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Computers and Structures, Inc. (CSI) uses an implementation of the Sentinel RMS to license its software. The purpose of the license is to control the software usage, curb piracy and to help enforce fairness for the users that have paid for the software. The license defines the software and versions that have been licensed to the user and the machines to which the software is tied.
The software can be licensed to run on a specific computer using a standalone license or over a network using a network license. Network licenses are served from the RMS License Server program.
After you install the software and decide which type of license you need, standalone or network, you will generate machine specific information and send it back to CSI. Using the information that you provide, CSI will generate and send you the required license file.
When the software is launched it immediately looks for a valid license. If the license is found, the software is allowed to run, otherwise the execution is terminated or, in some instances, allowed to run in a limited mode.
In some instances permission may also be denied because someone else is already using the software, or the license has expired, or no license is installed.Standalone License This is the simplest licensing model. The software is installed on the computer and the license file is placed in the installation folder. In most cases, the software can only be run on this computer. If, however, the license is locked to a Computer ID key (USB key) then the key and the license can be moved to another computer. Network License The network licensing model is based on client/server architecture, where licenses are placed on a centralized system in the subnet. On this computer, the RMS License Server software must be running to serve the license requests from clients.
The RMS License Server is a program that coordinates the use of a licensed application by multiple users and computers. This program usually runs on a computer that is located on the same subnet as any computer that needs to run the CSI software.
The computers that run the CSI software are called clients. When a licensed software is started on the client, it sends a request for a license across the network to the license server. The license server grants the request if possible and returns an authorization message back to the client.
Alternatively, the user has the option of 'checking out' a Network License from the License Manager Server to the client computer by using the 'commuter' utilities. This allows CSI software to run on the client computer while not connected to the network for the duration of the check-out period.
A license server program need not run on a file server system or any specific hardware server. Any computer that meets the requirements is acceptable. Realistically, a system running on Pentium Processor 3 (or higher), 550 MHz and having 128 MB RAM is a good choice.Redundant Licenses The redundant licensing model is the method by which Sentinel RMS provides license server backup. It is similar to Network licensing but multiple license servers are used. These form a license server pool. Each of the license servers in the pool can take over for any other if one of the license servers goes down. Each license server runs on a separate computer on the network and each license server has the same license(s) installed. A minimum of three license servers need to be used. Installation of CSI Software Most CSI software can be installed either as Standalone or Workstation.
A Standalone installation installs all the software files on the client and can use a Standalone, Network or Redundant license.
A Workstation installation can be installed on a client after the Network installation has been installed. The Network installation can be run on any computer on the network. The Workstation installs a minimum number of files on the client and registers files. It runs the application off of the Network . The Workstation can use a Network or Redundant license.
Note that the Network installation does not have to be on the same machine as the RMS license server.
