Elastic Compute Service:Activate RDS licenses for a Windows Server instance

Activate the RDS license server

Register the server with Microsoft. Ensure the ECS instance has Internet access.

1. Log on to an ECS instance.

   1. Go to ECS console - Instances. In the top-left corner, select the region and resource group for the target instance.

   2. Navigate to the details page of the target instance. Click Connect and select Workbench. Set the connection method to Terminal Connection, enter your username and password, and log on to the graphical terminal.

2. Right-click the Start icon and click Run. Enter licmgr and press Enter to open the RD Licensing Manager.

3. In the RD Licensing Manager, expand All Servers. Right-click the server name and click Activate Server.

   

4. In the Activate Server Wizard, keep the default Automatic connection method. Enter your Company, click Next, and follow the prompts to complete activation.

   

Install RDS CALs

Install purchased licenses on the activated license server.

1. On the Activate Server Wizard completion page, click Next.

   The wizard typically opens after server activation. If not, right-click the server name in the RD Licensing Manager and select Install Licenses.

   

2. On the License Program page, select the License program that matches your license type and click Next.

   This example uses the Enterprise Agreement license program.

   

3. Enter the Agreement number and click Next.

4. On the Product Version and License Type page, configure the following:

   • Product version: Select a version compatible with your OS. A Windows Server 2022 CAL covers servers running Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, or earlier.

   • License type: Select RDS Per Device CAL for standalone or workgroup environments. RDS Per User CAL requires a domain-based deployment. See the official Microsoft documentation.

   • Quantity: The maximum number of licenses the server can issue. Enter the exact number you purchased to avoid waste or license violations.

     

5. Click Next and wait for installation to complete. View the installed licenses in the RD Licensing Manager.

   

Configure the RDS Host license server

Use Group Policy to point the RDS Host service to the local license server.

1. Right-click the Start icon and click Run. Enter gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2. In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Licensing. Configure Use the specified Remote Desktop license servers and Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode.

   

3. Double-click Use the specified Remote Desktop license servers. Select Enabled. In License servers to use, enter the IP address or hostname of the license server and click OK.

   In this example, the license server and session host are on the same instance, so enter 127.0.0.1.

   

4. Double-click Set the Remote Desktop licensing mode. Select Enabled, choose the licensing mode matching the license type from Step 2, and click OK.

   

5. Right-click the Start icon and click Run. Enter gpupdate /force and press Enter to update Group Policy. After the update, restart the instance.

Verify the configuration

1. Reconnect to the instance. Right-click the Start icon and click Run. Enter servermanager and click OK to open Server Manager.

2. In Server Manager, click All Servers. Right-click the server name and select RD Licensing Diagnoser.

   

   The configuration is successful if the diagnoser reports no issues.

   

3. Right-click the Start icon and click Run. Enter licmgr and press Enter to open the RD Licensing Manager. Expand All servers and click the server name to verify that licenses are issued correctly.