Windows Small Business Server 2003 Licensing: Frequently Asked Questions

The Windows Small Business Server 2003 license gives you the right to install and use the server software. The Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL gives you the right to have a device or user access the server software.

If you purchased Software Assurance for your Small Business Server 2000 CALs, then you will receive free upgrades to Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs. If you did not purchase Software Assurance, you must purchase new CALs when you upgrade to Windows Small Business Server 2003.

You will need to purchase Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs, apply your downgrade rights, and then contact your Microsoft customer service center to order fulfillment media at a nominal fee. You need to order the fulfillment media separately since Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL packs do not contain the floppy disk that is necessary to deploy licenses on Small Business Server 2000. The Small Business Server 2000 floppy disk also works with previous versions of Small Business Server.

No, CALs are per user or per device. They are not concurrent.

Yes. If you purchased Small Business Server 2000 Software Assurance, you are eligible to receive an upgrade copy of Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition. If you purchased Software Assurance through a reseller or computer manufacturer, contact the media fulfillment center at 800 248 0655 to order your upgrade. For more information about Software Assurance, contact your reseller or see the Microsoft Web site.

CALs cost the same for the standard edition and the premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003. For more information about the offerings of both editions of Windows Small Business Server 2003, see Pricing and Licensing for Windows Small Business Server 2003.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 does not use floppy disks to distribute or install CALs. CALs are now activated over the Internet using unique activation codes, similar to how Terminal Services CALs are purchased and installed. As an alternative, you can call a local telephone number to activate CALs.

Run the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Add Licenses Wizard, and choose to activate your CALs by calling a local telephone number.

A device CAL permits one device (used by any user) to access the server software. A user CAL permits one user (using any device) to access the server software.

Microsoft offers both user and device CALs for Windows Small Business Server 2003 to ensure that customers can implement a licensing plan that enables users to access the network using not only laptops and desktop computers, but also remote devices such as Pocket PCs and Smartphones.

Yes, device and user CALs can both be used on the same server. But for easier managing and tracking, we strongly recommend that you buy either user CALs or device CALs, not both.

No, user CALs and device CALs cost the same.

If you have Software Assurance for your Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs, you can switch between user CALs and device CALs, or vice versa, when you renew your Software Assurance contract. If you do not have Software Assurance for your Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs, then you cannot switch.

Adding a second server (Terminal Server in application sharing mode) does not alter the Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL requirements. You will need a Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL for each user or device that authenticates on the Windows Small Business Server 2003 network. We specifically prohibit multiplexing as a means of reducing the CAL requirement. In addition, you will also need Terminal Server CALs for each Terminal Server user. For more information on Terminal Server licensing, see Licensing Terminal Server in Windows Server 2003.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 does not provide a mechanism to track or display CALs. We strongly suggest, however, that you choose one CAL type (user/device) for your Windows Small Business Server 2003 installation. Windows Small Business Server 2003 will display only the number of CALs that have been activated.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 is built, sold, and licensed as an integrated server platform. Customers who purchase a new license for Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition are only licensed for the server applications that come as part of that edition. If you install that over the top of a Small Business Server 2000 installation, you will not be licensed to use either SQL Server 2000 or ISA Server 2000. Windows Small Business Server 2003 has a version upgrade SKU T75-00037 that is priced at $599 US to specifically address this scenario.

Windows Small Business Server 2003 shows a rough indicator of the maximum usage since the system was last restarted. This is intended as a simple indicator that allows you to evaluate if further CALs are required.

For these first five CALs you get to choose. At the top of the CAL Microsoft Software License Terms in the retail packaging, you can choose to allocate these CALs (up to a maximum of five) to either user or device. Again, we strongly recommend that you choose one type for your Windows Small Business Server 2003 installation.

Regardless of how you connect to the Windows Small Business Server 2003-based server, you need either device CALs or user CALs. If you have chosen device CALs, then your use of Outlook Web Access or Remote Web Workplace will consume a CAL.

There are separate device CAL packs and user CAL packs. You choose at purchase time. Please see Pricing and Licensing for Windows Small Business Server 2003.

You choose the mode when you purchase additional CALs and when you install the server for the first 5 CALs.

For the first 5 CALs that come with the server, you should complete the CAL license document. There is a field for writing in whether you would like to choose per user or per device CALs. For CAL add-on packs there are separate SKUs for per user and per device.

Multiplexing does not reduce the number of CALs required for Windows Small Business Server 2003. For example, using a Terminal Server-based server does not reduce the number of Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs required.

You will need to maintain records of what you have purchased, and how you have assigned the first 5 CALs that come with the server. Windows Small Business Server 2003 does not provide an automated way to track CAL use.

