Microsoft Windows Server 2022 RDS DEVICE CAL - Product Key

Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CAL system requirements

Managing Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CAL licences: it all starts with the email from Mr Key Shop

Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CAL does not require an installation file on the client device: it is a licence that grants a specific machine the right to open Remote Desktop Services sessions on Windows Server 2022, regardless of how many users access it from that terminal. After purchasing from Mr Key Shop, you will receive the product key and documentation via email. Registration takes place on the RDS server via the Remote Desktop Services Licence Manager console; the client device requires no additional configuration.

Registering RDS Device CALs on Windows Server 2022: licence server and device counter

Before registering the Device CALs, the Remote Desktop Services role must be active on the server and the Remote Desktop Licensing Server must have been activated; it may reside on the same machine that provides the RDS services or on a dedicated server within the infrastructure. Once operational, RDS Device CALs are automatically assigned to client devices upon their first RDS connection, until the number of registered licences is exhausted. Each Device CAL is tied to the device that acquired it: the licence remains assigned to that terminal for a period of 52–89 days before it can be released and reassigned.

RDS Device CAL licence code: entering it in the wizard and updating the counter

In the RDS Licence Manager, launch the licence installation wizard, select the programme type corresponding to your purchase and enter the product key received via email. The wizard registers the CALs on the licence server and immediately updates the counter for authorised devices. File the product key in your organisation’s compliance documentation: it will be required in the event of a licence server replacement, RDS infrastructure migration or an audit. RDS Device CALs for Windows Server 2022 are backwards compatible and cover RDS sessions even on servers running earlier versions of the operating system.

Frequently Asked Questions about Microsoft Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CAL

• What is a Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CAL?
  An RDS Device CAL (Remote Desktop Services Device Client Access Licence) is a licence that authorises a specific device – such as a PC, thin client, terminal or workstation – to establish Remote Desktop Services sessions on Windows Server 2022. Unlike the RDS User CAL, which is tied to the user, the Device CAL is tied to the device: anyone accessing the service from that machine is automatically covered by the same licence, with no limit on the number of users.
• What is the difference between an RDS Device CAL and an RDS User CAL for Windows Server 2022?

• What does it mean that the Device CAL is assigned for 52–89 days?
  When a device connects to the RDS server for the first time, it automatically acquires a Device CAL from the licence server. That CAL remains reserved for that device for a period ranging from 52 to 89 days: even if the device does not connect for weeks, the licence is not immediately released. Once this period has elapsed, the CAL becomes available again in the pool and can be assigned to another device. This mechanism is managed automatically by the RDS licence server.
• Do RDS Device CALs for 2022 also cover earlier versions of Windows Server?
  Yes. Microsoft RDS CALs are backwards compatible: an RDS Device CAL for Windows Server 2022 authorises RDS sessions even on servers running earlier versions (2019, 2016, 2012). The reverse is not true: CALs for earlier versions do not cover access to Windows Server 2022.
• How many RDS Device CALs do I need for my environment?
  One for each device that initiates RDS sessions on the server, regardless of the number of users using it or the number of simultaneous connections. If twenty terminals access the RDS server, you need twenty Device CALs, even if several people take turns using each one throughout the day.
• When should you NOT choose Windows Server 2022 RDS Device CALs?
  If users connect to the RDS server from different devices—office PCs, laptops whilst working remotely, or tablets whilst travelling—the RDS User CAL is more suitable: a single licence per user covers all the devices they use, without having to purchase multiple CALs per machine. If the infrastructure does not use the RDS role but users only access shared resources such as files and printers, standard access CALs for Windows Server services are required, not RDS CALs. If the production server is a version prior to 2022, the CALs must correspond to that specific version.