2024年6月8日发(作者：)

Commercial Licensing brief

Licensing Windows Server Remote Desktop Services

and Microsoft desktop applications for use with RDS

This brief applies to all Microsoft Commercial Licensing programs.

Table of contents

Summary .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

What's new in this brief ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Details ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

RDS technologies requiring RDS CALs .................................................................................................................................. 1

Available RDS CALs ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Licensing Microsoft desktop applications for use with Windows Server RDS ...................................................... 2

Dos and don'ts of using Microsoft Office with Windows Server Remote Desktop Services: sample

scenarios ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Frequently asked questions .............................................................................................................................................................. 4

Summary

This licensing brief helps to clarify Microsoft licensing policies for Windows Server Remote Desktop Services (RDS)

and Microsoft desktop applications for use with Windows Server RDS.

What's new in this brief

This brief replaces previous versions of two briefs: Licensing Windows Server 2012 R2 Remote Desktop Services and

Licensing of Microsoft Desktop Application Software for Use with Windows Server Remote Desktop Services. The content

has been combined into this single brief.

Details

Remote Desktop Services (formerly known as Terminal Services) accelerates and extends desktop and application

deployments to any device, improving remote worker efficiency, while helping to keep critical intellectual property

secure and simplify regulatory compliance. Remote Desktop Services enables virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI),

session-based desktops, and applications, allowing users to work anywhere. Microsoft RDS provides three

deployment choices so that customers can have the flexibility to deploy the right type of VDI desktop for their users,

all from a single platform. Customers can host either sessions-based desktop, pooled virtual machines, or personal

virtual machines.

RDS technologies requiring RDS CALs

Microsoft licensing policies for Windows Server Remote Desktop Services (including the components that are

included in Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and

Windows Server 2016) require that, in addition to a Windows Server Client Access License (CAL) (acquired either

standalone or through Microsoft Core CAL Suite or Microsoft Enterprise CAL Suite), you must acquire a Windows

May 2017

Licensing Windows Server Remote Desktop Services and Microsoft

desktop applications for use with RDS

Server RDS CAL for each user or device that (i) directly or indirectly accesses any of the RDS functionality and/or (ii)

directly or indirectly accesses the server software to interact with a graphical user interface (GUI) using RDS

functionality or any other third-party technology.

Remote Desktop Services functionality is defined as those features or services that are running when enabling the

Remote Desktop Services role and/or role service(s) in Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows

Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, or Windows Server 2016. This includes, but is not limited to, Remote Desktop

Gateway, Remote Desktop Web Access, Remote Desktop Connection Broker, Remote Desktop Session Host, and

Remote Desktop Virtualization Host.

Note: No RDS CALs are required for up to two users to access instances of the server software for administration purposes.

Available RDS CALs

The following types of RDS Server Client Access Licenses are available:

RDS Device CAL: Permits one device (used by any user) to use Remote Desktop Services functionality on any of your

servers.

RDS User CAL: Permits one user (using any device) to use Remote Desktop Services functionality on any of your

servers.

RDS External Connector: Permits multiple external users to access a single Remote Desktop server. If you have

multiple servers, you need multiple external connectors in addition to any required Windows Server External

Connectors.

You may choose to combine RDS Device CALs and RDS User CALs simultaneously with the server software. You may

permanently reassign your device CAL from one device to another or your user CAL from one user to another. You

may temporarily reassign your device CAL to a loaner device while the first device is out of service, or reassign your

user CAL to a temporary worker while the worker is absent.

Licensing Microsoft desktop applications for use with Windows Server RDS

The content below is limited to Microsoft Office per device on-premises licenses and does not include per user Online

Services customer scenarios.

Microsoft licenses its desktop applications on a per device basis. Per device licensing means a customer must obtain a

license for each desktop on or from which the product is used or accessed. For example, when a desktop application

is accessed remotely across an organization using Windows Server Remote Desktop Services, a separate desktop

application license is required for each desktop from which the application is accessed.

Use of Microsoft desktop applications in a Remote Desktop Services environment requires that the suite/edition,

components, language, and version of the license acquired for the desktops from which the desktop application is

remotely accessed matches that of the copy of the application being accessed. For example:

Product (or suite): Microsoft Office Standard 2016 and Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016 are different

products (or suites). A desktop licensed for Office Standard 2016 may not remotely access and use Office

Professional Plus 2016.

 Components: A license for a suite (for example, a Microsoft Office suite) for the accessing desktop must have the

same components as the copy of the Microsoft Office suite being remotely accessed.

 Language: The English/multi-language version of the Microsoft Office suite may not be accessed remotely from a

desktop, which is licensed for a single language version of the Microsoft Office suite. Likewise, remote access to a

licensed copy of Microsoft Office Multi-Language Pack 2013 requires the accessing desktop be licensed for the

Office Multi-Language Pack 2013.

May 2017

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