Windows 2012 R2 licensing question (Im a Newbie)

Hi All,

I have never used any of the windows server products, so please excuse my ignorance.

I am going to setup a network for my office, and I have installed windows 7 pro on all the computers. I would like to setup windows server 2012 r2 so that I can have proper user management and adjust their roles as needed. From what I have read, I have to get CALs for each computer in my network. Do I need this if I have windows 7 licenses on all my computers? If so, is it just me or is it ridiculous to have to buy computers with the windows key and then buy additional keys on top of that?

Thanks

You need a CAL for each user (user CAL), or for each device (device CAL), to cover each connection to a Windows server.

Think of it this way, Windows 7 licence allows you to install Windows on a workstation (and user to us local recources on the PC), The Windows 2012 R2 licence allows you to install Windows 2012R2 on the server, the CALs allow your users to connect to the server from the worksation. You could think of it as a sort of 'sizing' cost on your servers - relate it to products that cost 'so much' for  a 10 user version of the product, and more for (let's say) a 50 user version of the same.

Generally for office networks 'User CALs' are more econmic than device CALs as they allow a user to connect to any server form however many devices they use (such as smartphones, tablets, even their desktop IP phone if it gets an IP address from DHCP on your Windows server!)

x64

Edited by x64, 01 January 2016 - 03:29 PM.

ya if it's a place of business you need to be legit and buy some CAL's

For a small office like that look at Windows Server 2012R2 Essentials, it includes 25 Cal's and does pretty much everything Standard does. As long as its the only domain controller it should work great.

i think its 25 CAL's default for all 2008 ^ version isnt it?

i think its 25 CAL's default for all 2008 ^ version isnt it?

2012 Essentials includes the 25 cals only, cant add any additional. I have installed about 10 2012 Essential servers over the last 12 month and its very cost effective for smaller offices.

Windows Server 2012 Essentials doesn’t require any CALs, but it’s limited to two physical processors and up to 25 users