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Updates:
- UPS also to provide brown out protection to protect hard disks.
- Proxmox and Linux not mentioned because they are free of cost.
Sage 50 Multi-User Server Setup and Licensing Summary
This document includes hardware specs, licensing, admin access practices, and CAL usage rules for running Sage 50 in a 5-user environment using a Windows Server 2019 Standard VM hosted on Proxmox.
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Microsoft Licensing Summary
| Licence Type | Vendor | Price (GBP) | One-Off or Recurring? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2019 Standard (16-core) | Currys Business | £425.53 | One-Off |
| 5 User CALs | Ebuyer | £139.99 | One-Off |
| 5 RDS User CALs | Trusted Tech Team UK | £510.99 | One-Off |
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Licensing Models Explained
| Standard | What It Means | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| UK/EU Licensing Law | You’re allowed to resell and reuse perpetual software licences under specific conditions (e.g. UsedSoft ruling) | Resellers offering reused OEM/Volume licences |
| Microsoft-Supported | Microsoft will recognise, activate, and provide support or escalation for your licence | Only applies to new, genuine licences from Microsoft-authorised channels |
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| Licence | Legal (UK/EU Resale) | Microsoft-Supported | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2019 Std (Currys) | ✅ | ✅ | OEM or Retail from Microsoft-authorised reseller |
| 5 User CALs (Ebuyer) | ✅ | ✅ | OEM CALs via trusted UK distributor |
| 5 RDS User CALs (Trusted Tech Team) | ✅ | ✅ | Retail RDS CALs with activation & licence proof |
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Hardware Specification
Recommended Core Specification
| Component | Recommended Spec |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5/i7 (10th Gen or newer) or AMD Ryzen 5/7 with 6–8 cores |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR4 (16 GB absolute minimum; 32 GB recommended for stable VM + host usage) |
| Storage | 500 GB – 1 TB NVMe SSD (for fast boot and I/O inside Windows VM) |
| Motherboard/Chipset | Modern board with VT-x/AMD-V, ideally with UEFI and IOMMU support |
| Network | Gigabit Ethernet (Intel NIC preferred for stability with Proxmox) |
| Chassis | Mini PC (e.g., Beelink SER5 Pro / Intel NUC) or micro-tower with quiet cooling |
| Power Supply | 80+ Bronze (or better) PSU if not using a mini PC |
| Backup Drive | 1 TB external USB3 SSD/HDD (for VM snapshot exports and Sage backups) |
| UPS Battery | APC Back-UPS 700VA or equivalent (graceful shutdown protection) |
Optional Accessories
| Accessory | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Proxmox Boot Drive | 64–128 GB SATA SSD dedicated to Proxmox OS |
| NVMe SSD for VM | Place the Windows Server 2019 VM on fast storage for Sage performance |
| ZFS File System | Enables snapshots and redundancy (Proxmox native support) |
| Quiet Cooling | Important for office installs |
Example UK-Based Hardware Bundle
| Device | Example Model | Est. Price (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Mini PC with Ryzen 7 5800H | Beelink SER5 Pro 32GB RAM / 1TB NVMe | £450–£500 |
| External USB 3.0 SSD | Samsung T7 / Crucial X9 1TB | £70–£90 |
| UPS Battery Backup | APC Back-UPS 700VA | £80–£110 |
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Console Session Access
What is a Console Session?
- It’s the physical desktop session (Session ID 0).
- Accessible via
mstsc /admin, it does not consume an RDS CAL. - Only one console session can exist.
Using Console Session via RDP
- Open a terminal and run:
mstsc /admin
- Enter your server IP or hostname and log in as Administrator.
- You’re now on the console session.
Best Practices
- Use
/adminfor IT/admin access only. - Reserve RDS CALs for end users only.
- Use Proxmox’s built-in console if RDP fails.
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More Musings 