Description - Lock-based Licensing
Lock-based licensing may be used with the PSCAD Professional and Educational editions. Validation is achieved through the installation of a database file and hardware lock. Licensing is managed using license manager software, which can be used in two different manners, either using the separate standalone service, or using the PSCAD embedded tool.
A lock-based license contains “seats”, which represent the number of instances of PSCAD that may be run simultaneously on one or more workstations. For example, a two-seat license will allow up to two instances of PSCAD to be run simultaneously. Each time PSCAD is opened or closed, a seat will be requested or relinquished, respectively.
Lock-based licenses may be used in two different manners: Network Licensing and Local Licensing. The style that is best for your purposes depends on how PSCAD is to be utilized.
Network Licensing
The licensing is installed on a server and shared with PSCAD client machines (including the host) over the facility networks. Licensing can also be shared over the Internet with client machines connected to the facility through virtual private network (VPN).
Network licensing is set up by installing the standalone license manager software, the license database file and the hardware lock on a server machine. When an instance of PSCAD is started somewhere on the network, licensing will be requested from the license manager. The license manager ensures that licensing is authorized according to the license file and lock, and if available, shares a PSCAD seat with the client machine. The seat will allow the user to run one instance of PSCAD. When PSCAD is closed, the seat is relinquished back to the license manager.
The number of users that can access PSCAD simultaneously depends on the number of seats on a license. For example, if a license contains two seats for the PSCAD Professional Edition, then two users may each use one instance of the Professional Edition at the same time, or one user may run up to two instances of PSCAD on his or her workstation.
NOTE: The number of licenses and seats owned does not limit the number of PSCAD installations in a facility. PSCAD can be installed on any number of workstations.
Local Licensing
The license database file and hardware lock are installed directly on the PSCAD client machine. Two different types of management software are available for managing the license, depending on the number of seats on the license.
If the license contains only one seat, “self-licensing” is used, in which the embedded license manager in PSCAD is used to manage the license. Or, if the license contains more than one seat, the standalone license manager is installed and used to manage the license. When an instance of PSCAD is started, the license managing software ensures that licensing is authorized according to the license file and lock, and if available, shares a PSCAD seat. The seat will allow the user to run one instance of PSCAD. When PSCAD is closed, the seat is relinquished back to the managing software.
The number of instances of PSCAD that may be run on the workstation simultaneously depends on the number of seats on the license. For example, if a license contains two seats for the PSCAD Professional Edition, then up to two instances of the Professional Edition may be run at the same time.
NOTE: The number of seats on a license does not limit the number of PSCAD installations in a facility. PSCAD can be installed on any number of workstations. Simply, PSCAD and the license database file will be installed on each machine, but licensing will be authorized on the machine on which the USB lock is currently plugged in.
Hardware Locks
The embedded and standalone license managing software for network and local licensing supports the Sentinel hardware lock (also known as a USB lock or dongle) for a lock-based license. The USB hardware lock is compatible with all Windows platforms on which PSCAD and the license manager are supported.
License Key/License Database File
The license key is an ASCII text file named License.txt. The license key is used with both network and local licensing, and is required for both the Professional and Educational Editions. This file contains encrypted information designed to act as a key to adding a license on a workstation, specifically by creating a license database file. Together, the hardware lock and license database file are used directly by either the embedded or standalone license managing software to validate a request for a license.
Upgrade Key
The upgrade key is an ASCII text file named upgrade.txt. The upgrade key is used to renumber an existing license due to specific changes to the license products. When applied, the products are modified, the hardware lock is renumbered to the new license number, and a new license database file with the new license number replaces the existing one.
Comparison with Certificate Licensing
Please refer to the attached document for a comparison between lock-based and certificate licensing.