Event ID 21 — Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) Availability

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

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

RDS CALs are installed onto a license server by using the Remote Desktop Licensing Manager tool.

Event Details

Resolve

Check the licensing mode on the Remote Desktop Session Host server, and if necessary, install additional RDS CALs

To resolve this issue, ensure that the Remote Desktop licensing mode configured on the Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) server matches the type of Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) installed on the Remote Desktop license server. If the licensing mode on the RD Session Host server matches the type of RDS CALs installed on the license server, install additional RDS CALs of that type onto the license server.

Check the type of RDS 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 RDS CALs installed on the license server:

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

Check the licensing mode on the RD Session Host 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 RD Session Host server licensing mode:

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

Note:  You can also specify the Remote Desktop licensing mode for an RD Session Host server by using Group Policy.

• To specify the Remote Desktop licensing mode for an RD Session Host server by using Group Policy, enable the Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode Group Policy setting. This Group Policy setting is located in Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Remote Desktop Services\Remote Desktop Session Host\Licensing. Note that the Group Policy setting will take precedence over the setting configured in Remote Desktop Session Host 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 an RD Session Host 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=143317) or the GPMC Help (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=143867) in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Library.

Install RDS CALs onto the license server

Note: The automatic RDS CAL installation method requires Internet connectivity from the computer running the Remote Desktop 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 RDS 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 Remote Desktop Services Client Access Licenses" in the RD Licensing Manager Help in the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Library (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=177605).

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

To install RDS CALs automatically:

1. On the license server, open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager. To open Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.
2. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, confirm that the action it displays is what you want, and then click Yes.
3. Ensure that the connection method for the Remote Desktop license server is set to Automatic connection (recommended) by right-clicking the license server on which you want to install RDS 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 RDS 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 RDS 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 RDS 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 RDS CALs for your environment based on your RDS CAL purchase agreement, and then click Next.
10. The Microsoft Clearinghouse is automatically contacted and processes your request. The RDS CALs are then automatically installed onto the license server.
11. To complete the process, click Finish. The license server can now issue RDS CALs to clients that connect to a Remote Desktop Session Host server.

Verify

To verify that Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) are installed and available on the Remote Desktop license server, use the Remote Desktop 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 RDS CALs are installed and available:

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

Note:  To verify that the Remote Desktop Session Host server can contact a Remote Desktop license server with the appropriate type of RDS CALs, use Licensing Diagnosis in the Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration tool on the RD Session Host server.

Related Management Information

Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) Availability

Remote Desktop Services