Bangalore, India
One of the new features in the V 12.21+ release of GeoTools and CADPower is the support for a floating license which is served over the network.
How does the floating license work?
This post explains how it all works.
Until now, the regular licensing mechanism was based either of computer-based appkeys or the CAD serial numbers. This method ties the license to the computer or the copy of AutoCAD that is running.
In a floating license mechanism, the license file is duplicated and placed in two locations:
- A pre-specified location on the network which must be a folder which is visible (with read, write, create and delete permissions) to all GeoTools/CADPower users on the network
- The folder on each computer where GeoTools/CADPower is installed.
The master license file stores encrypted information about the number of users that can use the software simultaneously. It also stores the location on the network where the file must be placed. These two pieces of information are encrypted and pre-stored in the file by us.
For example, on my computer, I have the master license file located in my F drive at this folder:
f:/projects/licenses/floating
All users in our office read up the license from this folder. My computer name is RAKESHRAO-LAPTO. Therefore, the network path and address which will be identified by GeoTools/CADPower users from every computer will be:
//RAKESHRAO-LAPTO/F/PROJECTS/LICENSES/FLOATING
You must use a similar syntax shown above to specify to us your floating license master file location.
In some networks, the network administrator may map a specific location with a drive name. For example, I could also map my F drive as a special letter drive (say N: drive) in which case, the network mapping would mean:
N drive = //RAKESHRAO-LAPTO/F
If you have done such drive mapping, you can then specify the network license path as:
N:/Projects/Licenses/Floating
But, as you would rightly have guessed, the N drive must be mapped thus in all the individual computers.
What information do you need to give us?
Our floating license is based on a very simple mechanism which is entirely Lisp-based. Once you decide you want to use a floating license of GeoTools/CADPower, simply tell us the exact location of the folder on your network where you will store your master license file. We will create a license file for you with the folder name and the number of users written into the license file.
You copy the license file to the specified folder, and, additionally, also keep a copy of the same file on your local computer in the folder where you have installed GeoTools/CADPower.
The license check-in / check-out
When GeoTools/CADPower starts, it reads your local license file first, determines the location of the master license file and reads it. The number of allowed simultaneous use of GeoTools/CADPower is now known and this is kept track of internally in a license transaction file. Each time, a user logs in to use GeoTools/CADPower, a new license is issued (check-in) from the available licenses. When they log out of GeoTools/CADPower, the license is returned (check-out) and can be used by another user.
What happens during a crash of your CAD software?
When AutoCAD or Bricsad crashes, the license is not returned and will still be reported as "in-use" by the crashed computer. Such licenses can be returned or reset by simply starting GeoTools/CADPower again on that computer and exiting. As long as there is a normal exit of your CAD software at any time, the license will always correctly check in and out.
How is a user determined?
The floating license mechanism uses the computer name as the key to determine that a new user is requesting a license. Therefore, you cannot have two computers on your network with the same name. It will cause a conflict. Even Windows networking does not work correctly if there are two computers sharing the same name on the network.
How do I know what kind of licensing I have?
You can go to the More Options sub-menu in your GeoTools/CADPower menu and click on License Info.
This is how the license information screen looks like (see above).
Network license pricing
We have not yet announced a network license pricing, but we intend to do that in the future soon, and the cost of a network license of GeoTools/CADPower will be more than a regular stand-alone license. As of now, the network license costs the same as the regular stand-alone licenses.
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