Different between User and Device CALs
| Type | Description |
| User CAL | One license per user. The licensed user can access the server from multiple devices. Best for employees who use several devices (e.g., laptop, desktop, tablet). |
| Device CAL | One license per device. Any number of users can access the server from the licensed device. Ideal for shared devices (e.g., in labs, libraries, or rotating shift work). |
⚠️ Licensing Compliance Notice
Although technically you can install more than 2 virtual machines with the Standard edition or activate the license on a server with more than 16 cores, doing so violates Microsoft’s official licensing terms.
For example, if your server has 32 physical cores and you only purchase a 16-core license, the system will still install and activate successfully. However, you are not licensed to run Windows Server legally in that setup. Microsoft requires you to license all physical cores on the server, with a minimum of 16 cores per server and 8 cores per processor.
If audited, Microsoft may consider this as under-licensing and impose financial penalties, demand back payments, or require proper licensing to cover your server’s full hardware capacity.
Always ensure that the number of core licenses purchased matches your physical server configuration to remain compliant and avoid legal or financial risk.
✅CALs Required Requires: Client Access Licenses (CALs) for users or devices accessing the server and you can buy them separately
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