How to configure licensing on an additional Windows server in an SBS network (327644)

Select the licensing mode during Windows Server setup

When you install a new Windows 2000 Server-based computer on an SBS 2000 or a Windows Small Business Server 2003 network, select the Per Seat licensing mode. To do this, click Per seat on the Licensing Modes screen in the Windows 2000 Server Setup program.

When you install a new Windows Server 2003-based computer on an SBS 2000 or a Windows Small Business Server 2003 network, select the Per Device or Per User licensing mode. To do so, click Per Device or Per User on the Licensing Modes screen in the Windows Server 2003 Setup program.

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Change the licensing mode on an existing server

If a computer that is running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 is configured to use the Per Server licensing mode, we recommend that you change the licensing mode if you are running the existing server on an SBS 2000 or Windows Small Business Server 2003 network. To change the licensing mode on an existing server, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Licensing.
3. In the Choose Licensing Mode dialog box, click Per Seat in Windows 2000 Server, or click Per Device or Per User in Windows Server 2003.
4. In the License Violation dialog box, click No.
5. In the Choose Licensing Mode dialog box, click OK.
6. Click to select the I Agree that check box, and then click OK.
   
   Note After you change a server to Per Seat or to Per Device or Per User licensing, you cannot revert to Per Server licensing unless you reinstall the operating system.

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Configure client access licenses on an additional server

Each SBS 2003 client access license (CAL) also authorizes you to access any computers that are running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or earlier version in the same domain as the SBS computer. You do not have to purchase additional CALs for these servers. However, you do have to configure CALs on the additional servers equal in number to the CALs that are installed on the SBS computer. If you do not configure these CALs on the additional servers, the SBS computer may log a License Service error in the application log that is similar to the following:Event Type: Error
Event Source: LicenseService
Event Category: None
Event ID: 202
Date: Date
Time: Time
User: N/A
Computer: ServerName
Description:
The product Windows Server is out of licenses. Use Licensing from the
Administrative Tools folder for more information on which users are out of
compliance and how many licenses must be purchased.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://support.microsoft.com. To configure the CALs on an additional server, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Licensing.
   
   Note The Licensing program in Administrative Tools is different from the Licensing program in Control Panel. The Licensing program in Control Panel is used to select the licensing mode. The Licensing program in Administrative Tools is used to manage CALs. Therefore, make sure that you start the Licensing program from Administrative Tools.
2. On the License menu, click New License.
3. In the Product box, click Windows Server.
4. In the Quantity box, click to add CALs that are equal in number to the CALs that are installed on the SBS computer.
   
   To determine how many CALs are installed in SBS 2000, click Start, click Small Business Server Administrator Console, and then click the About link on the Server Status (BackOffice Home) window.
   
   To determine how many CALs are installed on Windows Small Business Server 2003, click Start, click Server Management, click Licensing, and then view the Installed licenses value.
5. Click OK, and then quit License Manager.

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MORE INFORMATION

The license agreement for the SBS 2000 client access license pack says, "This CAL also authorizes you to access and use the services and functionality of a Microsoft Windows 2000 Server that is in the same domain as the Server Software." Although it is not specifically stated, you are also allowed to access any computers that are running Windows Server 2003 in the same domain as the SBS computer. The reference to Windows Server 2003 was not included in the license agreement because Windows Server 2003 was not a released product at the time. There are no plans to update the text of the license agreement.