Recover windows 2003 terminal server licenses

In fact with Windows Server , the Terminal Server Licensing does not need to be a domain controller. This is a rare example of Microsoft making licensing becoming easier. Group Policy Method. If you prefer to hack the registry this is the alternative method. Scenario, your Terminal Services License server is called Tslicsvr.

In many ways you have little to lose by installing a second licence server for fault tolerance. The license database may take 10MB but Windows Server should be able to afford that space. Domain and Enterprise Licensing are two options for the Windows Server Make it your reflex to choose the Domain option. The Enterprise License is designed for different domains, provided they are at the same site.

The key point is that Terminal Services requires a two stage authentication with Microsoft Clearinghouse. Firstly, activate your Windows Server to be a certified Terminal Services machine. Secondly, install the CALs that you buy. Remember thatTerminal Services provides 3 interfaces, in this instance we need the Terminal Server Licensing. From here on your own, however the method is similar to other Microsoft activation procedures.

Just remember to have the Terminal Services License Pak numbers that you purchased. Take as example, the situation where you have one licensing server and 4 Windows Servers with Terminal Services, then the license server will issue licences to each server that requests a license. If you want to control aspects of Terminal Servers then you should invest time and create groups. If you have more than one Terminal Services Server it is best to manage Terminal Server computer accounts through groups.

The wizard will then start to install the required files and warn you that the machine will have to be restarted during the installation process. Close any open programs and click OK. The installation will continue for a few minutes before the machine is restarted. After the machine has booted and you logon, you are presented with a confirmation screen that states the computer is now a terminal server.

It is important to take note that a day evaluation period has been allocated for unlicensed clients. If you do not obtain a license within that period then terminal services clients will no longer be able to initiate a session. This is probably where the most changes have been made. To make your machine a terminal server license server you will have to install it separately. Once you have installed this option your server will be listed in the terminal server licensing console.

You will have to activate the server before it can start distributing licenses. Activation of the licensing server can be done via a direct connection to the internet, a web browser or over the telephone. The following is a screenshot of the terminal server licensing console demonstrating what you would have to do to start the activation process.

This will bring up a wizard asking you to enter details and select options to suite your needs. Follow the on screen instructions and press Finish when you are done. They can both be found in the administrative tools folder in control panel or on the start menu.

When you select the server name you can choose to view and manage the Users, Sessions or Processes tab. The green icons indicate that the server is online. If you had to disconnect it, the icons would be gray.

The Users tab allows you to see who is connected, how long they have been connected and the state of their connection. You will need your server ID. Make sure that the Terminal Server Role has been added and activated outside the scope of this article. Log onto your server.

Select the country and then click OK. Now right click on the server name again and choose Install Licenses. Click Next. You will see the License Server ID here. Make a note of it. You will need this number when you call Microsoft or go to the activation website, as I did.

Leave this window open, as you will need to enter in the new license key here. On the second page, enter in the License Server ID you obtained above. If you know the old License Server ID, you can enter it here as well. If you do not know the old ID leave those fields blank. Choose the reason for recovery as redeployment and retail purchase for the License Program.

On the next page you will be asked to enter in the License Key as well as information about the License Keys and who they were sold to.

Enter in the information and click Next. You will be given a new License Key. Now, enter the new key into the Cal Installation Wizard screen.