Exchange CAL’s and Multiple Mailboxes
Posted by Chris on May 20, 2009
Today a customer asked me, “If I access two mailboxes from within Outlook, does that utilize two Exchange CAL’s?”.
My first reaction was no, it uses only one CAL. But after I thought about it for a second I decided to verify my answer.
According to Microsoft’s How to Buy Exchange 2007 web site;
“The Exchange Server 2007 user/device CAL is required for each user/device gaining access to the server, and entitles access rights to both editions of Exchange Server.”
Ok, that seems to verify my answer, and after checking three other sources I felt confident the correct answer was that it required only one CAL.
I did fnd some conflicting information in my searches. Here’s a link to an Windows IT Pro article from 2007 that clearly states a CAL is required for each mailbox. (first sentence of the fourth paragraph) This obviously isn’t correct.
Gregg Bond said
Unfortunatly Microsoft decided to be logical in their naming scheme, Client Access Licences actually does what they say on the tin.
I had a similar situation but using SCR and wondered if I needed 2 server licences. According to MS you do as although one isn’t available to the clients until you are in DR mode its still an operating exchange server.