Common CAD Questions
What is FlexNet Licensing?
FlexNet is a common software license manager from Flexera Software. It is utilized by many companies including PTC to implement license management and is intended to provide multiple end users access to PTC products. FlexNet licensing can be used to create both floating licenses and node-locked licenses and all PTC FlexNet Licenses are based off of the PTC_HOSTID
What is FlexNet License Server?
The FlexNet License Server refers to the license server program to which most PTC client software connects to request licenses for access to the software. The FlexNet server administers the use of floating licenses configured in its local license.dat file. A PTC Flexnet server can be configured as either a single server or a redundant “Triad” server.
What is a floating license?
A floating license refers to a licensing scheme where the permission to execute the PTC product is controlled by the FlexNet server (the PTC License Server). In the FlexNet server environment any machine configured as a client will be allowed to use floating licenses until the number of licenses purchased has been exhausted. The license.dat file may be configured with any number of the following 3 floating license types: Licenses-to-run, Floating Options and Startup Extensions. The installation of a floating license(s) requires an authorization string, which is specific to the number of licenses (seats) purchased, the expiration date and the PTC_HOSTID for the machine that will run the FlexNet server program. This information is encrypted within the license.dat and any unintentional tampering of this string may cause the floating license to become invalid
What is a locked or node-locked license?
A locked, node-locked or fixed license is a license file configured specifically for use by a single client machine. These may come with any number of features attached as Licenses-to-run, or Startup Extensions. A PTC application configured to a locked license file would not require connecting to a FlexNet License Server but would ONLY allow the PTC applications to run on the specific machine for which the license was built.
What are the 3 different types of PTC FlexNet licenses ?
PTC FlexNet licenses come as 3 different types which are accessed differently depending on the specific PTC Product. The 3 types are License-to-run, Floating Option and Startup Extensions.
Licenses-to-run:
- Required for the PTC product to launch.
- Configured with specific built-in functionality.
- Not all are equal, see Locked Options
Floating Options:
- Allow for increased functionality to PTC Products beyond the license-to-run.Accessible “on the fly” within the specific PTC Product through a menu choice.
- May be configured as Super Bundle with multiple locked options attached. *This type of floating option is specific only to Creo Parametric.
Startup Extensions:
- Only accessible when manually added to the PTC Product startup command. *This restriction applies only to PTC Mathcad Prime and PTC IsoDraw CADprocess will automatically attempt obtain all product licenses at startup.
- Avoid generating a license file from PTC Portal containing only an extension. Always use base license together with the extension for a correct license license generation.
- Also allow for increased functionality.