Terminal server license question

Superficial · 1 Apr 2012 at 00:10

Let me preface this by saying i know nothing about how ts licensing works.

I'm being asked to install a new Dell SBS 2008 server as a TS server.

Currently the company is using 2003 server as their TS server

The owner has been told by Dell that he does not need to buy new 2008 TS licenses because the ones on the 2003 server can be used.

I know that you can point the new server to a license server - i have been told by Dell that in order for the sbs 2008 server to register and validate the old 2003 licenses the old server must be demoted to secondary domain controller and added to the sbs 2008 domain.

Q1. because there are ony 10 users I'd like to create new users and security groups on the new sbs 2008 server, move over the old data and get the users switching over to the new server during the 120 day ts grace period - then, whilst everyone is carrying on as normal, demote the old 2003 server and have it join the domain THEN have sbs 2008 use the 2003 server as license server. to me this seems the smoothest option

Is this possible or will i have a licensing problem because i have not used the old user accounts data from the 2003 server since it will still be a secondary domain controller.

Q2. any general logic issues with the above - i have not done this before and need a hand really

bremen1874 · 1 Apr 2012 at 12:58

I didn't think that running TS on SBS was a supported configuration.

Also, I can't see how you can legitimately use 2003 TS CALs against a 2008 TS.

Superficial · 1 Apr 2012 at 13:46

bremen1874 said:
I didn't think that running TS on SBS was a supported configuration.

Also, I can't see how you can legitimately use 2003 TS CALs against a 2008 TS.

To be honest I was of the same mind as you - but it is certanly supported - indeed it is partially configured (whther it is advisable is another matter). but I'm not going to spend anymore time on this until i know what the license situation is.

as for the licenses - well, like i said, im not an expert and am just going on the Dell consultants emails - he is telling me and the client that this is indeed possible (in fact the server and other licenses were sold directly on this premise to the client before i was ever approached) as he has, in turn, spoken to microsoft themselves.

bremen1874 · 1 Apr 2012 at 16:07

The only arrangement that would make sense with those licenses is the SBS 2008 box as PDC and the Server 2003 box as a member server running terminal services.

Some information about running TS on SBS 2008 here.

Superficial · 1 Apr 2012 at 16:24

bremen1874 said:
The only arrangement that would make sense with those licenses is the SBS 2008 box as PDC and the Server 2003 box as a member server running terminal services.

Some information about running TS on SBS 2008 here.

i wholehearedly agree but I'd like to remain on topic.

Thanks for your help though I have not encountered any issues shown on that technet article. you do need to allow standard users to use TS of course but once that was done there was no problem getting standard users to login.

Dell are saying that Microsoft introduced this feature well after that article was written also. I was and still am taking what he says with a pinch of salt but it seems right so far.

again if anyone with real world experience can tell me of any pitfalls i am likely to face as i go on please do let me know.

the server has only 8Gb ram btw - Dell says this should be sufficient

J.B · 1 Apr 2012 at 16:56

My gut feeling is that Dell are talking out of their backside.

You might want to post in Server and Enterprise sub forum linking to this thread as I know there are some clever chaps when it comes to windows licensing

Superficial · 1 Apr 2012 at 17:00

J.B said:
My gut feeling is that Dell are talking out of their backside.

You might want to post in Server and Enterprise sub forum linking to this thread as I know there are some clever chaps when it comes to windows licensing

thanks - i completely overlooked that sub-forum.

5tephen · 1 Apr 2012 at 19:26

Unless he means the physical server itself providing terminal services by hosting a virtualised Server 2003 machine?

Also, assuming he is correct in some way, 8Gb RAM will not be enough. It's just alright for SBS 2008 on its own and it will install and run obviously, which is all the Dell guy maybe cares about, but the performance won't be ideal. Putting TS on the top of that again isn't going to help it. RAM is such an easy (and relatively cheap) upgrade as you probably well know, it would be a worthwhile exercise adding another 4-8 Gb in there.

Superficial · 1 Apr 2012 at 21:41