How to install RDS Licensing role and RDS CALs in windows server?

What is RDS CAL?

Remote Desktop Services Client Access License (RDS CAL) is the actual license issued per user or per device basis to authorize users/devices to use the RDS environment. There’s a licensing grace period of 120 Days during which no license server is required. Once the grace period ends, clients must have a valid RDS CAL issued by a license server before they can log on to an RD Session Host server. You can purchase RDS CALs from Microsoft or other retailers. It is issued in 2 types one is RDS Device CALs and another one is RDS User CALs. Generally RDS User CALs are preferred if you are using MS RDS Web Client.

How it works?

When a user or a device connects to an RD Session Host server, the RD Session Host server determines if an RDS CAL is needed. If needed, the RD Session Host server then requests an RDS CAL from the Remote Desktop license server. If an appropriate RDS CAL is available from a license server, the RDS CAL is issued to the client, and the client is able to connect to the RD Session Host server and from there to the desktop or apps they’re trying to use.

Once you purchased RDS CALs the first step is to install and activate RDS licensing role. Generally RDS licensing role is activated in one server and used by all session hosts in your RDS environment. You just need to point out the activated RDS Licensing from other RDS environments from the RDS deployment properties.

Installing RDS Licensing Role

Login to your Windows Server then navigate to Remote Desktop Services from the Server Manager.
You can see RD Licensing, just click on that and the wizard will take care of the rest.
Once the role is installed you need to configure and activate it.
Go to Tools >> RDS tools >> RDS Licensing from the server manager.
You can observe that the server is available with Not Activated state like below image.

Click on Review where you will be navigated to the next screen if this server is not yet added to the Terminal Server License Group under Active Directory.
But that is simple where you just need to click on “Add To Group” and that is done. (In case if it doesn’t do job properly then you need add this computer manually in your AD”.

Right click on the server name and click “Activate Server”.

This will lead into Action Completed page with option to proceed installing the license.
If you are ready with your RDS CAL license key then just click Next and proceed.

Installing RDS CALS on the RDS licensing server

From the Server Manager go toTools >> Remote Desktop Services >> Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

Now right click on the server and click Install Licenses.

The installation wizard should have been open now. Just click and proceed to next screen.
You have to select the licensing program here. In most cases it is Retail Purchase. Click Next.
Now, enter your License Key, click Add. You can enter multiple keys if you have more purchases. Then click Next.