Very confused as to how licensing works with this product. Here is my scenario: Requirements: 400 Users 1 Server (Win 2008 or Win 2003) SCCM Product I would like to schedule msi/exe installs at certain times so they are installed without fail for 400 users. So how does one go about licensing? Do i need to license server CALS and then buy CALS for SCCM (for 400 users) plus the price of the product? What about SQL coould i get away with using the free version or does this need to be licensed too? Any clarification on this would be great. Thanks

The people that man the Licensing help desk are very friendly and helpful they can answer many of your questions http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/contact-us.aspx That being said, you need to have a client license for each machine. You need to have a SQL Cal if you don't buy the ConfigMgr w/ SQL Tech on it. You need to purchase a license for the server. If co-locate the SQL database on a current database server then you only need a call. For only 400 users this would be the best option, assuming the current databsae server can handle it. You number of clients won't tax the server too much but I don't know what you have for the machine/current databases etc... You need the standard Windows license for the server and if you will be installing the client to the servers to manager then this is another license. That is just some general information, I might have left out something, take it as a broad explanation. Call the Licensing desk and they will give you everything you need and point you to the web pages for the pricing (unless are a Govt/EdU) I think you will be happy with their response. I was when I called about OpsMgr.http://www.sccm-tools.com http://sms-hints-tricks.blogspot.com

Just to confirm what Matthew said for your scenario you need 1 SCCM license with SQL server technology and 400 client CALS. (I am assuming here each of your 400 users has 1 computer since SCCM is licensed per computer not user) if you also want to manage the SCCM server itself you need one server CAL. Most likely for you that would be a standard server CAL. John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |