What is eating my CALs?

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zacdl

[H]ard|Gawd
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Feb 12, 2007
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What is eating my CALs?
On this particular server- there are 24 machines (some of which aren't turned on...)

I have 3 clients connected in RAS.

But Licensing is reporting 36 licenses used...

How can I view what is eating up my CAL? They are all configured as per-user.
 
some server applications can

I think DNS, DHCP, webserver etc all need 1 CAL each.

Not 100% on this as Microsoft make their info as clear as mud.
 
That would suck considering it is a CLIENT access...

Anyone know for sure?

All I know is I used to have 20 CALs installed.
Usage went up to 28 when I started doing some VPN things... so I bought 10 more (figuring it would be plenty). There have been no more computer additions- and VPNs are still minimal (only 3 used at the time I checked this)- yet it still climbs to 36???
Something keeps using them... and I'd like to know what.

Be nice if I can see something in a usage report like:
User Bob on COMPUTER1.... 1 CAL.
 
Its more that the server hasn't reset some cals after a user has logged off. Normaly the only time I've seen issues with this is exchange. I've seen an office of 10 users have 25 or so exchange licenses "used" at a time.
 
swatbat said:
Its more that the server hasn't reset some cals after a user has logged off. Normaly the only time I've seen issues with this is exchange. I've seen an office of 10 users have 25 or so exchange licenses "used" at a time.
Click to expand...

Wow that is rather interesting... I must say... My own question: How do you change the "reset" values?
 
Bump- anyone?
Other than rebooting the server (which really shouldn't be an option here)... how in the world do you free up these CALs?


I may be misreading what the Licensing portion is telling me, but I always thought the "Maximum Usage" was the current amount of licenses used? Doesn't appear to be (unless it takes an aweful long time to update) because after a reboot, with 98% of folks logged out (only two logged on) it is still reporting 36.
 
Bump- anyone?
More Q's...

How do I also view (preferably detailed like in my OP) usage? I thought the Max Use in Licensing was what I was looking at. But after a reboot and only two users signed on- it immediately reports 36 used.
 
These must be Device CALS as opposed to User CALS?

Device CALS would be used for your printers, phones, computers, anything connected to the server.

Do you know which one you have?
 
Let's jput the issue to rest like this... Disable the license logging service and ignore it. There are so many odd quirks with the results / reports that Microsoft has even disabled the service by default on slpstreamed SP1 and SP2 installations. It's never been accurate, even since the NT4 days and Exchange really buggered it up from time to time.

If you really want to reset it, MS has a KB article on the subject, but it's a bit more involved than it really should be...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883399

In a small enviorment, buy the CALs you need and track them manually (put the CAL purchase info in a spreadsheet, etc). Don't worry about that old buggy, relic of a service.
 
Basically, some of my users have connectivity problems at times.

I have no idea if it is due to (for instance) lack of licenses.

I know I have enough for all the users in the building. But if Exchange is indeed sucking up licenses- I need to know how many, etc.

I can reboot the server, kick off remote users VPNs, and some of the problems are fixed (again- like enough licenses aren't allocated).

I have them configured in per-user mode, because if a user is signed on two places (Like an external user both on VPN and on Exchange)- it should only use a single one.

Any ideas?
I can track licenses- sure. But I can already tell you right here and now that I own enough for the users (and computers- both). So what the heck is eating the rest of them?

EDIT- The last time this happened- I went and checked error logs. There are plenty of entries at that time for "Nearing the maximum" warnings.
I say this because I did have an issue of a remote user not connecting via Outlook over the Internet. Checked logs at that time- and there were entries that say "Has reached the maximum". Bought more and connectivity was restored.
In this case- it isn't warning me "Has reached" but simply "is nearing".

Which is why I am confused.
It's like the more licenses I buy- the more get sucked up.
I was only a single license over when I got the "Has reached" problem (only a single user having issues)... so I bought 10 more. Figured I can make it good and be sure to have enough. Here it is again- licensing already acting like I am maxed out again.
SOMETHING is eating them, and I need to know what!
 
Like the post above says it wont matter whats eating your cals once you turn off the license logging service because there willbe no servic monitoring usage.
Is it legal, yes MS even says to because that functionality has never worked correctly.
Turn the service off, make sure you have enough CALS if you get audited and call it a day.
I had the same issues as you and turned the service off and away we went.
I assume your in user not device mode...
 
Does per user or per device matter?

If stopping the service stops all license checking- I'll do just that.

I thought it would stop prompting me but still prevent more connections than what is reported though...

I own more than enough licenses- seems like this should work (I'll give it a shot see if it fixes me up) thanks!
 
Do not turn off the license logging service!

Reference to this MSKB particulary where it states:

"Note This article does not apply to Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003. Do not disable the License Logging Service on SBS 2003. If you disable the License Logging Service on SBS 2003, the server will restart every 60 minutes."

zacdl,

How many users?
Do users using any remote access features like VPN? RWW? OWA? RPC over HTTPs? If so how many?

Depending on the answers to the above questions, SBS may simply be "miscounting" the usage of the CALs.

There is a wordy, but in depth discussion of SBS Licensing here at smbnation.com

Short story is that the licensing "count" in SBS is just about worthless when it comes to determining your actual usage. "Assigning" a CAL is purely a documentation step and not to be meant that you assign a CAL via some MMC or other option in SBS. Reassignment of a CAL, again, is purely a documentation step.
 
SJConsultant said:
Do not turn off the license logging service!

Reference to this MSKB particulary where it states:

\"Note This article does not apply to Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003. Do not disable the License Logging Service on SBS 2003. If you disable the License Logging Service on SBS 2003, the server will restart every 60 minutes.\"

zacdl,

How many users?
Do users using any remote access features like VPN? RWW? OWA? RPC over HTTPs? If so how many?

Depending on the answers to the above questions, SBS may simply be \"miscounting\" the usage of the CALs.

There is a wordy, but in depth discussion of SBS Licensing here at smbnation.com

Short story is that the licensing \"count\" in SBS is just about worthless when it comes to determining your actual usage. \"Assigning\" a CAL is purely a documentation step and not to be meant that you assign a CAL via some MMC or other option in SBS. Reassignment of a CAL, again, is purely a documentation step.
Click to expand...

I was going to come back here to post that the Licensing Service wouldn\'t stay stopped (I disabled it- kept enabling itself I guess- although the server didn\'t appear to reboot any).
Didn\'t know you had replied.

Basically I have 30 licenses.
There are 22 users or so at any given time internally.
All users externally use RPC over HTTP (Outlook over Internet) and VPNs (Only 4 or so VPNs at a given time).

Does the RPC over HTTP connection count against the CALs?
 
zacdl said:
I was going to come back here to post that the Licensing Service wouldn\'t stay stopped (I disabled it- kept enabling itself I guess- although the server didn\'t appear to reboot any).
Didn\'t know you had replied.

Basically I have 30 licenses.
There are 22 users or so at any given time internally.
All users externally use RPC over HTTP (Outlook over Internet) and VPNs (Only 4 or so VPNs at a given time).

Does the RPC over HTTP connection count against the CALs?
Click to expand...

Yes. Any authenicated access to your server will consume a CAL, this can include, but not limited to OWA, RWW, RPC over Https, VPN, LAN Users, etc.

Basically if you have X number of users, and the same number of User Cals, while simultaneoulsy not having any access issues with users using the server, I wouldn't worry about it.

The licensing service is a "best guess" or an aproximate indicator of the maximum number of licenses you may be using. It is not a definite nor is it entirely accurate.
 
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