Description of Terminal Services License Server Discovery

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

SUMMARY

This article describes the discovery process used by Windows 2000-based computers that are running Terminal Services to locate Windows 2000-based Terminal Services Licensing Servers.

MORE INFORMATION

Terminal Services-enabled Windows 2000-based servers and domain controllers use the following methods to discover a Windows 2000 License Server:

Windows 2000 Domain

• The Terminal Services License Service must be installed on a Windows 2000 domain controller in the domain.



• The Terminal Service server must be running on a Windows 2000 domain controller or a Windows 2000 member server with one or more Windows 2000 domain controllers in the same domain.



• The Terminal Services-based computer looks for the License Server by using Remote Procedure Call (RPC) to all Windows 2000-based domain controllers in the same domain and querying them for the Terminal Service Licensing service. The client chooses one of the License Servers at random, and then requests a license key pack from that License Server. The License Server passes the request to the Enterprise License Server if no license key pack is available.



• If the Terminal Services server cannot find a License Server in the domain, it queries the Directory service for the enterprise License Server.

Windows NT 4.0 Domain

• The License Server must be running on a Windows 2000 member server and all domain controllers must be running Windows NT 4.0.



• The Terminal Services-based computer issues broadcasts on a mailslot. All Terminal Service Licensing Servers that receive the broadcast respond. The Terminal Services-based computer selects one of the Licensing Servers at random.

Workgroup Environment

• The Terminal Services server and Licensing Server are in a workgroup.



• The Terminal Services-based computer issues broadcasts on a mailslot. All Terminal Service Licensing Servers that receive the broadcast respond. The Terminal Services-based computer selects one of the Licensing Servers at random.

Configuring Terminal Services Servers to Request License Key Packs from a Specific License Server

• Computers that are running Terminal Services can request license key packs from License Servers on a remote subnet, or from a specific License Server on the same subnet by specifying the name of a single computer in the DefaultLicenseServer registry entry in the Windows 2000 registry.



• Add or edit the DefaultLicenseServer registry value (REG_SZ) in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TermService\Parameters key with the NetBIOS name of the designated License Server. If it is located on a remote subnet, confirm that the Terminal Services-based computer can resolve the NetBIOS name of the specified server using Windows Internet Naming Services (WINS) or Lmhosts name resolution.

Q239107 Establishing Preferred Terminal Services License Server

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo