Windows Server Cal User Vs Device

A client access license cal is not a type of software but rather a license that grants users or devices access to sql server software.

Windows server cal user vs device.

Sql cals are a requirement only for the sql license cal model meaning that if you purchase sql server licenses per core standard core enterprise core you will not need to purchase any additional licenses. Device cals allow access to all instances of a particular server product from a single device a laptop or a desktop computer for example regardless of how many people use that device. Even though user cals are more expensive buying one cal will be much cheaper than buying four. Each user or device accessing a licensed windows server requires a windows server cal or a windows server and a remote desktop services rds cal.

When you use the per device model a temporary license is issued the first time a device connects to the rd session host. Cal suites simplify licensing and tracking by reducing the number of licenses that are necessary to access microsoft servers. A cal gives users or devices the right to access and use services provided by a windows server. User cals are the more common licensing option.

You either need to buy four device cals to cover those four devices or you need to buy a single user cal to cover that user. The second time that device connects as long as the license server is activated and there are available rds cals the license server issues a permanent rds per device cal. Device cals are less common that user cals but they do make sense when multiple employees use the same computer. Like other cals cal suites can be licensed on either a per user or per device basis.

A client access license cal suite is a single license that provides use rights that are equivalent to multiple licenses. With the user cal you purchase a cal for every user who accesses the server to use services such as file storage or printing regardless of the number of devices they use for that access.