Event ID 21 — Terminal Services Client Access License (TS CAL) Availability

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

When a client—either a user or a device—connects to a terminal server, the terminal server determines if a Terminal Services client access license (TS CAL) is needed. The terminal server then requests a TS CAL from a Terminal Services license server on behalf of the client attempting to connect to the terminal server. If an appropriate TS CAL is available from a license server, the TS CAL is issued to the client, and the client will be able to connect to the terminal server.

TS CALs are installed onto a license server by using the TS Licensing Manager tool.

Note: A terminal server running Windows Server 2008 can only communicate with a license server running Windows Server 2008.

Event Details

Resolve

Check the licensing mode on the terminal server, and if necessary, install additional TS CALs

To resolve this issue, ensure that the Terminal Services licensing mode configured on the terminal server matches the type of Terminal Services client access licenses (TS CALs) installed on the Terminal Services license server. If the licensing mode on the terminal server matches the type of TS CALs installed on the license server, install addtional TS CALs of that type onto the license server.

Check the type of TS CALs installed on the license server

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To check the type of TS CALs installed on the license server:

1. On the license server, open TS Licensing Manager. To open TS Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click TS Licensing Manager.
2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
3. In the left pane, expand All Servers, and then click the license server. In the right pane, the type, version, and number of TS CALs installed on the license server is listed.

Check the licensing mode on the terminal server

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To check the Terminal Services licensing mode:

1. On the terminal server, open Terminal Services Configuration. To open Terminal Services Confiiguration, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click Terminal Services Configuration.
2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
3. Under Licensing, double-click Terminal Services licensing mode.
4. The licensing mode selected (either Per Device or Per User) should match the type of TS CALs installed on the terminal server.
5. If the licensing mode is incorrectly configured, select the appropriate licensing mode, and then click OK.

Note:  You can also specify the Terminal Services licensing mode for a terminal server by using Group Policy.

• To specify the Terminal Services licensing mode for a terminal server by using Group Policy, enable the Set Terminal Services licensing mode Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Terminal Server\Licensing. Note that the Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Terminal Services Configuration.
• To configure the Group Policy setting in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), use the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC). To configure the Group Policy setting locally on a terminal server, use the Local Group Policy Editor. For more information about configuring Group Policy settings, see either the Local Group Policy Editor Help (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=101633) or the GPMC Help (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=101634) in the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library.

Install TS CALs onto the license server

Note: The automatic TS CAL installation method requires Internet connectivity from the computer running the TS Licensing Manager tool. Internet connectivity is not required from the license server itself. This method uses TCP/IP (TCP port 443) to connect directly to the Microsoft Clearinghouse. You can also install TS CALs onto the license server by using a Web browser or by the using the telephone. For more information about these installation methods, see "Install Terminal Services Client Access Licenses" in the TS Licensing Manager Help in the Windows Server 2008 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=101643).

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To install TS CALs automatically:

1. On the license server, open TS Licensing Manager. To open TS Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click TS Licensing Manager.
2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
3. Ensure that the connection method for the Terminal Services license server is set to Automatic connection (recommended) by right-clicking the license server on which you want to install TS CALs, and then clicking Properties. On the Connection Method tab, change the connection method if necessary, and then click OK.
4. Right-click the license server on which you want to install the TS CALs, and then click Install Licenses. The Install Licenses Wizard starts.
5. Click Next.
6. On the License Program page, select the appropriate program through which you purchased your TS CALs, and then click Next.
7. The License Program that you selected on the previous page in the wizard will determine what information you will need to provide on this page. In most cases, you will have to provide either a license code or an agreement number. Consult the documentation provided when you purchased your TS CALs.
8. After you have entered the required information, click Next.
9. On the Product Version and License Type page, select the appropriate product version, license type, and quantity of TS CALs for your environment based on your TS CAL purchase agreement, and then click Next.
10. The Microsoft Clearinghouse is automatically contacted and processes your request. The TS CALs are then automatically installed onto the license server.
11. To complete the process, click Finish. The license server can now issue TS CALs to clients that connect to a terminal server.

Verify

To verify that Terminal Services client access licenses (TS CALs) are installed and available on the Terminal Services license server, use the TS Licensing Manager tool.

To perform this procedure, you must have membership in the local Administrators group, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority.

To verify that TS CALs are installed and available:

1. On the license server, open TS Licensing Manager. To open TS Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click TS Licensing Manager.
2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Continue.
3. In the left pane, expand All Servers, and then click the license server. In the right pane, the type, version, and number of TS CALs installed on the license server is listed.

Note:  To verify that the terminal server can discover (contact) a Terminal Services license server with the appropriate type of Terminal Services client access licenses (TS CALs), use Licensing Diagnosis in the Terminal Services Configuration tool on the terminal server.

Related Management Information

Terminal Services Client Access License (TS CAL) Availability

Terminal Services