Small Business Server - what are CAL's?

EssoOil · 10-20-2008, 05:31 AM

Hi there, thanks for reading this.

We have a PC we refer to as our 'Server' but currently it only has Win XP Pro installed. Due to the restrictions of Windows XP Pro we regularly reach the maximum number of LAN connections to this PC (ten connections I think).

I've seen a copy of MS Small Business Server Standard for less than £200 and am thinking of installing this although I have a few questions:-

1) All our other PC's have Win XP Pro installed. I've heard that they will need 'CALs' to talk to the server? What are CAL's and how do they work? (and how much are they approx?).

2) Am I correct in thinking that Small Business Server Standard will allow more than ten people to connect at once?

3) What are the maximum number of VPN connections Small Business Server Standard will allow?

4) Our ISP, Fasthosts offers a service for people running Microsoft Exchange. Does Small Business Server Standard have Exchange?

Really apprecate any advice you can provide - thanks.

**djaburg** · 10-20-2008, 09:09 AM

Small Business server by default comes with a 5 seat license which equates to 5 simultaneous connections to the server. If you need 10 connections, then you'd need to add an additional 5 seats to the server to make this work. Small business server has the big three server components, the server itself, sql server, and exchange server. The maximum number of seats that SBS supports is 75, so that should be well within your range. I believe that SBS also would allow you to have as many VPN connections as you have available licenses for. For example you have 10 licenses and 5 people are on the network in the office, then 5 could VPN in. Keep in mind that if people leave their computer logged in to the network, then that license would be considered used, even though there's nobody on the physical computer.

**XtabbedoutX** · 10-20-2008, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EssoOil

Hi there, thanks for reading this.

We have a PC we refer to as our 'Server' but currently it only has Win XP Pro installed. Due to the restrictions of Windows XP Pro we regularly reach the maximum number of LAN connections to this PC (ten connections I think).

I've seen a copy of MS Small Business Server Standard for less than £200 and am thinking of installing this although I have a few questions:-

1) All our other PC's have Win XP Pro installed. I've heard that they will need 'CALs' to talk to the server? What are CAL's and how do they work? (and how much are they approx?).

You will need a CAL (Client Access License) for each device that talks to the server. If you do not have enough CAL's for the amount of connections it will DENY access to PC's that are beyond the amount of CAL's installed.

2) Am I correct in thinking that Small Business Server Standard will allow more than ten people to connect at once?

YES, SBS will allow up to 75 clients to connect to it. Anymore than 75 and you will need to move to Server 2003 or server 2008 Standard or above.

3) What are the maximum number of VPN connections Small Business Server Standard will allow?

4) Our ISP, Fasthosts offers a service for people running Microsoft Exchange. Does Small Business Server Standard have Exchange?

Yes, MS Exchange is included with the SBS package.

Really apprecate any advice you can provide - thanks.

10-20-2008, 05:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
EssoOil Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 23 OS: Xp SP2	Small Business Server - what are CAL's? Hi there, thanks for reading this. We have a PC we refer to as our 'Server' but currently it only has Win XP Pro installed. Due to the restrictions of Windows XP Pro we regularly reach the maximum number of LAN connections to this PC (ten connections I think). I've seen a copy of MS Small Business Server Standard for less than £200 and am thinking of installing this although I have a few questions:- 1) All our other PC's have Win XP Pro installed. I've heard that they will need 'CALs' to talk to the server? What are CAL's and how do they work? (and how much are they approx?). 2) Am I correct in thinking that Small Business Server Standard will allow more than ten people to connect at once? 3) What are the maximum number of VPN connections Small Business Server Standard will allow? 4) Our ISP, Fasthosts offers a service for people running Microsoft Exchange. Does Small Business Server Standard have Exchange? Really apprecate any advice you can provide - thanks.

10-20-2008, 09:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
djaburg TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,321 OS: XP SP3/Vista/7 Server 2K/2K3/2K8	Re: Small Business Server - what are CAL's? Small Business server by default comes with a 5 seat license which equates to 5 simultaneous connections to the server. If you need 10 connections, then you'd need to add an additional 5 seats to the server to make this work. Small business server has the big three server components, the server itself, sql server, and exchange server. The maximum number of seats that SBS supports is 75, so that should be well within your range. I believe that SBS also would allow you to have as many VPN connections as you have available licenses for. For example you have 10 licenses and 5 people are on the network in the office, then 5 could VPN in. Keep in mind that if people leave their computer logged in to the network, then that license would be considered used, even though there's nobody on the physical computer. __________________ Computers make it easier to do a lot of things, but most of the things they make it easier to do don't need to be done. The inherent vice of capitalism is the uneven division of blessings, while the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery. Last edited by djaburg; 10-20-2008 at 09:10 AM.