Example Use Cases for CAL Management
FlexNet Manager Suite
2023 R1
(On-Premises)
This topic highlights some example scenarios for CAL management, and describes how each one of them should be managed using FlexNet Manager Suite.
Restricting CAL consumption to a specific group
You can restrict the consumption of a particular CAL to a specific enterprise group. For
example, an installation of Microsoft SharePoint should only be accessed by users from the
Support group. The following are the steps to implement this
scenario using FlexNet Manager Suite:
- Create a license of the type
Microsoft User CAL
for Microsoft SharePoint Server. - Ensure that all the required users have been added to the Support corporate group.
- In the Restrictions tab of the license properties, search and add the Support group.
- After the reconciliation is complete, the Microsoft SharePoint User CAL should be consumed only for the users of the added group.
Managing User and Device CALs together
Your CAL procurement strategy may include a mix of User and Device CALs. Consider the
following example scenario:
- Out of the 150 users of Microsoft Exchange, 100 engineering users are full time, and work from dedicated devices.
- The remaining 50 users are in the Support department and work in two shifts, sharing 25 computers.
- Create two corporate units: Engineering and Support.
- Create a license of the type
Microsoft User CAL
for the accessed Microsoft Exchange Server. - Ensure that all 100 full-time users have been added to the Engineering group.
- In the Restrictions tab of the license properties of the
Microsoft User CAL
, search and add the Engineering group. The license will now be consumed only for the users of the added group. - Create a license of the type
Microsoft Device CAL
for the accessed Microsoft Exchange Server. - Ensure that all 25 support computers have been added to the Support group.
- In the Restrictions tab of the license properties of the
Microsoft Device CAL
, search and add the Support group. The license will now be consumed only for the users of the Support group.Note: If the Support department users are also allowed to access the Microsoft Exchange Server via their mobile devices, home PCs, or laptops, Microsoft User CALs may be a more cost effective option to consider.
Managing CALs for accesses from unknown external devices
Device details may not be available when a device running Microsoft Windows Server is
accessed by external users (such as consultants away on customer sites). In such cases, the
access evidence records show just the IP address of the accessing device. You can use the
following steps to adjust the CAL consumption in this scenario:
- Navigate to the Unlicensed CAL Usage page and note the number in the Accessing devices column for the accessed product (such as Microsoft Windows Server).
- Go to the All Licenses page and search the CAL for that product.
- Open the license properties of the license and click the Consumption tab.
- Add the number mentioned in the Accessing devices column on the Unlicensed CAL Usage page to the count mentioned in the Allocated point for this license. This will adjust the number of unknown accesses being made to the server application.
Managing CALs for multiple indirect accesses to a server application
Multiple users of a web application or website may access a server application through the
same account. For example, 100 users of an ERP solution may access Microsoft SQL Server
through an internally-configured ErpQuery account. As only one
user-account of SQL server is accessing the application, the access evidence will only
indicate access by one user, instead of reporting access by 100 users. To be license
compliant, you should consume 100 User CALs for Microsoft SQL Server. The following are the
steps to manage CALs in this scenario:
- Check the CAL Usage Inventory report to find a very high value in the Access Count column in an access record. This would provide a hint that multiple users are accessing a server application.
- Using any method to record the number of indirect accesses, make a note of the number of users of the ERP application that are indirectly accessing the Microsoft SQL Server installation.
- Go to the All Licenses page and search the appropriate User CAL license for Microsoft SQL Server.
- Open the license properties of the license and click the Consumption tab.
- Add the number noted in step 1 to the count mentioned in the Allocated
point for this license. This will adjust the consumption for the accesses
being made to the server application.Note: The license requirements would be different In the case of unknown external users or devices accessing an Internet-facing site that is running on Microsoft SharePoint Server. If Microsoft SharePoint version 2013 or 2016 is being used, the server license itself covers unlimited external accesses, and no additional CALs are required. For Microsoft SharePoint version 2010 and earlier, you need an External Connector Licenses to cover the anonymous access.
FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)
2023 R1