I've been wrapping my head around the topic for a few days now and the more I read the less I understand.
Question 1: If I purchase a license for Windows 2012 Server (either Essential/Standard/DataCenter) - am I allowed to use it run publicly accessible web server, with the assumption that some part of the website requires user authentication (authentication by means of web application itself).
Examples of a software that could run on such web server:
- shop, where registered users can purchase items
- paid forums
- on-line task management systems that users (customers) purchase subscription access to
It seems to me, that it is not legal (or at least not economical), since according to my understanding of Microsoft's licensing terms:
- I need to purchase CALs for each non-anonymous user accessing the s.c. web workloads
- all users authenticating by any means (not necessarily Windows accounts) are considered non-anonymous
- thus I would need like thousands of CALs for each potential user of i.e. forum (or purchase External Connector license, but I am not sure whether this is available for Windows Server 2012)
On the other hand, the discontinued Windows Web Edition (which license include s.c. "CAL waiver") made no restrictions on whether the web-workload users where non-authenticated or authenticated ones. So maybe my understanding is wrong, and CALs/EC are not required for authenticated users accessing web-workloads only?
Reference information:
- http://blogs.softchoice.com/microsoftnavigator/licensing/microsoft-server-2012-licensing-changes-6-key-things-you-need-to-know/
- http://microsoftlicensereview.com/tag/when-do-i-need-a-cal/ http://blogs.technet.com/b/volume-licensing/archive/2014/03/10/licensing-how-to-when-do-i-need-a-client-access-license-cal.aspx
- http://www.picacommunications.com/briefs/SLA_WinServer_ExternalAccess.pdf
- http://blogs.technet.com/b/volume-licensing/archive/2014/03/10/licensing-how-to-when-do-i-need-a-client-access-license-cal.aspx
Question 2: If not - is SPLA a solution in this scenario?
If I license Windows Server through SPLA - is scenario described above legal?
Question 3: Is Essentials edition less restrictive since it does not require CALs?
Windows 2012 Server Essentials does not require CALs, but is limited to 25 users. Is this legal or technical limit? Would Essentials edition be valid in scenario described above?
"So maybe my understanding is wrong, and CALs/EC are not required for authenticated users accessing web-workloads only?"
could likely be answered by the folks that host StackExchange since it is a Windows server platform with authentication for a web workload.