i have a network of 7 PC's running winXP. and i want to install a server for File and Printing services. another server to Act as an Exchange email server. this Exchange will be in between 2 ISA servers (DMZ). and a last server to act as a Domain Controller. all server should be windows 2003. so, what i need help in . is how to buy the licenses from Microsoft. do i need 4 server licenses and 10 CAL's or what ? i need help to know what should i purchase and please illustrate.

"Exchange will be in between 2 ISA servers (DMZ)." an expensive and not needed plan. appears to me you need (7) cals not 10 (5) 2003 server licenses (1) exchange server license (2) isa server licenses Imagine the power of knowing how to internet search http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/Teachin...

I would suggest that you review the Microsoft 2003 server site. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsser... "Best Practices", Event viewer, host file, perfmon, are in my top 10

thanks a bunch guys

another thing. a user CAL should be purchased for every client that will access the server services. but here i have 2 servers. should i buy 7 user CAL's for each server (saying i have 2 servers for example). this mean i should buy 14 CAL's

This is what people confuse about cals. There are more than one way to use them. "• New user-based CAL. Microsoft is introducing a new type of Windows CAL. In addition to existing device-based CALs (Device CAL), a user-based CAL (User CAL) will be available for purchase. You can choose to purchase a Windows Device CAL for every device accessing your servers, or you can purchase a Windows User CAL for every named user accessing your servers. By having two types of Windows CALs, you are able to use the model that makes sense for your organization. For example, purchasing a Windows User CAL might make more sense if your company has a need for employees to have roaming access using multiple devices. Windows Device CALs may make more sense if your company has multiple-shift workers who share devices. Similarly, Terminal Server (TS) will offer both device-based and user-based CALs: TS Device CAL and TS User CAL. • New name for Per Seat licensing mode and expanded usage right. The two CAL licensing modes that exist in Windows 2000 Server still exist, but one of the modes has a new name: The Per Seat mode has been changed to the "Per Device or Per User" mode, and Windows User CALs can be applied. The name of the Per Server mode has not changed, and the rights associated with each of the modes have essentially not changed. Per Device or Per User mode is concerned with the total number of devices or users (or a combination of devices and users) accessing the server software across any number of servers, at any time. In this mode, you need a Windows CAL for every device or user that will be accessing Windows Server. In Per Device or Per User mode, only one Windows CAL is needed for any given device or user to access Windows Server, regardless of which servers it is accessing. Per Server mode is concerned with the number of concurrent connections to the server software. You need to purchase Windows CALs for the maximum number of simultaneous connections to that server. Any device or user can access the server, but the number of simultaneous access connections hitting the server at any given time must not exceed the number of Windows CALs designated to that server. • New External Connector License option. The new External Connector license (EC) can be purchased to enable access to your servers instead of buying individual Windows CALs for external users (or their devices). The EC license is purchased for every copy of the Windows server software that is accessible to the external user. An example of an external user is a person who is not an employee or similar personnel of the company or its affiliates. Terminal Server will also introduce an EC license—the Terminal Server External Connector (TS-EC)—to address a similar need: to enable external users to access a company's terminal servers, without the need to purchase individual TS CALs for them or their devices. " It depends on how you wish to use them before one can say how many you need. "Best Practices", Event viewer, host file, perfmon, are in my top 10