Implementing Remote Desktop Services Licensing in Server 2022
Posted on 16th June 2023
Overview
This article provides an overview of implementing Remote Desktop Services Licensing in Server 2022. It includes the following sections:
- Planning for RDS Licensing
- Installing the RDS Licensing Role Service
- Configuring the RDS Licensing Server
Planning for RDS Licensing
Before you install the RDS Licensing role service, you need to plan for your deployment. You need to decide which server will host the RDS Licensing role service, and you need to identify the users and devices that will connect to the RDS deployment.
Decide which server will host the RDS Licensing role service
You can install the RDS Licensing role service on any server in the domain that is running Server 2022. However, it is recommended that you install the RDS Licensing role service on a server that is dedicated to that role.
Identify the users and devices that will connect to the RDS deployment
Before you can configure the RDS Licensing server, you need to know how many users and devices will be connecting to the RDS deployment. This information is important because it affects the number of RDS CALs that you need to purchase.
Installing the RDS Licensing Role Service
You can install the RDS Licensing role service by using the Server Manager console or the PowerShell cmdlets.
Install the RDS Licensing role service by using the Server Manager console
To install the RDS Licensing role service by using the Server Manager console, follow these steps:
- Open the Server Manager console.
- In the left pane, click Roles, and then click Add Roles.
- On the Before you begin page, click Next.
- On the Select Server Roles page, select the Remote Desktop Services check box, and then click Next.
- On the Remote Desktop Services page, click Next.
- On the Select Role Services page, select the Remote Desktop Licensing check box, and then click Next.
- On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.
- On the Results page, click Close.
Install the RDS Licensing role service by using the PowerShell cmdlets
To install the RDS Licensing role service by using the PowerShell cmdlets, follow these steps:
- Open a PowerShell session with elevated privileges.
-
To install the RDS Licensing role service, type the following command, and then press Enter:
Install-WindowsFeature -Name RDS-Licensing
Configuring the RDS Licensing Server
After you install the RDS Licensing role service, you need to configure the RDS Licensing server. You can use the Server Manager console or the PowerShell cmdlets to configure the RDS Licensing server.
Configure the RDS Licensing server by using the Server Manager console
To configure the RDS Licensing server by using the Server Manager console, follow these steps:
- Open the Server Manager console.
- In the left pane, click Remote Desktop Services.
- In the right pane, click the link for the RDS Licensing server.
- In the Tasks pane, click Edit Properties.
- In the Edit Properties dialog box, on the General tab, type the number of RDS CALs that you have purchased in the License program field, and then click OK.
Configure the RDS Licensing server by using the PowerShell cmdlets
To configure the RDS Licensing server by using the PowerShell cmdlets, follow these steps:
- Open a PowerShell session with elevated privileges.
-
To configure the RDS Licensing server, type the following command, and then press Enter:
Set-RDLicenseServer -Server -LicenseProgram
Replace with the name of the RDS Licensing server, and replace with the name of the license program that you have purchased.
Implementing Remote Desktop Services Licensing in Server 2022
Introduction
Remote Desktop Services Licensing (RDSL) is a feature of Windows Server that allows organizations to license users to access remote desktop sessions on a per-user or per-device basis. In Server 2022, RDSL is included as a role service under the Remote Desktop Services server role.
Configuring RDSL
To configure RDSL, open the Server Manager console and navigate to the Remote Desktop Services > Overview > Licensing Diagnosis page. From here, you can view the current licensing status and configure the RDSL settings.
The first step is to select the type of licensing to use. There are two options: Per User and Per Device. Per User licensing requires each user to have their own user account and be assigned a license. Per Device licensing allows any user to access a licensed device, without the need for a user account.
Next, you need to specify the licensing mode. There are two modes: Online and Offline. Online mode requires a connection to the internet in order to contact the Microsoft Clearinghouse and activate the licenses. Offline mode does not require an internet connection, but you will need to manually install the licenses on each server.
Finally, you need to specify the licensing grace period. This is the period of time that a user can access a remote desktop session without a license. After the grace period expires, the user will be prompted to enter a valid license.
Installing RDSL
Once you have configured the RDSL settings, you can install the licenses on the server. To do this, open the Server Manager console and navigate to the Remote Desktop Services > Overview > Licensing page. From here, you can install the licenses by clicking the Install Licenses button.
Activating RDSL
After the licenses have been installed, you need to activate them. To do this, open the Server Manager console and navigate to the Remote Desktop Services > Overview > Licensing page. From here, you can activate the licenses by clicking the Activate button.
Conclusion
RDSL is a useful feature of Windows Server that allows organizations to license users to access remote desktop sessions on a per-user or per-device basis. In Server 2022, RDSL is included as a role service under the Remote Desktop Services server role. To configure RDSL, you need to select the type of licensing to use, the licensing mode, and the licensing grace period. Once the licenses have been installed, you can activate them by clicking the Activate button.
