What does the user limit in Win Srv 2019 Essentials apply to, concurrent connections or existing accounts?

Question

I have one Windows Server 2019 Essentials which logs errors and automatically shuts down because of license problems. It logs the following:

Bei der Überprüfung der Benutzeranzahl wurde eine Bedingung in der Umgebung festgestellt, die nicht mit der Lizenzierungsrichtlinie konform ist. Der Server erfüllt nicht die Microsoft-Software-Lizenzbedingungen. Diese erlauben maximal 25 lokale Benutzerkonten. Der Computer hat 29 lokale Benutzerkonten.

Didn't install that OS in German myself, but the last sentences actually simply mean that too many accounts are CREATED. It doesn't mean that too many accounts are concurrently connecting to the server or accessing it's services. And that's the point: Many of those accounts are only special users created for backup purposes or tests or alike. They are NOT all connecting to the server concurrently, most of those won't access any file or printer services ever at all.

Reading about the user limits of that Win Server edition I had the impression that it's about concurrent usage by users, NOT the pure existence of a number of user accounts itself. Other's explicitly wrote so as well:

it's a 25 connected/logged in users limit.

Though, that doesn't seem to be the case and instead it seems that the number of available accounts itself, regardless of if and how they are used at all, is the limit already.

So, what exactly does the 25 user accounts limit apply to?

Thanks!

Answer 1

So, what exactly does the 25 user accounts limit apply to?

On a Server Essentials 2019 it is the actual user count in the active directory

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Answer 2

Sorry, but the licensing model for essentials cannot be modified. Sounds like you may need to migrate to Windows Server Standard.

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