User CALS and Device CALS (Client Access Licenses)

Summary:

User CALS and Device CALS (Client Access Licenses)

What is the difference between User CALS and Device CALS licenses when purchasing Microsoft Products?         

Cause:

Use of User CALS or Device CALS licenses is transparent to NCR CounterPoint*.

Solution:

User CALS license users to access servers while device CALS allow devices to access servers.

Only one or the other of these license types is needed and the difference between the two types is best described using two opposite scenarios:

Scenario 1:
Company ABC issues a laptop and a desktop to everyone in the company.  Here, two device CALS or 1 user CAL would be required.  Purchasing user CALS would be advantageous in this case.

Scenario 2:
Company XYZ maintains a lab of 100 computers for 500 employees.  The company would need to purchase 500 user CALS or 100 device CALS.  Purchasing the 100 device CALS license would likely be advantageous over the 500 user CALS license

*NOTE: NCR Counterpoint Support recommends checking with your Microsoft reseller regarding any questions regarding licensing requirements when purchasing Microsoft Operating Systems or Database Engine products for use with NCR Counterpoint.

*NOTE 2:  NCR Counterpoint Support has been advised by one partner that in a multisite setting where CALS were being purchased for remote site servers, they were advised that an additional CAL would be needed for replication with the hub server.  (I.E, 3 user remote site server on three worksations, 4 device CALS suggested by Microsoft reseller.  We suggest mentioning this to your Microsoft reseller to confirm when ordering full SQL for remote site servers in a multisite environment that the correct number of licenses are purchased.