topic Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work? in QlikView

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:19:17 GMT

Hello All

Were currently looking at the prospect of moving to Enterprise, from Small Business Edition. And with the, the different types of licence available.

I understand the usage CALs. But want to clarify how session CALs work.

As I understand it, a session CAL (£4900), when configured optimally allows up to 10 anonymous sessions to run on the server. 1 session being a single user using a single document.

When the session ends, the CAL is freed up until another session begins.

A few questions (as ever!):

Are they limited to 10 sessions per session CAL?

How are they configured optimally, are there any pitfalls here?

The price list seems to suggest this is fr infrequent users, is there any limits here regarding the frequency of use?

Are you limited to the number of session CALs that you buy?

Aren't they just like document CALs, only once the session is over the licence goes back in the pot?

Thanks in advance.

Matt

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

pover — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:02:25 GMT

Matt,

Here are some answers. Regards.

Are they limited to 10 sessions per session CAL?

I think there is a misunderstanding here because 1 session CAL is 1 session or 1 anonymous user opening up one document. Usually you might estimate a 10% concurrency between users so optimally you could have 10 users for one session CAL.

How are they configured optimally, are there any pitfalls here?

"Configuring" session CALs successfuly I think refers to assigning session CALs properly to infrequent user and assigning named CALs to frequent users so that your concurrency will be 10% and not higher causing license conflicts between users. The price of 10 Named CALs more or less around the price of one session CAL.

The price list seems to suggest this is fr infrequent users, is there any limits here regarding the frequency of use?

No.

Are you limited to the number of session CALs that you buy?

No.

Aren't they just like document CALs, only once the session is over the licence goes back in the pot?

No because you assign the document CAL to a document. The session CAL can open any document.

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Miguel_Angel_Baeyens — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:11:59 GMT

Just a couple of notes:

First, you need Enterprise Edition to use Session CALs, which will affect the budget.

Second, one Session CAL may open several documents at the same time, but only by one user per license so yes, you are limited to the number of Session CALs you have (10 Session CALs allow 10 concurrent users).

However, as opposed to the Named CALs, users have not to identify and may be anonymous.

Regards.

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:44:53 GMT

Thank you guys.

So:

A session CAL allows one anonymous user at a time to open as many documents as they want. If you intend on more than one person using the session CAL you have to try and ensure that they wont be wanting to do so at the same time?

Am I also right in thinking a named user can open multiple documents at the same time, under the same named user licence?

If so, would it be sensible to say that session CALs are only more cost effective if you can ensure that the usage of it is distributed so that it will only ever be used by one person at a time, accross a potential user base of at least 10?

If so, I get it (hooray!) .... if not, i'm still bamboozled!

Bit of background to why I ask the question... Our usage primarily surrounds month end reporting and month end reviews, 3 weeks where things will be quiet, but 1 week where a lot of users will want to access our key 4 or 5 applications, we're hitting the ceiling on small business edition and wondering the most cost effective additional licence purchase should we move to enterprise.

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:57:25 GMT

Hi,

If so, would it be sensible to say that session CALs are only more cost effective if you can ensure that the usage of it is distributed so that it will only ever be used by one person at a time, accross a potential user base of at least 10?

Thats the point. A session cal brings you advantages the more you can serialize the user-accesses. But as you said at your site there are more seasonal demands at end of month and(or) quarter.

Perhaps documents cals can help you. They are like user cals except that a single user is hooked to a single document. So he can access only one qvw. This binding is done in the QV enterprise console. If you can afford this classification of your users (or a group of them) it can be thinkworthy. Documents cals (here in Germany) are at least in a bundle of ten, but in sum it can be a real alternative. Check this with your local dealer.

Regards, Roland

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:16:15 GMT

One final point of clarification,

Can one session CAL open more than one document at the same time, the answers given above seem to conflict here, and the Qlikview docs say a session is one open document on a qlikview server?

Thanks again for all your help.

Matt

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Miguel_Angel_Baeyens — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:34:28 GMT

Hello Matt,

I was giving a wrong answer above. Session CALs can open only one document at a time, meaning one user is tied to one document in one session.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:47:42 GMT

Miguel,

No problem, thanks for clarifying

Matt

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

brindlogcool — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 01:27:22 GMT

Hi Miguel,

I was giving a wrong answer above. Session CALs can open only one document at a time, meaning one user is tied to one document in one session.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

---------------------------

Session CAL:

Using the session cal is it possible to open the same document multiple times.

i acessing the document with session CAL i am getting the error as

CAL allocation: No Named CAL assigned to user "Domain\Username" - usage denied

in the Event Logs.

i was trying to open the same document multiple times.

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

pover — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:21:31 GMT

Starting with version 10, QlikView changed its Session CAL license and now other more than one document to be opened by a session cal. It you cannot do this, you may need to update your license.

Karl

Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

brindlogcool — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:41:02 GMT

Thanks fror your response Karl,

Re: Session CALs - Can someone clarify how they work?

fredericvillemi — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 08:19:32 GMT

Sorry to update such an old topic but I'm not sure at all about what you are saying Karl.

You mean that somebody opening a Document with a Session CAL can open another Document with the same Session CAL ?

I don't think so, for me with version 10, 11 or 12, a Session CAL is 1 user with 1 document.

The same user on several documents means several Session CAL