MS Server 2016 User Cals OEM legit?

D

davidm71

[H]ard|Gawd
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Feb 11, 2004
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Hi,

Newegg has a promo on user cals for $166 5 pack but they are OEM. Is this legal to use and not upset Bill Gates?

Thanks
 
I also thought that Microsoft can fine you for running OEM software. At least thats what Dell told me to scare me from purchasing OEM.
They said I could get audited and be fined a hefty sum. They wanted like $1080 for Server 2016 with 5 Cals right after we had purchased
Server Essentials 2016 by mistake which was bundled in the Server purchase.
 
To be fair Microsoft is less likely to audit someone at home or very small businesses.
That being said Dell or whatever distributor you use should have a Microsoft rep that can confirm the details/logistics of each license type.
I would contact them and get confirmation (in email form for proof), I've had instances where one rep said one thing and another said different (not to mention it changes version to version).
 
B00nie said:
Linux servers have no Cals and no cost. Why not use it?
Click to expand...
Not trying to start a war but: AD authentication, group policy, and software/vendor hes using might be application specific to windows. The ease of rollout and management of user windows machines might be more ideal as well.

At the same time if he/the admins aren't familiar with linux there would be a learning curve to familiarize with a linux backend which is a cost too.

I can’t say I’m much in favor for windows solely due to cost, we only have 4 win server boxes in our environment ourselves (2DCs, A/V, and WSUS). But I will say this, if users have an AD account and use it to authenticate via Domain VPN/password login, MS says they need a cal. We found that out the hard way during an audit with 60% mac/linux users thinking they didn’t need them.
 
Spartacus09 said:
Not trying to start a war but: AD authentication, group policy, and software/vendor hes using might be application specific to windows. The ease of rollout and management of user windows machines might be more ideal as well.

At the same time if he/the admins aren't familiar with linux there would be a learning curve to familiarize with a linux backend which is a cost too.

I can’t say I’m much in favor for windows solely due to cost, we only have 4 win server boxes in our environment ourselves (2DCs, A/V, and WSUS). But I will say this, if users have an AD account and use it to authenticate via Domain VPN/password login, MS says they need a cal. We found that out the hard way during an audit with 60% mac/linux users thinking they didn’t need them.
Click to expand...

The OP was contemplating on using shady sources for his licenses so either he works for a 2 men and a van company or he was building his home server.
 
Spartacus09 said:
Not trying to start a war but: AD authentication, group policy, and software/vendor hes using might be application specific to windows. The ease of rollout and management of user windows machines might be more ideal as well.

At the same time if he/the admins aren't familiar with linux there would be a learning curve to familiarize with a linux backend which is a cost too.

I can’t say I’m much in favor for windows solely due to cost, we only have 4 win server boxes in our environment ourselves (2DCs, A/V, and WSUS). But I will say this, if users have an AD account and use it to authenticate via Domain VPN/password login, MS says they need a cal. We found that out the hard way during an audit with 60% mac/linux users thinking they didn’t need them.
Click to expand...

I must be the odd one out as I actually find administering Linux servers via ssh far easier than administering Windows servers with far less in the way of quirky issues. By mentioning this I in no way intend to start some pointless flame war, it's just a useless nibbit of personal preference.
 
Mazzspeed said:
I must be the odd one out as I actually find administering Linux servers via ssh far easier than administering Windows servers with far less in the way of quirky issues. By mentioning this I in no way intend to start some pointless flame war, it's just a useless nibbit of personal preference.
Click to expand...
I’m talking about administrating Users, not servers, I agree the Linux servers are alot easier.
 
B00nie said:
Wrong. The absolute majority of servers in this world run on linux.
Click to expand...


I said the world. Go to any mom and pop shop, manufacturing, machine shop, gun Smith, etc. What is does sage run on? QB? Nearly every on premise ERP solution used in manufacturing requires windows.

This, is the "world", the people producing products everywhere around us we consume with no thought.

The internet, sure, that's linux, but the internet is not the world, IMO:p
 
davidm71 said:
Hi,

Newegg has a promo on user cals for $166 5 pack but they are OEM. Is this legal to use and not upset Bill Gates?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Depends on the seller. If its Newegg, might be okay. If its a third party, they're probably reselling MSDN keys.

"OEM" tends to get thrown around by the shady key seller shitheads as a way of reducing your expectations that its not retail, but they're profiting from the confusion that exists about non-retail SKU's. They'll play dumb when pressed for specifics.
 
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scobar said:
I said the world. Go to any mom and pop shop, manufacturing, machine shop, gun Smith, etc. What is does sage run on? QB? Nearly every on premise ERP solution used in manufacturing requires windows.

This, is the "world", the people producing products everywhere around us we consume with no thought.

The internet, sure, that's linux, but the internet is not the world, IMO:p
Click to expand...
This is the uneducated non-professional world, not the true world. People run Windows because they're been brainwashed for decades to think they have no option. Like thinking they need to pay for Office when there are free working alternatives galore.

People are enslaved by the corporation right from the thought process level. This is scary and extremely bad globally thinking.
 
B00nie said:
This is the uneducated non-professional world, not the true world. People run Windows because they're been brainwashed for decades to think they have no option. Like thinking they need to pay for Office when there are free working alternatives galore.

People are enslaved by the corporation right from the thought process level. This is scary and extremely bad globally thinking.
Click to expand...

Windows SBS servers are still popular for some ungodly reason. I can't stand them as Microsoft always force you to adopt active directory and domain controller roles in order to do anything on them beyond a simple file server, even if there's only five users making use of the server. As a result the server sits there, neglected in many scenarios, a ticking time bomb with no redundancy waiting to bring down the entire network.

But when it comes to real iron, Linux is the more popular server OS and honestly far less finicky than a Windows server.
 
Guys,

Thanks for the replies. Really appreciate it. As I am new to installing servers this is my first time. So on Amazon picking up some books on the subject. Got a problem though. The server machine we bought came with MS Server 2016 Essentials. This was a mistake as it lacked remote desktop services that a couple of our thin clients from ncomputing required. So I purchased a Server 2016 key and in a powershell updated the system to Server 2016 Standard. Was added on like a feature update when I rebooted. This now shows in the system profile page and no longer says Essentials 2016. In anycase the old Essentials configuration wizard still runs at startup (been hitting cancel as wasnt ready to configure). So seems like Essentials dashboard app is still there but the system thinks its Server 2016 Standard. Should I study both Essentials and Standard documentation?

Thanks
 
From a learning perspective essentials has limited use and if you have standard now would be more useful to you.
That being said if you have <25 users and <50 devices essentials could have worked for the use case assuming you only need it for a DC/FS/print server (and doesn't require CALs)

If theres even a chance you'll get more than that standard was the way to go anyway.
 
Just wanted to update this thread and say that NO they are not legit! You can't even install them!
I finally got around to opening the OEM CAL envelope and when I ran the Client licensing application
the numbers got rejected no matter if I selected 'Open License' or whatever. Forget about Retail.
The numbers didn't even match.

On the phone with Newegg right now hoping they would take it back. If they don't I wont do
business with them ever again.

Maybe I'm missing something.

Edit: Spoke to MS and they said they would manually activate it for me once I'm in front of the server.
 
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