How to activate a License Server by using Terminal Server Licensing in Windows Server 2003

This step-by-step article describes how to activate a Terminal Services license server by using Terminal Server Licensing in Microsoft Windows Server 2003.

Overview
You must activate a license server before it can issue licenses to Terminal Services clients. When you activate a license server, Microsoft provides the server with a digital certificate that validates server ownership and identity. By using this certificate, a license server can make transactions with Microsoft and receive client licenses for your terminal servers. When a Terminal Services client tries to log on to a terminal server for the first time, the terminal server contacts the license server and requests a license for the client.

Use Terminal Server Licensing to activate a license server by using any one of the following methods:

Automatic activation
A Web browser
Telephone

NOTE: The procedures in this article assume that Terminal Server Licensing is installed on the server. You must also be a member of the Administrators group to perform these procedures.

Activate a License Server Automatically

Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Server Licensing.
In the console tree, expand All servers.
Right-click the license server that you want to activate, and then click Activate Server. The Terminal Server License Server Activation Wizard starts.
Click Next.
On the "Connection method" page, click Automatic connection (recommended) in the Activation method box, and then click Next.
On the "Company Information" page, type your name, company, and country or region information, and then click Next.
Specify any other information that you want such as e-mail and company address, and then click Next.

NOTE: The information on this page is optional. Your license server is activated.
On the "Completing the Terminal Server Activation Wizard" page, do one of the following:
To install client license key packs for your license server, click Next. Follow the instructions in the Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard to install client licenses.
To install client license key packs later, click to clear the Start Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard now check box, and then click Finish.
Close the Terminal Server Licensing window.

Activate a License Server By Using a Web Browser

Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Server Licensing.
In the console tree, expand All servers.
Right-click the license server that you want to activate, and then click Activate Server. The Terminal Server License Server Activation Wizard starts.
Click Next.
On the "Connection method" page, click Web browser in the Activation method box, and then click Next.
On the "License Server Activation" page, click the hyperlink to connect to the Terminal Server Activation and Licensing Web site.
Under Select Option, click Activate a license server, and then click Next.
Type your Product ID (which is displayed on the "License Server Activation" page of the Terminal Server License Server Activation Wizard), name, company, and country or region information in the appropriate boxes and then click Next. You receive your license server ID.
On the "License Server Activation" page, type the license server ID that you received in step 8, and then click Next. Your license server is activated.
On the "Completing the Terminal Server Activation Wizard" page, do one of the following:
To install client license key packs for your license server, click Next. Follow the instructions in the Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard to install client licenses.
To install client license key packs later, click to clear the Start Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard now check box, and then click Finish.
Close the Terminal Server Licensing window.

Activating a License Server By Telephone

Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Server Licensing.
In the console tree, expand All servers.
Right-click the license server that you want to activate, and then click Activate Server. The Terminal Server License Server Activation Wizard starts.
Click Next.
On the "Connection method" page, click Telephone in the Activation method box, and then click Next.
On the "Country or Region Selection" page, click your country or region, and then click Next to display the appropriate telephone number to call.
Call Microsoft by using the phone number that is displayed on the "License Server Activation" page, and then provide the Microsoft customer support representative with the Product ID that is displayed on your screen. You are also asked to provide your name, the name of your organization, and the type of licensing program that you want to use. The customer service representative processes your request to activate the license server, and creates a unique ID for your license server.
Type the license server ID that is provided by the customer service representative, and then click Next. Your license server is activated.
On the "Completing the Terminal Server Activation Wizard" page, do one of the following:
To install client license key packs for your license server, click Next. Follow the instructions in the Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard to install client licenses.
To install client license key packs later, click to clear the Start Terminal Server Client Licensing Wizard now check box, and then click Finish.
Close the Terminal Server Licensing window.

