Server Licensing Types

Types of Server Licenses Available: Windows 2000 Server

Standard
Required for a computer without licensed software installed.

Version Upgrade
Available to owners of licenses for previous versions of Windows NT Server. Priced significantly below Standard licenses.

Competitive Upgrade
Offered to customers who currently own licensed copies of qualifying competitive software, including:

• Novel: NetWare, IntranetWare, IntranetWare for Small Business
• Banyan Vines
• IBM: LAN Server, OS/2
• Microsoft LAN Manager
• DEC PATHWORKS
• Artisoft LANtastic
• SCO: Xenix, UNIX, OpenServer, or UnixWare
• Sun: Solaris, Solaris X86, or SunOS
• Hewlett-Packard: HP-UX
• IBM: AIX
• Digital: Ultrix, OSF/1, or UNIX
• SGI: Irix

Upgrade Advantage
Available to owners of licenses for previous versions of Windows NT Server as part of Microsoft's volume licensing programs. Provides your organization with the rights to all eligilbe upgrades for a 2-year period, major and minor, at an attractive price, making it an easy and cost-effective way to get current and stay current on Microsoft software.

Types of Client Access Licenses Available

Standard
Allows client computers to access any Windows 2000 Server in a network. Required for any computer, including those running Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT Workstation, or Windows 2000 Professional.

Version Upgrade
Upgrades previous versions of Windows NT Server CALs to Windows 2000 Server CALs. Priced significantly below Standard licenses.

Upgrade Advantage
Available to owners of licenses for previous versions of Windows NT Server as part of Microsoft's volume licensing programs. By adding Upgrade Advantage to your Select or Open License Agreement, you can save on CALs for your next version of Windows NT Server and receive two years of free upgrades.

Competitive Upgrade
Offered to customers who currently own client access licenses for qualifying competitive software, or who are running applications requiring Windows NT Server authentication at the time of Windows 2000 release. Significant savings over Standard licenses; at the same price as Version Upgrade licenses.

Per Seat mode vs. Per Server mode for Client Access License (CAL) licensing

Per Seat mode
Best where workstations frequently connect to multiple servers within your organization. Can be applied to Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and Windows 2000 DataCenter Server.

Per Server mode
Best where workstations infrequently connect to specific servers. You may switch from Per Server to Per Seat mode once. Can be applied to Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and Windows 2000 DataCenter Server.

Example: 300 workstations sporadically connect to 5 servers, with no more than 20 connections to any one server at a time. Purchase 100 CALs.

This feature information was obtained from the Microsoft Windows 2000 website at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000 and are linked from ActiveWin.com for your convenience. For the most accurate information please visit the official site. 

Return To The Windows 2000 Section