employees accessing servers through different devices. Think of an employee who accesses their email on their desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile during a typical week. A single User RDS CALs licence would suffice to cover that employee, but if you use a per-device basis, you'll need to purchase 4 Device RDS CALs licences for the four devices to access the server.

Device RDS CALs Licence

When using the per-device model, a temporary licence is issued the first time a device connects to the Remote Desktop Session Host. The second time the device connects, as long as the licence server is activated and there are RDS CALs available, the licence server issues a permanent Device RDS CAL.

The Device RDS CALs licence is suitable when you have a large number of employees using a limited number of computers. Some examples of this are: a kiosk in the shopping centre with part-time employees coming and going throughout the week, a maintenance team using a shared PC to clock in or out, or a business operating 24/7 with a day shift and a night shift team using the same PCs.