Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CAL [20 CAL]

Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CAL: Authorize Users to Connect via Remote Desktop

When users connect to a Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CAL or 2008 R2 host through the Remote Desktop Services role, two licenses are required: a Windows Server 2016 Datacenter CAL that authorizes the access to the server itself, and a Remote Desktop Services CAL that authorizes the Remote Desktop connection. The Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CAL, sold in a 20-pack, is the additive CAL that grants the Remote Desktop authorization, billed per named user rather than per device. Your key is delivered to your account dashboard within seconds of payment clearing, ready to paste into the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. If the key fails to activate for any reason within 7 days, you get a one-to-one replacement key or a full refund — your choice, no questions asked. Activate the CAL pack on your Remote Desktop license server and start assigning licenses within minutes. 🖥️🔧

What Is Included and How Activation Works

When your order is confirmed, you receive a 25-character Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard R2 RDS User CAL product key and a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) delivered to your account dashboard and your order email. The key activates 20 User CALs on a Remote Desktop License Server (RDLS), which is the role that issues and tracks RDS CALs in a Windows Server 2016 Essentials environment. The license is perpetual: the User CALs are valid for the lifetime of the server, and the same CALs can be reassigned to new users as the workforce changes.

The standard activation flow takes about fifteen minutes on a server with internet access:

1. Install the Remote Desktop Licensing role on a Windows Server 2008 Standard R2 host in the same Active Directory forest as the RDS session hosts you want to license.
2. Open the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager and add the 25-character product key from your order email.
3. Activate the license server through the Microsoft Clearinghouse. The default internet activation method is the simplest; telephone activation is available for air-gapped environments.
4. Point the RDS session hosts in the deployment at the activated license server using Group Policy or the RDS configuration tool.
5. The license server issues a temporary CAL on first connection and a permanent CAL after the user signs in again.

Once activated, the license server tracks the issued User CALs centrally and reports on remaining capacity through the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. Users that connect to a session host receive their CAL from the license server automatically based on their user account.

Key Features and Capabilities

• 20 RDS User CALs in one pack. A single 25-character product key activates 20 User CALs on a Remote Desktop License Server. Larger deployments can stack multiple 20-packs to reach the required capacity.
• Compatibility with Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter and 2008 R2. RDS CALs purchased for Windows Server 2008 R2 are valid for both Windows Server 2016 R2 Standard 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 session hosts. They are not valid for later Windows Server versions unless the CAL is upgraded through Software Assurance or a Volume Licensing agreement.
• RDS Gateway, RDS Web Access, and full RDS feature set. The User CAL authorizes the use of the full Remote Desktop Services feature set, including RDS Gateway for secure external access, RDS Web Access for browser-based session launch, and RemoteApp for individual application publishing.
• Centralized tracking on the RDLS. The Remote Desktop License Server issues, tracks, and reports on all RDS CALs in the deployment. The license manager shows the number of CALs available, the number of CALs issued, and the history of CAL issuance.
• Temporary CALs for first-time users. The first time a user connects to a session host, the license server issues a temporary CAL valid for 60 to 90 days. The temporary CAL is converted to a permanent CAL when the user signs in again before the temporary period expires.
• Right model for mobile users. The User CAL is the more cost-effective choice for users who connect from a laptop, a desktop, a home PC, a tablet, and a phone: one User CAL covers the user regardless of the number of devices.
• Compatible with Device CALs in the same environment. The same license server can hold both User CALs and Device CALs, and a deployment can mix the two models to match the way different groups of users access the server.
• Clearinghouse activation for license compliance. The license server is registered with the Microsoft Clearinghouse, which provides the central registration and tracking that supports software license compliance audits.

Who This Edition Is For

The RDS User CAL is the right choice when users connect from multiple devices or when the same user is the primary user of more than one device. The personas below describe the most common buyers of a 20-pack of Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CALs.

• Mobile and remote workers. A knowledge worker who connects to the office from a laptop at the office, a desktop at a branch, a home PC, and a mobile device benefits from a single User CAL that covers all connections.
• Knowledge workers with multiple devices. A developer or analyst with a primary desktop, a laptop, and a tablet is the classic multi-device User CAL scenario. One User CAL covers all connections from all devices.
• Contractors and consultants. A named user who connects to the office server from a personal device, a contractor laptop, and a customer-site device is the right User CAL scenario.
• Executives and senior staff. Senior staff who connect from many devices and from many locations typically benefit from User CALs rather than Device CALs.

System Requirements

The RDS User CAL is a software license; there is no client-side hardware requirement beyond the device that is connecting to the session host. The license server that holds and tracks the CALs is a Windows Server role that follows the standard Windows Server 2008 R2 hardware baseline.

The license server should be a member server in the same Active Directory forest as the session hosts it is licensing. Group Policy is the typical way to point session hosts at the license server; the policy setting is found under Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Remote Desktop Services → Remote Desktop Session Host → Licensing.

Activation and Licensing Notes

Your 20-pack of Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CALs is a perpetual license that is tracked on the Remote Desktop License Server. A few details worth knowing up front:

• One CAL per user. Each User CAL authorizes one user to connect to a session host from any number of devices. The CAL is associated with the user account, not the device.
• Issued automatically on first sign-in. The license server issues a temporary CAL the first time a user signs in to a session host, and a permanent CAL when the user signs in again. There is no per-user interaction with the license server.
• CALs follow the user. A User CAL stays with the original user even when the user changes devices. When the user leaves the organization, the CAL is released back to the license pool after the standard temporary-CAL period.
• This is a 2008 R2 CAL. These CALs are valid for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 only. For later Windows Server versions, the matching RDS CAL must be purchased.
• Active Directory is required. The license server is a member server in an Active Directory domain. A workgroup license server is supported but adds management complexity.
• Microsoft has ended extended support for Windows Server 2008 R2. The CALs themselves remain valid, but the underlying operating system no longer receives security updates. The CALs can be used as part of a long-running deployment as long as the underlying server is properly isolated.

Get Started With Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CALs

Buying a 20-pack of Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CALs is the simplest way to authorize 20 named users to connect to your Remote Desktop Services deployment. Once the order is confirmed, the key and COA are in your inbox, the activation steps are above, and the CALs are issued to your session hosts in one short session. If you have any questions about whether the User CAL is the right model for your deployment, our support team is on hand before and after the purchase.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 RDS User CAL Alternatives

Three credible alternatives cover most server workloads depending on your requirements.

Linux Server (Ubuntu LTS or RHEL)

Free or low-cost, runs most modern web, container, and database workloads, and is widely supported by cloud providers.

Windows Server on Azure / AWS / GCP

Managed cloud versions of Windows Server with pay-as-you-go licensing. Removes the need for an on-premises licence key.

Windows Server LTSC container images

Microsoft-published container images for development and CI/CD scenarios. Free for development but require a licence for production use.

How to choose: Stay on Windows Server if you run Active Directory, SQL Server, Exchange, or .NET Framework line-of-business apps. Move to Linux server for new web and container workloads. Move to cloud-managed Windows Server to remove licence management overhead.

Frequently Asked Questions