We are looking to upgrade our office IT setup. We are going to buy new
desktops with win XP pro.

We'd like to use roaming profiles. If use windows 2003 Server to
manage the roaming profiles do  we need CALs (Client access licenses).
If so do we need one per profile or one per desktop or one per
simultanious connection?

Additional observations:
1. I think (but am not sure) that terminal services are different and
not needed for roaming profiles. (but do require CALs)

2. There seems to be some sort of credit toward CALs for Win XP pro
under some circumstances.

3. I think you can provide roaming profiles using Active Directory
(AD) or with some older setup. I think we'd like to use AD since we
can roll out new apps to users that way.

4. Win 2003 Server seems to cost $895 with a small number 0 or 5 CALs.

I have read the following licensing doc from microsoft with out
comprehension:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/default.mspx

Thanks!

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Clarification of Question by zeus400-ga on 19 Oct 2003 18:39 PDT

> 2. There seems to be some sort of credit toward CALs for Win XP pro
> under some circumstances. 
 
> I can't find anything on that, unfortunately. 

From
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/overview.mspx#transition

Microsoft realizes that the removal of operating system equivalency
will affect customers, and is committed to accommodating existing
Microsoft customers who would like to take advantage of Windows Server
2003 features.

Every Windows XP Professional desktop license that you own on the date
of the public launch of Windows Server 2003 will be eligible for a
Windows Server 2003 TS CAL. One of following scenarios will apply:

Customers with either platform or operating system component
Enterprise Agreements (EAs), or Upgrade Advantage (UA) or Software
Assurance (SA) coverage for their Windows desktop computers, will be
eligible for a Windows Server 2003 TS CAL—plus SA coverage on that TS
CAL for each covered desktop owned at the time of the Windows Server
2003 launch.
Customers who own Windows XP Professional licenses, without upgrade
rights—no SA/EA/UA—will be eligible for a Windows Server 2003 TS CAL
for each licensed desktop owned at the time of the Windows Server 2003
launch, but will not get upgrade rights on the TS CAL.

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Clarification of Question by zeus400-ga on 19 Oct 2003 18:50 PDT

OK here is the deal on the free TS CALs

From: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/priclicfaq.mspx

Every Windows XP Professional desktop license that you own as of 
April 24, 2003, is eligible for a Windows Server 2003 TS CAL. If
Customers have  either platform or operating system component
Enterprise Agreements (EAs), Upgrade Advantage (UA), or Software
Assurance (SA) coverage for their Windows desktop computers then they
can receive a Windows Server 2003 TS CAL, plus SA coverage on that TS
CAL for each covered desktop (owned as of  April 24, 2003).

If use windows 2003 Server to
manage the roaming profiles do  we need CALs (Client access licenses).

Actually, you need CALs "for each user or device (or combination of
both) that accesses or uses the server software" - even if you AREN'T
using roaming profiles. (exceptions: unauthenticated web-based access)

If so do we need one per profile or one per desktop or one per
simultanious connection?

You can choose between one per profile (good if your employees use
multiple systems) or one per connection (good if your employees share
systems).

1. I think (but am not sure) that terminal services are different and
not needed for roaming profiles. (but do require CALs)

That is right. Terminal Services is only useful if you're using
thin-clients (for example, all of your programs run on the server, and
you don't want full computers at every desk). AFAIK, thin-clients
count as computers for purposes of concurrent-connection CALs.

2. There seems to be some sort of credit toward CALs for Win XP pro
under some circumstances.

I can't find anything on that, unfortunately.

3. I think you can provide roaming profiles using Active Directory
(AD) or with some older setup. I think we'd like to use AD since we
can roll out new apps to users that way.

AFAIK, this older setup only works on Windows NT (which didn't have
AD, but did have domain-based authentication). If I recall correctly,
last time I set up a Win2K box as a domain server, I had to use AD.

BTW, my info on the CALs is from
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/caloverview.mspx