Microsoft Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CAL [50 CAL]

Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CAL: Authorize 50 Devices to Connect via Remote Desktop

When users connect to a Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CAL host through the Remote Desktop Services role, two licenses are required: a Windows Server CAL that authorizes the access to the server itself, and a Remote Desktop Services CAL that authorizes the Remote Desktop connection. The Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CAL, sold in a 50-pack, is the additive CAL that grants the Remote Desktop authorization, billed per device rather than per user. 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 Server 2012 R2 RDS User CAL product key and a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) delivered to your account dashboard and your order email. The key activates 50 Device CALs on a Remote Desktop License Server (RDLS), which is the role that issues and tracks RDS CALs in a Windows Server environment. The license is perpetual: the Device CALs are valid for the lifetime of the server, and the same CALs can be issued to replacement devices as older devices are retired.

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 2012 Essentials 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 device reconnects.

Once activated, the license server tracks the issued Device CALs centrally and reports on remaining capacity through the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. Devices that connect to a session host receive their CAL from the license server automatically; no per-device interaction is required.

Key Features and Capabilities

• 50 RDS Device CALs in one pack. A single 25-character product key activates 50 Device CALs on a Remote Desktop License Server. Larger deployments can stack multiple 50-packs to reach the required capacity.
• Compatibility with Windows Server 2012. RDS CALs purchased for Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials are valid for Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard session hosts only. The 2012 RDS CALs are not valid for Windows Server 2012 R2 or later Windows Server versions unless the CAL is upgraded through Software Assurance or a Volume Licensing agreement.
• RDS Gateway, RDS Web Access, and the modern RDS feature set. The Device 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, RDS Connection Broker for session distribution, 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 devices. The first time a device connects to a session host, the license server issues a temporary CAL valid for 90 days. The temporary CAL is converted to a permanent CAL when the device reconnects to the session host within the temporary period.
• Right model for shared devices. The Device CAL is the more cost-effective choice when the same device is shared by multiple users: factory-floor terminals, hospital workstations, retail point-of-sale systems, or call-center shifts where one workstation is used by many different employees.
• Compatible with User CALs in the same environment. The same license server can hold both Device CALs and User 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 Device CAL is the right choice when devices are shared by multiple users. The personas below describe the most common buyers of a 50-pack of Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CALs.

• Call centers and contact centers. A small pool of workstations is shared by a large number of agents across shifts. The Device CAL is the more cost-effective model because each workstation is one CAL, regardless of how many agents use it.
• Healthcare and clinical workstations. Hospital wards, nursing stations, and clinical workstations are shared by many clinicians. The Device CAL is the standard licensing model for these shared workstations.
• Retail point-of-sale and back-office terminals. Retail chains with a fixed pool of terminals and a rotating pool of staff benefit from the Device CAL model, especially in environments with high staff turnover.
• Manufacturing and factory-floor workstations. A production line with a fixed number of operator terminals that are used by many different operators is a typical Device CAL scenario.

System Requirements

The RDS Device CAL is a software license; there is no client-side hardware requirement beyond the workstation 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 2012 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 50-pack of Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CALs is a perpetual license that is tracked on the Remote Desktop License Server. A few details worth knowing up front:

• One CAL per device. Each Device CAL authorizes one device to connect to a session host. The number of users who use that device is irrelevant for licensing purposes.
• Issued automatically on first connection. The license server issues a temporary CAL the first time a device connects, and a permanent CAL when the device reconnects. There is no per-device interaction with the license server.
• CALs remain with the device. A Device CAL stays with the original device even when the user changes. When the device is retired, the CAL is released back to the license pool after the standard 90-day temporary-CAL period.
• This is a 2012 CAL. These CALs are valid for Windows Server 2012 only. For Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, or later session hosts, the matching RDS CAL for that version 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 2012. 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 2012 RDS Device CALs

Buying a 50-pack of Windows Server 2012 RDS Device CALs is the simplest way to authorize 50 shared devices 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 Device CAL is the right model for your deployment, our support team is on hand before and after the purchase.

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 RDS Device 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