Obtaining a License for an Exceptional Case

For exceptional cases, we provide two types of non-floating licenses. All of these licenses require that you get in contact with HolgerBrand or DietrichBeck and that you sign the license agreement personally.

Such a license will only be issued in justified and exceptional cases. The aim of a exceptional license is to handle those cases, that can not be covered by the use of a unmanaged-concurrent (floating) license, and that are well covered by the Institute Campus License Agreement.

• A named-user license only works at the GSI campus and requires a connection to the network license manager. It has the purpose of making a user, that works with NI software most of his working time, independent of the number of floating licenses. Moreover, named-users have the possibility to obtain a home or backup license.
• A disconnect license has the purpose of making a computer independent of a connection to the network license manager. This type of license is restricted to computers owned by GSI that are normally located on the GSI campus but that may leave the campus temporarily.

Important remark: Exceptional licenses are restricted to GSI employees with a regular working contract and/or computers owned by GSI.

Named-User License

A named-user license is a license linked to a specific user. Such a license requires that your computer is on the GSI campus and has a network connection to the network license manager when you work with your software. A named-user license is useful for users that need access to the NI software independently of the number of floating (unmanaged-concurrent) licenses. Such a license is strictly restricted to GSI staff with regular working contracts (exceeding 50% of full working time). A named-user license will be withdrawn in case the working contract with GSI ends.

A backup license is issued automatically on a specific computer, once a named-user uses NI software on that computer. By this, he or she will be able to work on that computer even when the computer looses its connection to the network license manager. Such a backup license expires after 14 days.

A home license is restricted to a computer not owned by GSI and is intended for cases, where a computer is mainly used for private use at home and NI software is only occasionally used on that computer. The purpose of such a license is to enable named-users to work with NI Software at home. A home license is restricted to period of one year or the end of the working contract (whatever comes first).

Disconnect License

A disconnect license can be used to disconnect a computer temporarily from the network license manager. A disconnect license is restricted to computers owned by GSI. A disconnect license might be issued in one of the following cases.

License for a period of up to one year for computers on the GSI campus

• A production computer with a piece of NI software requiring a runtime license, such as the DSC runtime system. The aim is to harden the production systems against a failure of the network license manager during a beam-time.
• A development computer of an experiment located in a cave or target hall, if it is required for the preparation or operation of the beam-time, in case a network connection to the network license manager is not available.

License for a period of up to three months for computers outside GSI

• A computer that is temporarily required for an experiment or beam-time outside GSI.
• A notebook that is taken outside GSI, as an example, for a business trip.

Necessary Computer Information

In order to generate a disconnect license the Computer Information is necessary. You an get it using the NI License Manager on the desired comupter.

Start>Programs>National Instruments>NI License Manager -> Display Computer Information

Please send this information togehter with usernames & responsible persons to HolgerBrand or DennisNeidherr. One of us will send you the license file which you can install using the NI License Manager.

Menu>Options>Install License File

Use Cases and Examples

Working on the GSI Campus

It does not matter, if you are a guest or employed by GSI. It does not matter, if your computer is owned by GSI or not. As long as you are working for a GSI project, just use NI software under the terms of the ICLA via the Network License Manager. This is the normal case and no exceptional license is required.

Working outside the GSI Campus for a Short Time - Beam-Time or Conference.

In general, working outside the GSI campus is not covered by the Institute Campus License Agreement. However, a "disconnect license" may exceptionally be issued, when a GSI research group travels to another facility, taking with them all their equipment to perform an experiment, or when a GSI employee is on official travel. However, such a "disconnect license" is only issued for computers owned by GSI.

Using a Computer that is Not Owned by GSI

A network connection to the Network License Manager is required for obtaining a floating license. This requires that you are on the GSI campus, the computer is registered via the IT-department and you have a connection to the office network. On the one hand, this enables users, working for GSI projects, to use NI software on the GSI campus with a computer that is owned by another institute/university or that is private. On the other hand, this excludes the possibility of using NI software in case

• you are outside the GSI campus, or
• you are on the GSI campus but have no network connection.

Only in case you are employed by GSI, you may get one "home license" for one private computer under certain conditions.

Students and Personel with Part Time Contracts

Students and persons with part time contracts (a working contract with less than 50% of regular working hours) are treated as guests. No "named user", no "home license"!

Employees of FAIR

The ICLA is an agreement between GSI and National Instruments. Consequently, employees of FAIR are treated as guests. No "named user", no "home license"!

Computers with Linux or MacOS

After installation of LabVIEW (version 2010 or older) on a computer with Linux or MacOS, no activation is required to use the software (the license is the installation medium). Hence, those computers must be treated like Windows computers with a "disconnect license". As a consequence, NI software may not be installed on private computers with Linux or MacOS, but only on computers owned by GSI (exception: "home licenses", see above).

-- HolgerBrand - 22 May 2014