How to Set Up and Activate RDS CALs on Windows Server 2016

Follow these steps to install the Remote Desktop Licensing role service and Remote Desktop Session Host:

Installing the Remote Desktop Licensing Role.

1. Open Server Manager: Click on Windows and then Server Manager.

2. Select Manage from the top-right corner and click Add roles and features.

3. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard, click Next.

4. Select Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next.

5. Choose the server to install the roles and click Next.

6. On the Select server roles page, check Remote Desktop Services and click Next.

7. On the Select features page, check Remote Server Administration Tools.

8. Click Add Features when prompted.

9. Click Next.

10. Click Next again.

11. Check the boxes for Remote Desktop Licensing and Remote Desktop Session Host and click Next.

12. Under the web server role, click Next.

13. In Select role services, click Next.

14. In the following screen, tick Automatically restart the server and click Install. Wait for the roles to be installed.

15. Once the roles are installed, proceed to the next step to start using your remote desktop service.

Activating the licensing server

1. Click Tools in the top-right corner, select Remote Desktop Services, and click Remote Desktop Licensing Manager.

2. Right-click the server and select Activate Server.

3. The server activation wizard will appear. Click Next.

4. Select the automatic connection method and click Next.

5. Enter the required details (first name, last name, region, and company name) and click Next.

6. Enter the company information and click Next.

7. The licensing server activation is complete. Begin installing the licenses by clicking Next.

8. You'll see a summary of your server setup. Click Next.

9. Under License Program, select Retail Pack (Box or Preinstalled Product) and click Next.

10. Enter the product key for your RDS CALs and click Add.

11. After the license is recognised, click Next.

12. The license installation wizard will confirm successful installation. Click Finish.

13. Your licensing server is now ready to issue and manage licenses. You can verify this by selecting your server's name to see the available and issued licenses. Initially, it should show zero.