Client access license

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Client access license
A Client Access License ("CAL") is a software license distributed by software companies to allow clients to connect
to its server software and use the software's services.
Software licensing introduction
Main article: Software license
Most commercial software is licensed to end users or businesses. In a legally binding agreement between the
proprietor of the software (the "licensor") and the end user or organization (the "licensee"), the licensor gives
permission to the licensee to use the software under certain limitations, which are set forth in the license agreement.
Microsoft usually has notices on the packaging of their products which state that removing the notice or using the
software constitutes agreement of the license terms.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Microsoft's consumer retail or "off-the-shelf" products generally use very similar licences, allowing the licensee to
use the software on one computer, subject to the usual terms and conditions. For businesses however, Microsoft
offers several types of licensing schemes for a range of their products, which are designed to be cost effective,
flexible, or both.
[1]
Server software, such as Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server 2005 require licenses that are more expensive than
those which are purchased for desktop software like Windows Vista. In the more recent versionsWikipedia:Citation
needed of many of their server products, Microsoft require that all clients that connect to these server applications
have a license to connect to and use the services of that software. These special purpose licenses come in the form of
a Client Access License.
Client access licenses
A Client Access License legally permits client computers to connect to Microsoft server software. They usually
come in the form of a certificate of authenticity (CoA) and a license key, which is sometimes attached to the
certificate itself. The various editions of most of Microsoft's server software usually include a small number of
CALs, and this allows the software to be used by either a few users or a few computers, depending on the CAL
licensing mode. If more connections to the server are needed, then additional CALs must be purchased.
Some Microsoft Server productsWikipedia:Avoid weasel words require one CAL per concurrent connection,
whereby one CAL is required for each unique client connection at any point in time. For example, consider a small
business network where the computers are used by ten people, but there are never more than five people on site using
the computers at any one time. In this scenario, only five CALs are needed. However, some of Microsoft's
productsWikipedia:Avoid weasel words and licensing modesWikipedia:Avoid weasel words require a CAL for each
unique client regardless of how many will be connecting at any single point in time.
[2]
Some of Microsoft's server
software programs do not require CALs at all, as is the case of Windows Server Web Edition.
Client access license
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CAL enforcement
Most CALs are paper only and are distributed for the sole reason of representing compliance to the software license
agreement.Wikipedia:Citation needed Technically, any individual or business can use the software with an unlimited
number of users and buy no CALs at all - but they will be in breach of the license agreement (and the law in most
jurisdictionsWikipedia:Citation needed), and large penalties will apply if they are caught.
Some CALs, however, are electronically enforced: the server will refuse to service clients if there are not enough
CALs to cover them all. In order for the CALs to be used, either the CAL files must be imported into the software or
the CAL licence keys must be entered in. The software will not service clients unless there are valid CALs installed,
and it will authenticate and serve the number of clients licensed under the CALs. Once that number is met, the server
can either accept a small number of additional connections and then warn administrators before refusing to serve
further connections, however usually it will simply refuse to authenticate additional clients until one or more of them
disconnects. In this way, the server electronically enforces the Client Access licensing.Wikipedia:Citation needed
At present, there are only two Microsoft products that use this form of electronic license enforcement; Windows
Small Business Server 2003 and Terminal Services.Wikipedia:Citation needed Presumably, the electronic
enforcement in SBS is because most small businesses that run the Small Business Server do not have dedicated IT
staff to ensure compliance, whereas larger organizations usually have dedicated IT staff that monitor CAL usage and
organize the acquisition of additional CALs when necessary.Wikipedia:Citation needed Windows Small Business
Server 2008 does not track CAL usage.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Per-user vs. per-device
CALs apply to either a "device" (as defined in the license agreement) or a "user". A business is free to choose either
mode. In Per-User mode, a CAL is purchased to allow one user to connect to the server software. Any user can
connect, but only one user may use a given CAL at any given time. Any number of CALs can be purchased to allow
five, five hundred, or any number of users to simultaneously connect to the server. Any number of devices may
connect to the server software, but only a set number of users can connect to it at once.
Per-device mode operates in much the same way, but limits connections made by devices, rather than users. One
CAL enables one device to connect to and use the server software, regardless of how many users are connecting.
