Licensing Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2008 R2

Remote Desktop Services (RDS, formally known as Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008) functionality in Windows Server 2008 R2 lets you remotely execute applications or an entire desktop on a Windows-based session host server from a wide range of devices over virtually any type of network connection; it also lets you remotely execute virtual machine-based (virtual) desktops on a Hyper-V-based virtualization host server. A server hosting Remote Desktop Services sessions can be referred to as a Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) Server, and a RDS server hosting virtual machines can be referred to as a Remote Desktop Virtualization Host (RDVH) Server.

Remote Desktop Services Licensing Requirements

Windows Server License

The Windows Server 2008 R2 licensing model requires a server license for each running instance of the server software. Remote Desktop Services functionality is included in the Windows Server software.

Windows Server Client Access License and TS/RDS Client Access License

In addition to a server license, a Windows Server Client Access License (CAL) is required to access the Windows Server software. If you wish to utilize the RDS functionality of the Windows Server software, an incremental Terminal Services Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Client Access License (TS CAL), or the new Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) is required as well. A TS or RDS CAL is required for each user or device. To be specific, a WS 2008 TS CAL or WS 2008 RDS CAL may access a server running Windows Server 2008 R2. An RDS CAL is functionally equivalent to a TS CAL.

Available Remote Desktop Services CALs

The following types of RDS Server Client Access Licenses are available:

A RDS Device CAL permits one device (used by any user) to utilize Remote Desktop Services functionality on any of your servers.
A RDS User CAL permits one user (using any device) to utilize Remote Desktop Services functionality on any of your servers.
RDS External Connector for RDS permits multiple external users to access a single Remote Desktop server; if you have multiple servers you will need multiple external connectors in addition to any required Windows Server External Connectors. See here for more information.
Service Providers License Agreement (SPLA) if you are a service provider hosting Remote Desktop Services. See here for more information.

You may choose to use a combination of RDS Device CALs and RDS User CALs simultaneously with the server software.

Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licensing Mode

Remote Desktop Services CALs are available in Per User/Per Device mode only.

In Per User or Per Device mode, a separate RDS CAL is required for each user or device that accesses or uses the server software on any server. You may reassign a RDS CAL from one device to another device, or from one user to another user, provided the reassignment is made either (a) permanently away from the one device or user or (b) temporarily to accommodate the use of the RDS CAL either by a loaner device, while a permanent device is out of service, or by a temporary worker, while a regular employee is absent.

RDS CALs are not available in Per Server mode as RDS sessions or VMs are not allowed in Per Server mode.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Licensing—New Microsoft VDI Suites

Complete and correct licensing of a Microsoft VDI environment requires licensing of both the Windows client operating system running in a centralized location, and of the infrastructure and management components that enable an end-to-end VDI environment.

Virtual Enterprise Centralized Desktop (VECD) is the Microsoft license offering for Windows as a guest operating system in the data center. VECD is available for client devices that are covered by Software Assurance (VECD for SA), and those that are not, including devices such as thin clients that cannot be covered by SA (VECD). Either VECD or VECD for SA is required for any VDI environment running Windows as the guest operating system, regardless of the choice of infrastructure or hypervisor vendor that the customer chooses. More information about the VECD license can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/enterprise/technologies/virtualization-licensing.aspx.

For licensing the infrastructure and management components of a Microsoft VDI environment, customers have essentially two options: They can license the VDI infrastructure components with an RDS CAL, while licensing the VDI management components separately. Or, they can choose one of the two new volume license offerings—the Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Standard Suite and the Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Premium Suite. These two suites combine the products for an optimum VDI experience in a value package.

The two new VDI suites are:

Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Standard Suite (VDI Standard Suite)—Includes the core products and CALs required to enable and manage VDI, including:
- Remote Desktop Services (RDS)–The RDS component of the VDI Suite is licensed solely for use in a VDI context, it does not provide a license to use session-based RDS resources.
- Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP)–a collection of technologies that enable desktop virtualization and management, including App-V
- System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) Client Management License –provides centralized management of the Microsoft® Hyper-V™ -based virtualization components of the VDI host
- System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) Standard Server Management License –provides centralized configuration management of the (physical) VDI hosts of the VDI Suite. Note: Virtualization hosts with mixed VDI and server virtualization workloads cannot be licensed through the VDI Suite.
- System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Standard Server Management License –provides centralized monitoring and performance management of the physical VDI host of the VDI Suite. Note: Virtualization hosts with mixed VDI and server virtualization workloads cannot be licensed through the VDI Suite.
Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Premium Suite (VDI Premium Suite)—Includes all the components of the VDI Standard Suite, plus:
- App-V for RDS–provides application-level virtualization for RDS sessions.
- RDS–the RDS license is not use restricted to the VDI scenario only, but can also be used for session-based desktop and applications scenarios.

VDI Suite licenses are only available to volume licensing customers. To simplify the purchase for customers, they match the licensing schema used by VECD, which follows a device-based subscription model.

Important: The System Center management components of both VDI suites are licensed only for use in a VDI scenario. They are not licensed for use outside of a VDI environment. This means that the management of virtualization hosts with mixed server and desktop workloads cannot be licensed with the VDI Suites.