For pricing and licensing information, see Pricing and Licensing for Windows Small Business Server 2003.

After you have obtained your CAL add-on packs, you use the Server Management console to enter the product key that ships with the CAL pack.

The product key that ships with the CAL pack can only be used with one server.

Your Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs cover you for any additional Windows-based servers in the domain. You do not need to buy additional CALs for them.

The Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL only covers you for the single Windows Small Business Server server and any additional Windows Server System servers. Additional CALs will be required for Exchange, terminal server, or SQL servers in the network.

If you choose per user CALs, then each Windows Small Business Server 2003 user will consume a CAL, and that CAL is tied to that specific user. You can re-allocate a user CAL if that reassignment is permanent. You can also temporarily re-assign if the user or device is disabled or on leave.

If you choose device CALs then each device that accesses the Windows Small Business Server 2003 server will consume a CAL. You can re-allocate that CAL if you retire a device.

Yes, your choice of licensing mode applies to any member servers within the Windows Small Business Server 2003 domain.

Yes, new with Windows Small Business Server 2003 is the ability for you to use the SQL Server component for an unlimited number of un-authenticated users. As long as you are un-authenticated, you also do not need a Windows Small Business Server 2003 CAL.

You can purchase additional CALs from any sales channel you prefer (retail, open, OEM) and use those CALs with a server purchased through the OEMs. You can also get additional CALs through some OEMs. Contact your OEM for more information on your CAL purchase options.

No, only Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition can be downgraded to Small Business Server 2000.

If your company is licensed for Small Business Server (server license and CALs) with Software Assurance on a product that was signed and valid as of October 1, 2003, then you are entitled to an equivalent number of Live Communications Server 2003 CALs and/or server licenses at a nominal media fulfillment fee. Contact your Microsoft reseller for more details about how to take advantage of this offer.

The Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack provides a way for customers to grow out of Windows Small Business Server 2003 into the standard line of server products. The transition pack contains both technology and licensing components.

You would purchase the transition pack for the following reasons:

It depends on which version of Windows Small Business Server 2003 you have, and how many Windows Small Business Server 2003 CALs you are licensed for. The transition pack includes several SKUs, one for each edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003 (standard or premium), and transition CALs to transition the number of Windows Small Business Server CALs for which you are licensed. The pricing has been designed so that you are not penalized for starting with Windows Small Business Server 2003. For example, the pricing for the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition Transition Pack is $1,769 US. For each of the transition pack SKUs, this is calculated based on the cost of what you transition to, minus what you have paid for Windows Small Business Server licenses.

See Pricing and Licensing for Windows Small Business Server 2003.

The server transition pack removes all of the Windows Small Business Server 2003 limits (such as 75 CALs, no Active Directory trusts, and CAL enforcement). The CAL transition packs are a license only.

From a licensing perspective, the transition pack converts your Windows Small Business Server licenses into standard licenses for the server components in the edition of Windows Small Business Server you have (standard or premium). For example if you had previously purchased Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition with one pack of 20 additional CALs, the transition pack SKUs would convert your licenses to 1 Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition license and 1 Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition license, with 20 Windows Server 2003 CALs and 20 Exchange Server 2003 CALs, respectively.

Note CAL packs only include Windows Server 2003 CALs and Exchange Server 2003 CALs, regardless of whether you purchase the premium or standard editions. The Premium Transition Pack, however, includes standalone licenses for SQL Server.

After you have purchased the transition pack SKUs, you are licensed for the standard versions of the Windows Server System products. For example, if you purchased the standard edition of the transition pack, you will have Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003. If you purchased the premium edition of the transition pack, you will have Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003, ISA 2000 Server, and SQL Server 2000.

Note CAL packs only include Windows Server 2003 CALs and Exchange Server 2003 CALs, regardless of whether you purchase the premium or standard editions. The Premium Transition Pack, however, includes standalone licenses for SQL Server.

For the server transition pack SKU, simply run the Setup program from CD 1 on your Windows Small Business Server server.

No, the transition pack simply removes the Windows Small Business Server 2003 limits and converts your licenses.

If you need to reinstall or move one of the server components and you do not already have a media kit, you should obtain one from your nearest reseller.

Once the transition pack process is complete, the Windows Small Business Server wizards and tools are still available. You can continue to use the standard Microsoft Management Console (MMC)-based tools for your server administration needs until you reinstall Windows Small Business Server.

You will need to upgrade to Windows Small Business Server 2003. If you grow beyond 75 users, you also will need to purchase the Windows Small Business Server 2003 Transition Pack. The Small Business Server 2000 Migration Pack is no longer available.