Although User and Device CALs are currently the same price, they may not be used interchangeably, and cannot be
switched without buying new CALs. The price of User CALs is due to increase from December 2012 (in the UK),
although the device CAL remains the same.
Much more in-depth information can be found on Microsoft's CAL Guide website
[3]
.
Combined schemes
The Core CAL is a special CAL offered by Microsoft through corporate license agreements such as Enterprise,
Select or Open Value. The Core CAL, is a combination of client access licenses for Windows Server, Exchange
Server, SharePoint Server, System Center Configuration Client Management License, Lync Server and Forefront
Endpoint Subscription License. Core CALs are approximately 30 percent cheaper than the sum of the
aforementioned licenses.
With the release of the 2007 products, Microsoft started offering the Enterprise CAL Suite. The Enterprise CAL
Suite combines 15 CALs, including the Core CAL combination, Enterprise functionality of Exchange, Lync and
SharePoint Servers, as well as System Center Data Protection Manager, Operation Manager and Service Manager
Client Management Licences.
[4]
As for the Core CALs, Entreprise CALs are only available through Open, Entreprise
or Select agreements.
Client access license
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Software editions
CALs usually enable connectivity to server software regardless of the edition of the software.
[5]
For example, CALs
purchased to enable client connectivity with Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition can be used with Windows
Server 2003 Datacenter Edition. However, backwards compatibility is generally assured. For example, Windows
Server 2012 CALs can not only be used to access servers running on Windows Server 2012, but they can be used to
access one of the servers running Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2003 and any
previous versions at any given time.
Terminal Services
Terminal Services is a function of Microsoft Windows that allows several types of connections to the server
components of the system. Windows Server versions prior to 2003 do not necessarily require the use of specialized
Terminal Services CALs; rather, clients which are of at least the same or lower version of the operating system are
allowed access automatically. For example, Windows NT 4.0 clients may connect to Windows NT 4.0 terminal
servers but not Windows 2000 or later; Windows 2000 or Windows XP clients may connect to Windows NT 4.0 or
Windows 2000 terminal servers. This is called the equivalency license.
[6]
The system for enforcing the number of TS Cals ("Microsoft Enforced Licensing") used on versions later than NT
was abused by the "FLAME" malware, leading to a patch in 2012 restricting the Certificate Creation system used for
Terminal Services.
The number of per-user TS CALS on Windows 2008 is not enforced: supposedly, this was because Microsoft did not
have time to finalize technical enforcement before the release of the operating system.
[7]
References
[1] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ licensing/ Microsoft Licensing
[2] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ resources/ sam/ lic_cal. mspx Microsoft CAL Licensing Guide
[3] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ resources/ sam/ lic_cal. mspx
[4] http:/ / www. mslicensing. fr/ theorie/ core-cal-vs-entreprise-cal Differences between Core CAL and Enterprise CAL (in French)
[5] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ licensing/ resources/ volbrief. mspx Microsoft Volume Licensing Briefs
[6] http:/ / www. microsoft. com/ windowsserver2003/ howtobuy/ licensing/ ts2003. mspx
[7] Changes to Windows Server 2008 Terminal Server Licensing (Part 2) (http:/ / www. msterminalservices. org/ articles/
Changes-Windows-Server-2008-Terminal-Server-Licensing-Part2. html)
Further reading
Understanding Microsoft CALs and External Connector Licenses (Part 1) (http:/ / www. networkworld. com/
community/ node/ 61283), Network World, 2010.
Article Sources and Contributors
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Article Sources and Contributors
Client access license Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=612393588 Contributors: Aaa3-other, Anexroid, Borgx, CalaClii, Damian Yerrick, Darthmarth37, Djabbour, Djmckee1,
Edward, F-Red, FAEP, FleetCommand, Frap, Fsiler, GeneralDuke, Highstep, J04n, Julie188, Kmorozov, Kozuch, L337h1um, Marc Kupper, Marmau83, Michael Devore, NaBUru38, Quiesagua,
Rror, Ryan Norton, Steve2011, Tabletop, Tlayzell, TobiasPersson, Tohd8BohaithuGh1, Tom Morris, Vegaswikian, Warren, Zarex, 66 anonymous edits
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