Hi all,
I've been researching this but still non the wiser as the information on various websites is so confusing. Just want to make sure we're compliant.
So we have a Server where the data is stored and some applications installed. We also have 8 members of staff and everyone has 1 desktop PC so 8 PC's in total. PC's are not Domain joined, they are just on a Workgroup.
Every PC/user is accessing the data from the server via Mapped network drive (if they only need to work on basic documents such as Word or Excel). Also each user/PC needs to connect to the Server via Remote Desktop to use a couple of applications that are installed on it (as well as to access the same data mentioned before).
There are only 3 roles installed on the server: AD (to create users for Remote Desktop connections), RD (to allow Remote Desktop connections) and of course File Server.
Up until recently the server was running on 2008 R2 and there were 10 USER CALs installed too. No RDS CALs though. Everything was/is working fine, everyone is able to access the server via Remote Desktop simultaneously, etc.
Now we are upgrading to 2016.
What I am trying to figure out is what licences do we need?
I never came across RDS CALs before (not sure whether this is a new thing or whether I was just completely ignorant).
I am thinking to go with Device CALs instead of User CALs this time (we have 8 users and 8 PC's in the office and nobody ever needs to work from home or other remote locations so I guess there is no difference, but Device CALs are cheaper, LOL). I have already purchased a 10 pack of Device CALs.
But based on the scenario outlined in the beginning of this post - do we need RDS CALs too? Or not?
Also the Device CAL licence paperwork only came with a sticker with Tracking ID on it but no actual 25 character serial number. I have contacted my re-seller (Dell) and they told me that this is how it works these days. Apparently Microsoft has introduced a honor system and that sticker with Tracking ID is all we need in case of an audit.
But then my question is how the server will know how many Remote Desktop connections it should accept/allow simultaneously? Will it accept unlimited number of connections and we're compliant as long as we don't have more than 10 users/PC's?
Thanks in advance and sorry if my questions have already been answered somewhere else.