How Does FlexNet Manager Suite Calculate CAL Compliance

FlexNet Manager Suite 2023 R1 (On-Premises)
To determine an installation of a server application on an inventory device, FlexNet Manager Suite uses evidence (any combination of installer, file, or WMI). An additional evidence type called access evidence is separately used to measure access to the server applications, such as Microsoft SharePoint Server.
Note: You need the FlexNet Manager for Microsoft product to create and manage CALs in FlexNet Manager Suite. To gather CAL usage inventory, you must set CAL inventory options while creating an inventory target to Allow CAL access evidence collection on these targets. For more information, see Creating a Target in the online help (Discovery and Inventory > Discovery > Discovery and Inventory Rules > Targets > Creating a Target).
When linked to an application, the access evidence records any access event to a particular server application such as Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013. An access evidence record provides information about the accessed application, accessing user, and accessing device. The access evidence information is collected in a separate file (.swacc) as a part of the discovery and inventory process. This file is only generated for the inventory devices that have the supported server products installed on Windows Server 2012 or later and for which Microsoft’s User Access Logging (UAL) capability has been enabled. Access evidence is collected through various services including User Access Logging (UAL) and PowerShell scripts for some products. FlexNet Manager Suite can collect the access evidence through any of the following methods:
  • The locally-installed FlexNet inventory agent
  • Zero-footprint inventory collection through inventory beacon(s)
  • Inventory uploads from Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (previously Microsoft SCCM) (CAL usage inventory only for Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager)
  • Manual upload of access evidence through the Inventory Data One-Off Upload page.

The inventory collected from any of these sources is transferred from an inventory beacon to the central application server through regularly scheduled uploads.

For conventional device licenses, during the reconciliation process the Application Recognition Library (ARL) matches the available evidence to record an application installation. For CALs, while access evidence is linked to an application, it is not used to recognize the linked application installation; instead, it is used to identify access to that application. Like other product licenses, a CAL is also linked to the appropriate application record. However, in the case of CALs, the compliance position is generated based on the usage data (how many clients accessed the server application). The default license priorities are used to consume the appropriate license entitlement against a piece of access evidence. The collected access evidence records are visible on the All Evidence > Access evidence page.

The following diagram illustrates how FlexNet Manager Suite manages CALs:

  1. A user Peter accesses the Microsoft SQL Server 2012 installation on SQL001 database server, installed on Microsoft Windows 2012. The access event is recorded for Microsoft Windows and Microsoft SQL Server.
  2. During the next inventory collection process, FlexNet Manager Suite gathers hardware, software, and access inventory for the SQL001 inventory device.
  3. During reconciliation, FlexNet Manager Suite uses evidence to report an installation of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 and Microsoft Windows 2012.
  4. The collected access evidence identifies that Peter accessed Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and Microsoft SQL Server 2012 on SQL001.
  5. Assuming that neither Peter nor Lap001 has already consumed a CAL for accessing any other Windows server, FlexNet Manager Suite consumes an entitlement of Microsoft User or Device CAL for each of Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Windows based on the set license priorities. For more details on license priorities, see the How Does License Consumption Order Work? topic in the online help.
Variations to the above example
  • If you have a per-processor or per-core license for Microsoft SQL Server on SQL001, CALs are not required.
  • If Peter is an outside user (for example, a consultant on a customer site), an External Connector license may also be required.
  • If this Microsoft Server Installation is used by both internal and external users, you need CALs and an External Connector license, or you can buy a Processor or Core-based license of Microsoft SQL Server.

    If the collected access evidence does not match a known server product, it is preserved as unrecognized evidence (visible on the Unrecognized Evidence page). By default, FlexNet Manager Suite retains the CAL usage inventory data for 90 days from the date of inventory collection, unless the value of the Number of days to keep CAL usage inventory control is changed. For details, see the System Menu > System Settings > System Settings: Inventory Tab page in the online help.

Access evidence collection methods

FlexNet Manager Suite supports multiple Microsoft Server applications for CAL management. Different underlying methods are used to collect access evidence data for different versions of these products. Here is a list of access evidence collection methods used to identify access to a server application:
  • User Access Logging (UAL): When this access method is used, FlexNet Manager Suite collects the access evidence through the User Access Logging (UAL) service of Windows Server, enabled by default in Windows Server 2012 or later. This service records the client device and user request events used to access Windows Server and other installed Microsoft server applications (such as Microsoft SharePoint Server) into a local database. FlexNet Manager Suite collects the access evidence data through a PowerShell script that uses specific Microsoft APIs for UAL. The access events are recorded for both physical and virtual clients and servers. To use this service for a particular Microsoft server application, the UAL service should be enabled on the host Windows Server. The accessed server application should be registered with the UAL service (as happens automatically during installation). For more information about enabling the UAL service, see Microsoft documentation for the Get-Service UALSVC PowerShell cmdlet. For more information about products registered with UAL, see Microsoft documentation for the Get-UALOverview PowerShell cmdlet.

    The appropriate inventory beacon automatically runs specific scripts to determine which user accessed which server over the last 90 days, and through which inventory device. These scripts are run as a part of the discovery and inventory process.

