Terminal Server & MS OFFICE

[Steve R Jones]

I have two TS machines with 25 users each hitting the machines and using our accounting software.

Every once in a Blue Moon any one of the users might need to do a mail merge letter and or export to Word or Excel.

From what I understand, Office 2007 "Open License Edition" has a minumum of 3 seats if purchased for the first time.

QUESTION: If I just get the three seats - would that be like a per user type license...And as long as no more then three people at time us one of the Office Apps - I'd be good to go

Thanks in advance.

[jdc2000]

After much Googling, I found the link below. You aren't the only one who hates Micro$oft's ridiculous, convoluted, obscure, and legalese filled licensing requirements. Of course, once you read the info, you'll see why Micro$oft doesn't want people to know this.

http://aplawrence.com/Unixart/office...nalserver.html

[Steve R Jones]

Thanks but that no workee..Been there...

Error message when you try to start a 2007 Office program within a Terminal Server client session: "This copy of Microsoft Office <Program> cannot be used on Terminal Server"
Then, install an edition that uses a Volume License Key with the 2007 Office suite or a program that does not require License Activation.

And it is a big mess...I can see MS wanting to get their fair share...Forking out 4GRAND just for MS Word is a bit much.

[jdc2000]

Steve,

See if this helps:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...-f7499c61887e/


From what I have seen, you need the correct key in addition to the correct Office 2007 version.

[Steve R Jones]

From your link:

The only versions of Office 2007 that can be licensed or installed on a terminal server are the Volumen Licensing SKUS. You will need to purchase Office 2007 via Select, Open or Enterprise Agreement.

You know - you'd think I would know how to post questions.....So yes - I know about needing a Volume/Open License thingie...The BIG question is How many seats/licenses do I "have" to get...

QUESTION: If I just get the three seats - would that be like a per user type license...And as long as no more then three people at time us one of the Office Apps - I'd be good to go

Thanks for your help JDC

[jdc2000]

http://aplawrence.com/Unixart/office...nalserver.html

Below is the relevant data:
If you want to be legal, you'd have to get one license for each computer that will connect, since that is how the licenses normally work. An Office install on a client compuer is normally set up to allow any user that logs on to the client computer to use Office. However, you only really need ONE license for it to work. That is why I have never thought that Office on a Terminal Server is worthwhile. If the TS goes down, no one can use Office. Better to install the copies on each Client PC. And it costs less.

But I needed to know about licensing, and that's what I could not find. I Googled for "licensing terminal server" and kept finding stuff explaining that you NEED the licenses, but couldn't find how you install them.

The customer called asking when they could get this done. I wrote to my distributor again, and this time the sales person referred me to support. Unfortunately, support had no clue either, but they did have connections with Microsoft, and soon enough we had a conference call going with a licensing rep.

"Sure, you can install Office on Terminal Server", she said. "You just need to license it for each user, and the licenses cannot be OEM licenses - they have to be retail or Volume Licensing."

Sigh. I'm still confused. "Volume licensing is for big customers, so we'll be buying individual copies.. But exactly HOW do I install these licenses?", I pleaded.

"You don't have to install them", she answered.

Light dawns.

"Are you saying I buy five retail copies, go to the TS, do my 'change user /install', install ONE copy of Office, put ONE license key on it, do 'change user /execute' and then put the other four copies in the filing cabinet?", I asked.

"Yes. You just need them to be legal for an audit."

Sheesh. Why can't they just say that in plain English? Well, maybe because they really don't want you to know that because it makes you realize that you could run a hundred users or more with one license if you don't care about the legality.

My customer cares about legality and so do I, so we'll put the unused copies on the shelf.

Remember - OEM licenses are no good. The licenses also have to match exactly: having a Windows XP Office license doesn't give you the right to run Win 2003 Office on the TS. Everything has to match before you file it away.

[Steve R Jones]

Thanks again...The TS users are mainly connecting to the my companies accounting software...Office has to be on the sever to do mail mergers...Odds are, all of the users also have Office on their local machines which won't help in the TS enviroment.

[jdc2000]

If all of the users already have Office on their computers, and it is onlt required for mail merge operations, then you should be OK on licensing for the TS with just one license.