Troubleshooting

After a license server is activated, it becomes the registrar for Terminal Services client licenses. While you are waiting to complete the activation process, your license server can issue temporary licenses for clients that allow the use of Terminal Services servers for up to 120 days.
You can change Licensing Wizard properties, such as the connection method and company information that you set during the activation process by using Terminal Server Licensing. To do so:
Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Server Licensing.
In the console tree, expand All servers.
Right-click the license server you want to modify, and then click Properties. The Terminal Server License Server Activation Wizard starts.
Specify the information and settings that you want in the Installation Method, Required Information, and Optional Information tabs, and then click OK.
Close the Terminal Server Licensing window.

 

 

How do I install additional Windows Terminal Server (TS) licenses

At least one Windows Server 2003 license server is required to join our Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server environment. For small deployments, it is acceptable to install both Terminal Server and the Terminal Server Licensing service on the same physical computer. However, for larger deployments we suggest that Terminal Server Licensing be installed on a separate server.

To install Terminal Server Licensing:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add or Remove Programs.

2. Click Add/Remove Windows Components.

3. In the dialog box, select Terminal Server Licensing.

4. Follow the instructions in the Windows Components Wizard.

After Terminal Server Licensing is installed, the server becomes a license server and you are asked whether you want to activate the license server. Activating the license server is highly recommended. Terminal Server running on Windows Server
2003 operates for 120 days before it must discover an activated license server.

Important: If you do not activate the license server within 120 days, Terminal Server will no longer operate.

A license server is not considered operational until it is activated. If you do not activate the license server as a part of the installation itself (as is highly recommended), you can activate it later.

To activate Terminal Server Licensing:

1. On the computer running Terminal Server License Server, click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Terminal Server Licensing.

2. If the License Server has not been activated, in the console tree, right-click the Terminal Server License Server you want to activate.

3. Click Activate Server to start the Activation Wizard.

4. In the Activation method list, select Automatic connection (recommended), and then click Next.

5. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

When you have completed all the preceding tasks, Windows Server 2003 Terminal Server can operate in two licensing modes: Per Device (default factory setting) and Per User. By default, Terminal Server Licensing is configured in Per Device mode.

A Per Device CAL gives each client computer or device the right to access a terminal server that is running Windows Server 2003. If you install Per Device CALs on your license server, you need to ensure that the licensing mode on Terminal Server is set to "Per Device."

Using Per User licensing, one user can access a terminal server from an unlimited number of devices and only one CAL is needed instead of a CAL for each device. If you purchase and install Per User CALs on your license server, you must set the licensing mode to "Per User."

Note: Per User Licensing is not monitored by Terminal Server. This means that when you install Per User CALs, you should not expect the number of available Per User CALs to be monitored.

For more information about Per User versus Per Device CALs, see Choosing the Licensing Mode.
Each device or user must have a valid CAL for connection to Terminal Server. You must purchase and install Terminal Server CALs on the computer running Terminal Server Licensing. Before purchasing CALs, understand that Windows Server 2003 gives you Per User or Per Device based on the type of CAL.

To purchase Terminal Server CALs, contact your preferred Microsoft Software Advisor as follows:

• In the United States, call (800) 426-9400 or visit the Microsoft Licensing Program Reseller website.

• In Canada, call the Microsoft Resource Center at (877) 568-2495.

• If you are outside the United States or Canada, please review the Worldwide Microsoft Licensing website or contact your local Microsoft subsidiary on the Microsoft Worldwide Home website.

For more information about the significance of Terminal Server CALs, refer to the Knowledge Base article,
The Function of Terminal Server CALs in Windows
Server 2003.

Terminal Server Licensing is of no value without Terminal Server CAL tokens—an electronic representation of a Terminal Server CAL—which it can issue to various Terminal Servers. The Terminal Servers, in turn, can pass the tokens to the client devices connected to those Terminal Servers. After you purchase the appropriate type and quantity of Terminal Server CALs, you need to install them on the computer running Terminal Server Licensing.

To install CALs:

1. On the computer running Terminal Server Licensing, click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools,Terminal Server Licensing.

2. Select the license server in the right pane, and then on the Action menu, Install, Licenses.

3. Follow the steps in the wizard for a successful installation of the CALs.