[THIN] Re: Windows 2003 and Office XP Licensing
- From: "Lucas Boyken" <lboyken@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 13:12:31 -0500
In a sense, Office XP is licensed from Microsoft on a per user basis.
However, with that being said, the program installs on a per device
basis. When installing it on TS, you are right...you can access it from
any station that has a TSCAL. Metering software allows you to stay
within the letter of the law. Merely stated, you are only going to
allow as many users to access those programs as you have licenses for.
Microsoft doesn't like Metering software, but it is a heck of a lot
better than installing one copy of Office XP for 100 users. It is far
better to have a software metering package that logs, keeps track, and
limits user usage. If you call and ask Microsoft, they will tell you
Office is licensed on a per user basis (If it was per device, than by
law you would only need one copy for your TS application regardless if
the number of users accessing it. Also, in my dealings with Microsoft's
licensing dept., I have noticed they have a propensity to change their
mind from time to time. We just found out that in TS applications, only
the File Server needs file sharing CALs. Before Microsoft insisted that
every server accessed by users must have the appropriate file sharing
CALs for the user pop. That is ridiculous...thus they have changed
their tune). Metering software gives you the ability to curtail the
number of licenses you purchase. Thus, instead of buying 100 XP Office
licenses, you could get by purchasing 35 or so. You will notice that
not every user has every application open all day long. Usually you
have several users using Excel, some using Word and so on. It is legal
and cost effective...and due to the logging and user restriction you are
covering yourself from any potential legal quandaries.
Respectfully,
Lucas W. Boyken
Computer Systems Associates
Account Manager / Technical Representative
lboyken@xxxxxxxxx
Company Phone: 800.222.7601
Office Phone: 515.332.2751
Fax: 515.332.5687
-----Original Message-----
From: Selinger, Stephen [mailto:SSelinger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]=20
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:06 PM
To: 'thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [THIN] Re: Windows 2003 and Office XP Licensing
Lucas,
Thanks for the speedy reply. Maybe it is just me but I can not
understand why Micrsoft would license Office XP on a per device basis
and then license Windows 2003 which delivers the office application in a
per user configuration. It should either be one or the other. It does
not make sense that a user can connect to a server desktop from multiple
devices with a Windows 2003 per user TSCAL but can not use Microsoft
Office unless they have purchased a license for every device that they
will connect from even if that device is used for 5 minutes or every day
of the year. =20
From what I understand it would be possible to access other non
Microsoft applications from multiple devices provided they have a per
user TSCAL. It is impossible to manage licensing in this manner as
terminal services and Citrix provide access to applications from any
where and any device on the Internet. It is pretty hard to say to a
user that they can use certain non MS applications on any device but
they can only use Microsoft Office from certain devices that are
licensed for office. It would be great to purchase a hundred Office XP
per user licenses and allow the users to connect via terminal services
to these applications from any device. Am I just a dreamer or have
other people on this list struggling with this issue as well.=20
I was also under the impression that certain agreements like Select 6 do
not allow for the ability to meter software. I will research this but
does anyone know if this is true. Don't take this the wrong way but I
do not see how metering avoids the issue of requiring a Office XP
license for every device that uses Office via terminal services. Please
feel free to correct me if I am mistaken. What are other companies
doing to provide remote access via terminal services and/or Citrix from
the Internet in regards to MS application licensing?
Regards,
Stephen
-----Original Message-----
From: Lucas Boyken [mailto:lboyken@xxxxxxxxx]=20
Sent: June 26, 2003 11:32 AM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: Windows 2003 and Office XP Licensing
We had similar questions on a recent install of 2000 TS (before 2003 was
=3D available). In our discussions with Microsoft we were told that we
need =3D a license available for each user that would be using that
product. =3D I.E. we needed to have licenses available for each =
instance
of an office =3D product running on our TS server. Instead of buying a
license for every =3D single employee at this company (this wasn't
feasable or cost =3D effective), we elected to use Metering software. =
You
will often hear me =3D tout Metrix Express Metering software. It works
like a library, you =3D check in and out licenses for the specfic =
program
you want. Your user =3D population is limited to the number of licenses
avaible through the =3D metering software. If you have 20 licenses, all =
in
use, the 21 user is =3D asked to wait for the next available license to =
be
free. You can also =3D set this software up for certain individuals to
have priority or VIP =3D status, thus giving them a license from someone
else. Also, the =3D reporting in this software is great. At the end of
the day, Microsoft =3D wants you to buy more than you need to by law.
Metering software, =3D regardless if it is Metrix or not, will help you
use the law to your =3D advantage. I suggest you look into it.
Respectfully,
Lucas W. Boyken
Computer Systems Associates
Account Manager / Technical Representative
lboyken@xxxxxxxxx
Company Phone: 800.222.7601
Office Phone: 515.332.2751
Fax: 515.332.5687
-----Original Message-----
From: Selinger, Stephen [mailto:SSelinger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]=3D20
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:09 AM
To: 'thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [THIN] Windows 2003 and Office XP Licensing
Good Morning,
I understand that Windows 2003 has per user TS CAL licensing which seems
=3D like a great thing if you have users who will access your terminal =
=3D
servers from more then one device. Now what happens if the users want =
=3D
to use Microsoft Office from multiple devices. Is Microsoft Office XP =
=3D
in a Windows 2003 per user terminal services environment still licensed
=3D on a per device basis or can it be licensed on a per use basis =
similar
=3D to TS CALS. For example I have a worker who works from home but =3D
occasionally needs to use Microsoft Office when he is at an Internet =3D
caf=3DE9. Do I have to purchase a office license for each device at the =
=3D
Internet caf=3DE9. Maybe I am missing something but why would Microsoft =
=3D
license TS CALS on a per user basis but only license office on a per =3D
device basis. I apologize if this was a dumb question.=3D20
Stephen
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This weeks sponsor - RTOSoft TScale=20
Complaints about applications response time - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
TScale 2.0 improves applications response time and increases terminal
server capacity. Really get MORE from your existing servers! Free eval:
http://www.rtosoft.com/enter.asp?id=3D130
**********************************************************
Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
http://thethin.net/links.cfm
For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or=20
set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
http://thethin.net/citrixlist.cfm
********************************************************
This weeks sponsor - RTOSoft TScale=20
Complaints about applications response time - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
TScale 2.0 improves applications response time and increases terminal
server capacity. Really get MORE from your existing servers! Free eval:
http://www.rtosoft.com/enter.asp?id=3D130
**********************************************************
Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
http://thethin.net/links.cfm
For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or=20
set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
http://thethin.net/citrixlist.cfm
********************************************************
This weeks sponsor - RTOSoft TScale
Complaints about applications response time - DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
TScale 2.0 improves applications response time and increases terminal
server capacity. Really get MORE from your existing servers! Free eval:
http://www.rtosoft.com/enter.asp?id=130
**********************************************************
Useful Thin Client Computing Links are available at:
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For Archives, to Unsubscribe, Subscribe or
set Digest or Vacation mode use the below link:
http://thethin.net/citrixlist.cfm
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