Built-in OverUsed Windows Server 2016 RDS Per user CAL licenses being used after in place upgrade to Windows Server 2022

Question

Hi all

Due to a project requirement I carried out an in place upgrade on our Windows Server 2016 Remote Desktop Licensing Manager server to Windows Server 2022

I then installed some "Windows Server 2022 - Installed RDS per user CAL" licenses and they appear to be working fine. The licencing server is configured by GPO and the VDI is Citrix

Since the day after the upgrade the "Windows Server 2016 - Installed RDS Per User CAL" licenses that use to work fine have

1. stopped being issued
2. stopped expiring so in the list of licenses there are dates in the past all the way up to the day of the in place upgrade
3. A "Windows Server 2016 - Installed RDS Per User CAL" Built-in OverUsed license appeared which is being issued

Any help sorting the 2016 licences so they start being issued again would be greatly appreciated

Below screenshot shows the 2016 licenses no longer being issued after the in place upgrade to 2022 and the built-in overused licence highlighted that has appeared

Below screenshot shows the old windows server 2016 licences no longer expiring the day after the in place upgrade (evening of 28th May 2024)

Answer 1

Hello,

"Build-in OverUsed" in remote Desktop License Manager represents the number of user connections that exceed the license usage limit. Did you redeploy the license server after the server upgrade? Based on your deployment environment, this should be due to an incompatible version of RDS CAL.

According to the compatibility requirements of the RDS CAL, an earlier version of the RDS CAL (installed RDS 2016 CAL) cannot be used to access a later version of the Windows Server 2022 session host. If you need to enable the Windows Server 2022 Remote Desktop feature, you may need to purchase a new Windows Server 2022 RDS CAL. Note compatibility issues when redeploying the license Server and install the corresponding Windows Server 2022 license server. For more information see: License your RDS deployment with client access licenses (CALs) | Microsoft Learn

If I am wrong about your environment, or if you have any follow-up questions, please contact us.

I hope this helps.

Best regards

Answer 2

Thanks very much for replying and help so far

I did not redeploy the license server after the server upgrade

If i am understanding "session host" as the server that our users are logging into correctly

We have two session hosts this Remote Desktop licencing manager is serving

The current production Windows Server 2016 session host that production users log into that has stopped picking up licences after the in place upgrade

The new test Windows Server 2022 session host that test users log into which is picking up the 2022 licences i installed after the in place upgrade fine

Answer 3

Hello, you may want to check your license configuration and usage to make sure you have enough licenses to meet user needs. Earlier versions of RDS 2016 CAL cannot be used to access later versions of Windows Server 2022 session hosts after upgrading.

Answer 4

Hi

there are 500+ users using windows server 2016 (production)

there are 4 project users using windows server 2022 (in UAT)

its the windows server 2016 sessions from our 500+ production users that are currently using the built in over used licence type highlighted above in the screenshots i am trying to resolve

they should be using the two 2016 volume licences that are showing as issued 0 in the above screenshot