Which RDS CALs 2022 licence is right for me?

Windows Server operating system licences only serve to run the operating system on the physical server of the licence 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 specific services, they need to acquire separate licences.

A User-CAL grants you a licence to access the server. You will have access to as many different endpoints as you wish because the CAL is linked to you, not the device. A Device-CAL endpoint is for the device to access the server. People using this device do not 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 environment in which you work, 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 from other devices to the server, 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 Licence

When using the User RDS CALs licence, licensing is not enforced and a licence is granted to each user to connect to a Remote Desktop Session Host from any number of devices. The licensing server issues licences from the available RDS CAL pool or the RDS CAL overused pool. It is your responsibility to ensure that all users have a valid licence and no CAL is overused. Otherwise, you will be violating the Remote Desktop Services licensing terms.

For most businesses, the User RDS CALs licence option is the most cost-effective, as they generally have employees who access servers through various devices. Consider an employee who has access to 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 used per device, you would need to purchase 4 Device RDS CALS licences for the four devices to access the server.

Device RDS CALs Licence

When using the 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 licensing server is activated and RDS CALs are available, the licensing server issues a permanent RDS Device-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 company operating 24/7 with a day shift and a night team using the same PCs.