Example Use Cases for CAL Management

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

This topic highlights some example scenarios for CAL management, and describes how each one of them should be managed using IT Asset Management.

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 IT Asset Management:
  1. Create a license of the type Microsoft User CAL for Microsoft SharePoint Server.
  2. Ensure that all the required users have been added to the Support corporate group.
  3. In the Restrictions tab of the license properties, search and add the Support group.
  4. 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.
The following are the steps to implement this scenario using IT Asset Management:
  1. Create two corporate units: Engineering and Support.
  2. Create a license of the type Microsoft User CAL for the accessed Microsoft Exchange Server.
  3. Ensure that all 100 full-time users have been added to the Engineering group.
  4. 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.
  5. Create a license of the type Microsoft Device CAL for the accessed Microsoft Exchange Server.
  6. Ensure that all 25 support computers have been added to the Support group.
  7. 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:
  1. 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).
  2. Go to the All Licenses page and search the CAL for that product.
  3. Open the license properties of the license and click the Consumption tab.
  4. 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:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Go to the All Licenses page and search the appropriate User CAL license for Microsoft SQL Server.
  4. Open the license properties of the license and click the Consumption tab.
  5. 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.

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

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