How to migrate and upgrade Windows Server RDS CALs from 2008 to 2012

Question

I currently have a Server 2008 R2 RDS licensing server in production that I'd like to replace with Server 2012 R2. We don't have Software Assurance.

Should we migrate the existing 2008 licenses to the 2012 server, and then attempt to "upgrade" the licenses? Is this even possible? This answer to a server 2003 question says you can't even put older licenses on a newer server, but this seems to contradict the interoperability matrix put out by MS on technet.

Can one even upgrade CALs, or do you just have to purchase them outright? If they can't be upgraded, I suppose we'll just have to buy brand new ones and install them on the 2012 machine.

Solution

Edited: Yes you can install your old CAL on your new license server (2012R2)

If you want to upgrade the CAL to 2012R2's CAL to serve on login on a new 2012R2 RDS server Buy new's one, you can't upgrade them.

If a user try to connect to a 2008 TS, the system try to save on cal, so it try to get a 2008 rdscal, but if he can't, he issue a 2012rdscal. So it's downgradable, not the other way.

Comments

[joeqwerty]

My take on those charts is: 1. Yes, you can use your 2008 RDS CAL's on your 2012 R2 license server. You'll need to figure out how to transfer them. 2. The CAL's won't be upgraded to 2012 R2 CAL's. Your CAL's allow clients to logon to 2008 and 2008 R2 TS/RDS servers but not 2012 or 2012 R2 RDS servers.

[joeqwerty]

I think you misunderstood the question. The OP isn't asking what RDS servers his CAL's allow him to logon to, he's asking what CAL's are supported on what license servers.

[yagmoth555]

@joeqwerty Ah, you are right, the OP want to upgrade only the license server.