How SharePoint 2013 Licensing Works.

Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Licensing Microsoft licenses SharePoint Server 2013 under the Server/Client Access License (CAL) licensing model. The Server/CAL licensing model requires both a server license for each copy of the server software a customer installs and uses and CALs for the users (or devices) that access that software.

Use Scenarios

This document also illustrates common deployment scenarios to further explain the licensing requirements of SharePoint Server 2013. Users can license these same deployment scenarios under device-based CALs.

Scenario A:

Intranet Description

Internal users accessing content, information, or applications inside the firewall through a local area network (LAN) or the Internet. No other users have access.

Example:

A professional sports team sets up an intranet site that the manager, coach, and players access. It is also used for support staff such as the physiotherapist who is an on-site contractor rather than an employee, and for CAL requirements, an internal user. A news reporter trying to access the SharePoint Server site is denied access.

Licensing

Server: One SharePoint Server 2013 license per running instance of the software. 

Internal Users: One CAL/user.

Scenario B:

Extranet Description

An organization extends access to otherwise restricted content inside the firewall to a limited number of identifiable external users.

Example:

The Elm University publishes research papers that are available to specific educators from other universities (external users). This situation is an intranet plus extranet scenario.

Licensing

Server: One SharePoint Server 2013 license per running instance of the software. 

Internal Users: One CAL/user. 

External Users: SharePoint CALS are not required; the server license permits external user access.

Scenario C:

Internet Description

Internal users make content, information, and applications publicly available to users via the Internet (for example, on a public-facing company website). A mix of internal and external users anonymously accesses the site, including employees. No SharePoint CALs are required. External user access is permitted under the server license, and SharePoint CAL requirements for internal users are waived for access to content, information, and applications made publicly available via the Internet.

Licensing 

Server: One SharePoint Server 2013 license per running instance of the software. 

Internal Users: CALs are not required. 

External Users: CALs are not required.

Simplifying Licensing

SharePoint Server 2013 simplifies SharePoint access and use. This is because SharePoint Server 2013 collapses internal and external use under a single licensing offering/model. Customers no longer need to look to SharePoint for Internet Sites to license anonymous access. Additionally, SharePoint Server 2013 integrates functionality that was previously available separately under FAST Search Server for SharePoint.