Inhalt
License server
All software products are subjects to certain license conditions. That can be a free of charge license, like GNU or a license you have to pay for, like Microsoft Select. Most of the software vendors use some mechanisms, to control the conventionary use of a software product. There are three different license types:
- node-locked license. This license is linked to a special PC.
- named user license. This license is linked to a special user name and the software product can be used on every PC, where the user can log in with his user name.
- floating license, concurrent use license. This license allows the concurrent use of a software product. This is also called network license.
Because network licenses are not linked to a special system, a program can be ran concurrent on different systems. The concurrent running of a program is supervised by a so-called license server. This server uses a special software, which knows the conditions of the software license, e.g how many concurrent calls of the program are allowed. If a user runs a software which uses a network license, the software connects the license server, the server checks if a running of the software is possible or not. If there are free licenses the user can run the software, if not the server will send an error message, that all licenses are in use.
Network licenses have the advantage, that they are very flexible. The software can be installed on a lot of different PCs. The only requirement to run the software, is a network connection to the license server and free licenses.
At the moment the Center for Computing and Communication runs three central license servers. These servers provide network licenses for more then 30 software products. For the biggest part of these software products, the Center for Computing and Communication manages the agreement with the vendor and the renewal of the licenses and the updates.
The license servers can be used by all facilities of the RWTH Aachen. Because of legal restrictions the servers are only accessible from within the RWTH network. License servers which are run by the institutes, can be hosted by the Center for Computing and Communication. For the hosting of license server at the Center for Computing and Communication, contact the Center for Computing and Communication for further informations.