Diagnose licensing issues

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Updated: November 14, 2011

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

In Windows Server 2008 we introduced a Licensing Diagnosis snap-in. This can be accessed from the Terminal Services Configuration or the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration MMC console. This tool can assist an administrator in diagnosing many common issues with a license server.

For a short introduction to licensing diagnosis, first read Identify Possible Licensing Problems for the RD Session Host Server (Windows Server 2008 R2) and/or Identify Possible Licensing Problems for the Terminal Server (Windows Server 2008).

The Licensing Diagnosis tool is capable of diagnosing potential problems in a typical license server deployment, including:

  • Issues with discovery

  • Issues with credentials

  • Issues with configuration

Note

In Windows Server 2008 R2, what was formerly known as a terminal server is now called a Remote Desktop Session Host server. Also, Terminal Services client access licenses (TS CALs) are now called Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs). For more information, see Configure License Settings for an RD Session Host Server.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Session Host server is required for any configuration or reporting of the target server. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups.

Issues with discovery

Problem Resolution
  • The terminal server has not discovered any license servers. If the grace period for the terminal server has expired, connections to the terminal server will be denied unless a license server is configured for the terminal server.

  • The license server is not available. This could be due to network connectivity problems, the Terminal Services Licensing service is stopped on the license server, or TS Licensing is no longer installed on the computer.
  • Configure a license server for the terminal server. If you have an existing license server, use the Terminal Services Configuration tool to specify that license server for the terminal server. Otherwise, install TS Licensing on a computer on your network.

  • If you haven't configured a license server for the terminal server, specify one by using the Terminal Services Configuration tool and determine if that helps.

  • If you have already specified a license server (either by using the Terminal Services Configuration tool or Group Policy or the registry), make sure that the license server is running on that computer and that there are no network connectivity issues between the two computers (use Network Monitor to identify and resolve such issues).

Issues with credentials

Problem Resolution
  • The Terminal Services Configuration tool is running with local account credentials. Licensing Diagnosis will not be able to discover domain or forest license servers automatically, and the value Total Number of TS CALs Available may be inaccurate.

  • To identify possible licensing issues, Administrator credentials for the license server are required.
  • Provide Administrator credentials for the license server by using the Provide Credentials action item in the action pane.

Issues with configuration

Problem Resolution

The license server cannot issue TS CALs to the terminal server because of a version incompatibility.

The version of the license server needs to be greater than or equal to the version of Terminal Services.

The license server is not activated.

The license server should be activated and should have appropriate CALs installed.

The license server cannot issue TS CALs to the terminal server because the Group Policy setting License server security group is enabled.

The Terminal Services computer account should be added to the Terminal Server License Servers security group.

The licensing mode for the terminal server is not configured.

Set the licensing mode for the terminal server to either Per User or Per Device.

The terminal server is in Per Device or Per User licensing mode, but the license server does not have any TS CALs installed.

Make sure that you have TS CALs available on the license server. If you don't have any available, install the appropriate CALs.

Additional references

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008