You cannot install RDS CALs automatically by using Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008 R2

A new KB article related to installing RDS CALs using Powershell was launched today.

Article ID: 2648662 - Last Review: January 11, 2012 - Revision: 1.0
You cannot install RDS CALs automatically by using Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2008 R2

Consider the following scenario:

• You install the Remote Desktop Licensing (RD Licensing) role service on a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2.
• You install hotfix package 2618115 on the computer.
• You try to install Remote Desktop Services client access licenses (RDS CALs) automatically by using Windows PowerShell.
• You select Telephone or Web Browser as the connection method.
• The RD Licensing server does not have an active Internet connection.

In this scenario, you cannot install RDS CALs and you receive the following message:

Access to the object at RDS:\LicenseServer\LicenseKeyPacks\LicenseKeyPack is denied for the cmdlet New-Item. A license key pack could not be created because the input was not valid or permissions were insufficient.

At line:1 char:9

+ New-Item <<<< -path RDS:\LicenseServer\LicenseKeyPacks -ConnectionMethod PW

+ CategoryInfo : PermissionDenied: (:) [New-Item], AccessViolationException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PermissionDenied,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.NewItemCommand

 

Cause
This issue occurs because the RD Licensing server unnecessarily checks whether it is authenticated or not. This behavior requires Internet access. Therefore, the authentication check fails if the RD Licensing server does not have an active Internet connection.

 

Source and hotfix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2648662/en-us?sd=rss&spid=14134