  • PowerShell: When this access method is used (for Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Skype for Business), FlexNet Manager Suite collects access data using a PowerShell script that uses specific Microsoft APIs to track the server applications accessed by users. This data is collected as a part of the discovery and inventory process. The following details are not imported when this method is used:
    • Accessing device
    • Access date
    • Access count.
    Note: FlexNet Manager Suite only gets the accessing user details (who accessed the server product) and not the accessing device details (the device through which the server product was accessed). These details are specific only to the date and time when inventory was collected, and not for the last 90 days. Therefore, Device CALs are not supported for this method. Also, when a supported server application (such as Microsoft Exchange, SharePoint, or Skype for Business) is installed on versions of Microsoft Windows Server prior to Microsoft Windows Server 2012 (for example, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 and earlier), the server application will not have UAL support. In these instances, for each access to the supported server application, FlexNet Manager Suite creates an access evidence record for Microsoft Windows Server too. This is because a User or Device CAL for Microsoft Windows is also required, in addition to a User or Device CAL for the accessed server application.
  • SCCM Adapter: The SCCM adapter has been enhanced to collect the access evidence for Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (previously Microsoft SCCM) accesses. The operator can create the corresponding core CAL license in FlexNet Manager Suite.
  • Spreadsheet imports: You can download the CAL usage inventory template, populate it with evidence data, and upload it to create access evidence records. This method is recommended when you cannot collect access evidence. For example, when UAL service is disabled, or for servers running versions of Microsoft Windows Server prior to Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (with no UAL support). You can also use the CAL Legacy license type for manual management of CALs. For more information about spreadsheet imports, see the Importing Inventory Spreadsheets and CSV Files chapter of this guide.

CAL consumption mode

The consumption of CALs is calculated based on the consumption mode set in the Use rights & roles tab of the license properties for each CAL. You can select one of the following two options:
  • Consume entitlements based on Access: If you set the consumption mode to Access, FlexNet Manager Suite consumes a User CAL for all the users listed on the All Users page, or a Device CAL for all the devices listed on the All Inventory page, unless any restrictions are applied through the Restrictions tab of the license properties. If you restrict the scope of this license to a specific enterprise group, a CAL is consumed for each user (in case of User CALs) or each device (in case of Device CALs) that are members of that enterprise group. For more information on license consumption restrictions, see the online help.
    Note: No access evidence is required when entitlements are consumed based on access.
  • Consume entitlements based on Usage within the time limit: If you set the consumption mode to Usage, FlexNet Manager Suite consumes User or Device CAL for users or devices whose access to a server application has been reported by the appropriate access evidence. Usage tracking must be enabled for the accessed application.

Supported server products for CAL management

The following table outlines the access evidence collection methods and CAL consumption modes supported for the named Microsoft Server applications.
Table 1. Microsoft server products supported for CAL management
Microsoft Product Product Version User CALs Consumption Device CALs Consumption Inventory Data Source Notes
    Access based Usage based Access based Usage based User CAL Device CAL  
Windows Server 2012 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL  
2012 R2 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL  
2016 Full See notes Full See notes     To be supported once Windows Server 2016 is released
SQL Server 2012 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL Supported only on Windows Server 2012 or later
2014 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL Supported only on Windows Server 2012 or later
2016 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL Supported only on Windows Server 2012 or later
Exchange Server 2010 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
2013 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
2016 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
SharePoint Server 2010 Full Limited Full See notes Spreadsheet Import Spreadsheet Import Partial support to be added later
2013 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL Supported only on Windows Server 2012 or later
2016 Full Full Full Partial UAL UAL Supported only on Windows Server 2012 or later
Skype for Business (Lync) 2010 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
2013 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
2015 Full Partial Full Limited PowerShell Spreadsheet Import  
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (previously Microsoft SCCM) 2012 Full Full Full Full Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Requires Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager inventory
2012 R2 Full Full Full Full Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Requires Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager inventory
2016 Full Full Full Full Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager Requires Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager inventory
Where:
  • Full: Full support (UAL user data or Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager data)
  • Partial: Partial support (PowerShell script data or UAL device data)
  • Limited: Limited support (requires spreadsheet import of access or usage data)
Note: FlexNet Manager Suite collects the access evidence from the target Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft SharePoint Server only if the UAL service of Microsoft Windows has been enabled on each accessed server. The accessed server application should be registered with the UAL service (which happens automatically during installation).

Application usage versus CAL usage

It is important to understand the difference between application usage and CAL usage. In the above diagram, Microsoft SQL Server 2012 is an application installed on the server and recognized by FlexNet Manager Suite through imported evidence. When this application is accessed by a user (such as the database administrator) or another application installed on SQL001 device, the application usage is recorded for Microsoft SQL Server. The usage record is linked to the inventory device record of the physical server where the database has been installed.

When the service of this instance of Microsoft SQL Server is requested through a client device (for example, Lap001), the access event is recorded (by Microsoft UAL service) and collected for Microsoft SQL Server as CAL usage. The same process is used for Microsoft Windows 2012 on SQL001.

FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)

2023 R1