Used Microsoft licences

Buy used Exchange Server CALs, audit-proof and legally cheap

When you buy a Microsoft Exchange Server, you also need at least one Exchange Server CAL. Such a Client Access License is required to access the server and the services installed on it.

What exactly is an Exchange Server CAL?

Unlike Windows 10 and 11 and the Office applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc., Microsoft's licensing policy for server operating systems does not only provide for a one-off license fee for the operating system itself. Instead, companies that operate a Microsoft Exchange Server, for example, must purchase and provide proof of a Microsoft Exchange Server CAL for each device or user.

A Microsoft Exchange CAL only ever licenses access to the Exchange Server version for which it is designated. For example, you may only access Exchange Server 2016 with a Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 User CAL. However, if you purchase a used Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 User CAL from Soft & Cloud, you also acquire the right to access Microsoft Exchange Server 2016, for example in the event of a server downgrade.

If you previously used a Microsoft Exchange 2016 User CAL but are now switching to the latest version of Exchange Server, you will need to completely relicense all users. However, you can then legally offer and sell the CALs for Exchange 2016 that you no longer need. In this case, you are welcome to contact us directly to receive an individual offer for your used licenses.

What is the difference between a used Exchange Server CAL license and the purchase of a new license?

Basically, there is only one difference, namely the price. You can see this at first glance when you compare the cost of a new CAL from Microsoft with the cost of a used access license from Soft & Cloud. The CAL itself is an intangible license that does not wear out, deteriorate or show other signs of use.

With used original licenses, which you can purchase completely legally from Soft & Cloud through a TÜVIT-certified license transfer, you can significantly reduce the IT costs in your company without having to accept restrictions in the scope of functions, useful life or security.

Buying used Microsoft Exchange Server CALs - simple, secure and transparent

The licenses that you can buy used at Soft & Cloud at a reasonable price come from companies that have purchased too many licenses during a software changeover or similar, or that no longer need the licenses due to restructuring in the company. Reselling licenses is common and permitted: the European Court of Justice ruled in 2012 that buyers who purchase a software license also acquire the right to resell the software at a later date. The prerequisite for this is that the software is uninstalled before the sale or, in the case of server access licenses, that this license is no longer used. For CALs in particular, sellers must therefore comply with certain documentation requirements, which we meet in full through defined, TÜVIT-certified processes, including our license management portal.

When you buy a used Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Standard User CAL from Soft & Cloud, you can therefore be completely sure that it was properly sold to us by the original buyer of the new license. Soft & Cloud is the first used software reseller whose license transfer has been certified by the TÜVIT GmbH certification body. TÜVIT evaluates the license transfer on the basis of various criteria, which were created on the basis of the ECJ ruling C-128/11 of 03.07.2012 and meet all the requirements resulting from the ruling for the marketing of used software licenses.

All our licenses come from trustworthy sources and are therefore not only legal, but also absolutely audit-proof.

Exchange Server 2016 and Exchange Server 2019 - what are the differences?

A Microsoft Exchange Server is primarily used to send, receive and store emails in a company network. In addition to mail management, Exchange Server offers other functions (e.g. calendar) and close integration with Microsoft Office applications.

Exchange 2016 offers unified messaging as a special feature and also enables the integration of Outlook Client 2010. The current version, Exchange 2019, can use servers with up to 48 cores and brings a number of detailed improvements in terms of operation and functionality, such as easier sharing of calendars or search functions based on the Bing search engine.

If in doubt, we therefore recommend the latest version, which, in combination with a Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Standard CAL, is a mature and future-proof solution, even for larger companies. You can obtain the licenses required to operate the server and the access licenses from Soft & Cloud at particularly low prices.

Frequently asked questions and answers

What is an Exchange Server CAL?

A CAL (Client Access License) is a client access license that you need in addition to the license for the Exchange Server in order to access the server. Exchange CALs are valid for one user at a time.

What does an Exchange Server CAL cost, taking into account the different versions?

The costs for an Exchange Server 2016 CAL are slightly lower than for a license for the current version Exchange Server 2019, but you can also use the older server version with this license.

Can I use Exchange Server without a license?

No. In accordance with Microsoft's licensing requirements, you must purchase both a server license and a separate user CAL for each user after the evaluation phase has expired. The permanent use of Exchange Server without a CAL is not permitted and is illegal.

What are the differences between an Exchange Server CAL Standard and Enterprise?

A Microsoft Exchange Standard CAL makes it possible to use a company-owned Exchange Server, regardless of the hardware platform used. With a Microsoft Exchange Enterprise CAL, which is available as an optional add-on, you can also use new integrated archiving and information protection functions to reduce the costs and effort involved in complying with legal regulations (e.g. GDPR).