Configuring and troubleshooting services and applications with Proxy Server 2.0

I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few days struggling to configure a Microsoft Proxy Server 2.0 running on Windows NT 4.0 and Internet Information Server (IIS) 3.0 to reverse proxy (i.e. publish) an HTTPS website. Eventually I had to admit defeat (I’m trying to convince my client to upgrade to ISA Server 2004); however I did find a useful resource for Proxy Server 2.0 information that should be worth a look next time I’m trying to administer/troubleshoot a Microsoft Proxy Server configuration.

Tracking Windows server product licenses

I just had a call from a client who was concerned that he couldn’t add client access licences (CALs ) for his new Exchange Server in the Licensing administrative tool. I’ve never really used this tool so I had to do some research before I could answer his question. Microsoft knowledge base article 824196 describes the license logging service (LLS) but the key points to note are all in the article summary:

  • LLS was originally designed to help administrators manage licenses for Microsoft server products that are licensed on a per-server basis (the server CAL model).
  • LLS was introduced with Windows NT Server 3.51 but it is disabled by default in Windows Server 2003.
  • Because of design constraints and evolving licencing terms, LLS cannot provide an accurate view of the total number of per-user CALs purchased, compared with the total number of CALs that are used on a single server or across the enterprise.
  • LLS will not be included in future versions of the Windows operating system.

Basically, it seems that LLS is a hangover from Windows NT and nowadays there is no real reason to use it in Windows Server 2003.