[K12OSN] Windoze Terminal Server and K12LTSP

[Shawn Powers]

David Trask wrote:

>I've been reading a lot about TSL's or Terminal server licenses for
>Windows 2003 Terminal Server.  Does this mean that I have to have some
>special license server to use it with rdesktop or something like that? 
>  
>
David,

Few salesmen understand the licensing for terminal sessions.  Here's the 
skinny as far as I know.  (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

For the "Microsoft way" to connect to a terminal server, using their 
software, you are required to have:
(1) Server OS license.  then for the clients,

(1) OS license for the terminal (running win98 or winCE something like that)
(1) CAL for accessing the server
(1) TCAL for accesing the server as a terminal (and requesting a session)
(1) license for each app installed on the server.  ie, I have to have 75 
Office 2003 licenses on the machine, whether or not more than 1 person 
will actually *use* it -- I still have to have the license for all 
possible connectees.

The way LTSP saves a little money is that there is no need for that 
first license, ie the "Win98 or WinCE" on the terminal.  That's how LTSP 
is the cheapest way to implement Microsoft Terminals.

I hope that is clear.  PLEASE realize that even if your salesman says 
you only need a TCAL -- they are wrong.  You need a CAL and a TCAL for 
each device or user.  (That's another twist, you can assign the licences 
to specific units, or to specific users -- or a combination.  For most 
folks like us, it's easiest to just get the license for each thin client.)

I'm still waiting for my servers to arrive -- but the notion of the 
rdesktop -s flag is exciting, as it could just "embed" a windows app 
into a standard linux desktop.  I like that idea. :)

-Shawn