Remote Desktop setup on Server 2012 R2 Standard
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Unless MS changed something a domain should not be needed.
The two RDS sessions that are included are only allowed to be used to manage the server, not run apps remotely on the server. You will have to purchase an RDS license per person who will access the server.
You only need a connection broker if you are publishing the server to the internet, and often not even then.
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@Dashrender Hm. I am confused now. We have several servers i n our lab, and both the administrator and at least one other user is able to use RDP, but I (think) only two sessions at any one time.
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@flomer said:
@brianlittlejohn So, I can't use the 5 CALs for this?
Those are good only one of the licenses you need. You will need a user windows server cal and RDS cal for every user who will connect.
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@flomer said:
@Dashrender Hm. I am confused now. We have several servers i n our lab, and both the administrator and at least one other user is able to use RDP, but I (think) only two sessions at any one time.
The two included are for Server Management only. If you run apps on it for users you have to buy RDS Licenses as well.
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@flomer said:
@Dashrender Hm. I am confused now. We have several servers i n our lab, and both the administrator and at least one other user is able to use RDP, but I (think) only two sessions at any one time.
Sure, Microsoft doesn't stop you, you can do whatever you want with those two sessions, but not legally.
License wise you have to buy RDS for everyone running an app on the server.
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@flomer said:
@brianlittlejohn So, I can't use the 5 CALs for this?
You can't use them ALONE for this.
- You can't use the "two" included access licenses for users, those can only be used for administration.
- You must have a Server CAL for every user that will access the system. (This is the 5 CALs you bought.)
- You must have an RDS CAL additionally for every user. (For at least 5 more of a different type.)
So you have useful CALs, you didn't waste that money. You just don't have everything that you need yet.
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@flomer said:
@Dashrender Hm. I am confused now. We have several servers i n our lab, and both the administrator and at least one other user is able to use RDP, but I (think) only two sessions at any one time.
If that other user is not an admin, technically it is a license violation. If you are both admins and all you are doing is admining the system, the two are okay.
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@scottalanmiller OK, I am beginning to understand now. But, what can one use the 5 CALs for if you in addition need the 5 RDS licenses? What is their intended use?
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@flomer You need a CAL for every user (or device) accessing anything from a Windows Server in your organization. Remote Desktop Services is a specialty licensed service ontop of Windows Server.
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@flomer said:
@scottalanmiller OK, I am beginning to understand now. But, what can one use the 5 CALs for if you in addition need the 5 RDS licenses? What is their intended use?
Server CALs (what you have now) give you the right to use server resources of any type. You need them for using the server, plain and simple. You need them for authenticating, looking at web pages, anything. They do not grant access to the desktop of the server, only to generic server resources.
RDS CALs are remote access licenses. They are needed if you want users to not just access server resources but to access the server desktop through RDP, VNC or similar protocols.
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@brianlittlejohn said:
@flomer You need a CAL for every user (or device) accessing anything from a Windows Server in your organization. Remote Desktop Services is a specialty licensed service ontop of Windows Server.
Specifically they allow you yo use DNS, file sharing, authentication, etc. As Scott said.
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@Dashrender said:
@brianlittlejohn said:
@flomer You need a CAL for every user (or device) accessing anything from a Windows Server in your organization. Remote Desktop Services is a specialty licensed service ontop of Windows Server.
Specifically they allow you yo use DNS, file sharing, authentication, etc. As Scott said.
Exactly. Plus Active Directory, applications running on top of Windows, etc.
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@scottalanmiller So, what exactly can one use Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard for right after installing it and just applying the license that comes along with it? I'm trying to understand what is possible without additional licenses, as I'm unsure right now...
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@flomer said:
@scottalanmiller So, what exactly can one use Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard for right after installing it and just applying the license that comes along with it? I'm trying to understand what is possible without additional licenses, as I'm unsure right now...
You cannot use it for anything that concerns a user connecting to it for a service. AD, DNS, DHCP, File shares, etc.
You can use it all you want to run a program that does its own thing without letting a user connect in form another device.
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@flomer Without CALs, very little legally. WIth CALs, anything the server can provide WEB, DHCP, DNS, FILESERVER, AD, etc. except Desktop Services, which are specially licensed.
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@flomer said:
@scottalanmiller So, what exactly can one use Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard for right after installing it and just applying the license that comes along with it? I'm trying to understand what is possible without additional licenses, as I'm unsure right now...
Nothing except for anonymous Internet services - like it could be a public web server. You need CALs for any normal usage. The Server licence is just the first piece of the puzzle.
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@brianlittlejohn said:
@flomer Without CALs, very little legally. WIth CALs, anything the server can provide WEB, DHCP, DNS, FILESERVER, AD, etc. except Desktop Services, which are specially licensed.
You CAN use it for a single user as a desktop. But you might as well just buy Windows 10 in that case
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@flomer said:
I'm trying to understand what is possible without additional licenses, as I'm unsure right now...
For all intents and purposes... nothing.
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Once you decide to go Windows, you more or less are committed to the licensing that that entails. As a starting point, without only the rarest exceptions, you will always need:
- One Server license per server
- One Server CAL per user
While there are exceptions, there would be super rare and very special cases. Just assume that if you decide to use Windows servers, you have committed to the two things above. Every user in the company (meaning anyone that uses a computer) will need a CAL. Even if you only have one Windows server or a thousand of them, you need one CAL per user.
