Choosing a licensing model when deploying Optiwave software on Virtual Machines, Cloud Platforms

Optiwave products are offered in different licensing models:

• License entitlements stored on a hardware USB-dongle
• Network Licensing
• Cloud Licensing

For virtual platforms, Optiwave recommends the use of Network Licenses.

Network License

The network license is the easiest to use licensing model when working with Virtual Machines. Deployment on VMs located within the same network’s subnet is straightforward:

• Install the software with its drivers and make sure that the VM can “see” the network.
• When installing on another subnet, within the same network, the client-side needs to be configured to point the drivers to the licensing server computer’s address/URL.

Note:

In specific cases, it might be required to configure the licensing platform drivers, to explicitly point to the Licensing Server computer (by name or IP address) to make sure the VM user consumes his license from the designated license pool.

This might be the case where there are users with their own USB licensing hardware dongles since the licenses provisioned on USB dongles behave like single-user network licenses unless their host computer drivers have been explicitly configured not to broadcast their presence on the network.

Deployment on public cloud platforms

The network licensing is recommended for use on public cloud platforms (eg. Azure, AWS, Google). To deploy network licensing for use on a public cloud platform, the user needs to provide network communication between the cloud instances and the Network Licensing Server computer.

Network License Server configuration

A License Network Server is a physical computer with the attached licensing USB dongle.

The Network License Server configuration overview:

• Install the licensing platform drivers.
  • The licensing driver installers come with the installer software, they can be also provided independently.

• Expose the computer to the Internet (to enable network communication with cloud instances).
  • The safest way is to configure VPN server capabilities on the network where the Licensing Server computer resides (for example, a simple router with VPN).

Configuration steps for VM instances on a public cloud platform:

• Install the Optiwave software (it will install the licensing drivers)
• Configure a VPN client to connect to the Licensing Server network (for example Windows VPN, OpenVPN, dependent on the VPN server connectivity on the network hosting Network License Server)

Note:

The licensing stability depends on the stability of the network (Internet) communication between the License Server and the cloud VM instance(s).

Hardware USB-dongle

It is possible to deploy the software on a VM using a hardware USB-dongle by explicit hardware “connection” of the physical USB device to the VM.

Virtualization platforms support virtual “attaching”, to guest Virtual Machines, of USB devices plugged into the hardware host. The VM user configures his VM to “take over” the attached USB licensing dongle, which allows him to consume the license provisioned in the dongle.

The user should be aware that the USB licensing dongle cannot be shared between multiple VMs at the same time.

This scenario applies, when the VM has access to the host computer hardware devices.

Note:

We are not aware of a mechanism of “attaching” a USB licensing hardware dongle from a user machine to a remote cloud platform’s instance.

Cloud License

This licensing model has been designed to be used on the user hardware directly. It is not suitable for use with Virtual Machines.

The Cloud Licensing model doesn’t support Remote Desktop. For smooth operations, the user is expected to work on his computer directly. The license credentials/entitlements are verified with the licensing cloud databases, over the Internet, so the computer is required to have a connection to the internet.

This page provides information for setting up network licenses of Optiwave software on Virtual Machines, Cloud Platforms. For more information, please email support@optiwave.com.