연구의 선진화와 생산성 향상에
필요한 최적의 소프트웨어와 컨설팅을
공급하도록 노력하겠습니다.
 

Licensing Options for GEO-SLOPE Software

All About Licenses

◎Definitions - Quick reference
◎Types - Comparison of licensing options
 -Perpetual and Renewable
 -Standalone and Network
 -Individual and Bundled
 -Limited Feature
 -Leased
◎Management Keys and hostids
◎Network Implementation Quick reference for License Administrators

 

◎ Definitions

  • Key Also known as dongle, hardware key, lock, USB port key and parallel port key, it controls the use of a license. Only one key is supplied per license.
  • License When you purchase GEO-SLOPE software, you are purchasing a license to use a particular software product. The license enables the software to be fully functional.
  • License File This is a text file that is downloaded from our web site and saved onto your computer to fully enable the software. It includes your license number, license type, hostid, license file expiration date, as well as encrypted information. License files are granted for a maximum length of one year (with the exception of Basic Edition and Leased licenses) and must be replaced annually.
  • Replacement License File License files expire and must therefore be replaced via download from our web site.
  • Service Pack This is a collection of updates, fixes and/or enhancements that can be downloaded from our web site and installed on your computer to update your software. Service packs are cumulative and available free of charge to all license holders.
  • Single-User License Software products are sold as single-user licenses. The software can be installed on as many computers as you would like, however the number of licenses purchased equals the number of computers that can simultaneously run full versions of the software.
  • Student License Also known as the Student Edition, this free license installed with the software enables you to learn how to do simple geotechnical analyses. It can be downloaded from our web site at no charge or installed using the software CD. To use it, set the License Mode on the GeoStudio Start Page to ‘Student license’.
  • Upgrade Refers to purchasing a newer version of an existing software product, with newer technology, further developed engineering features and more powerful analysis capabilities.
  • Version Corresponds to the development level of the software and enables you to know how current your software is. A higher version number also equates with improved functionality. Viewer License This license automatically installs with the software to enable any individual to open and view (but not edit) a previously analyzed problem. It is useful for someone who wishes to view a completed analysis but does not have a license.
 

◎ License Types

GEO-SLOPE software licenses are categorized in several ways:
  1. Perpetual or Renewable Related to payment options and new version releases
  2. Standalone or Network Related to how licenses are installed and accessed
  3. Individual or Bundled Related to how many products are included on one license
  4. Limited Feature (vs. Full Feature) Related to the availability of all features of the software
  5. Leased (vs. Purchased) The license types have been designed to provide choice and to suit varied software usage and budgetary requirements based on feedback we’ve received.
The license types have been designed to provide choice and to suit varied software usage and budgetary requirements based on feedback we’ve received.
 
1. Perpetual or Renewable
A GEO-SLOPE perpetual license refers to a license which does not require an annual renewal payment. It is a version license, which enables you to make a one-time payment and then use the software in the version purchased for an unlimited length of time on the computer hardware and operating system (OS) for which it was originally designed. (Older versions of the software are not guaranteed to run on upgraded computer hardware and operating systems.)
When new versions of our software are released, every two to three years, a perpetual license holder has the choice of whether or not to purchase an upgrade of their existing software to the newer version. We encourage all of our license-holders to keep their software current, as this provides them with the furthest development of the software and therefore the most features and engineering enhancements, however it is up to you to decide if and when you wish to upgrade. Upgrade pricing is re-evaluated at each new version release and generally includes a price increase. We cannot specify the cost of future upgrades in advance.
For companies who value keeping their software current, we offer a renewable license option that includes upgrades to new version releases, due to the annual renewal payment structure of the renewable license. In addition to the initial (lower) purchase price, there is a regularly scheduled annual renewal fee that can be budgeted for.
As stated earlier, all software license files expire annually. With perpetual licenses, annual replacement license files are provided at no additional charge. A renewable license requires payment of an annual renewal fee in order to receive a replacement license file. If you choose not to renew the license, the software will stop functioning. If your license is current at the time of a new version release, you will receive the new upgrade software at no additional charge. A renewable license ensures that you are always working with the most current version of the software.
The renewal payment is due annually on the anniversary date of the original license purchase. Late payments will be accepted, but will always be applied to the original 12-month term, beginning and ending on the anniversary date of the original purchase. (For example, if a renewal fee payment is made three months after license expiry, the initial three months of that year are voluntarily forfeited. The license will still expire on the original date of purchase.) License-holders are therefore notified well in advance of the annual expiry date, as a reminder to make payment prior to license expiry.
It is possible to change your license type, from renewable to perpetual or vice versa, at any time, though costs may be incurred. Please contact GEO-SLOPE for details.
 
2. Standalone or Network
GEO-SLOPE software products and licenses can be installed on an unlimited number of computers in your office. The number of simultaneous users of the software is determined by the number of licenses purchased.
A standalone license is installed on an individual desktop or laptop computer, whereas a network license is installed on a computer chosen as the network license server computer, and is thus accessible by all computers on the network.
If a standalone license (also known as a node-locked license) is purchased, the license will require the use of an associated hardware key that must be attached to the computer on which the software is being utilized. Without the key, the license will not be enabled and the software will not be fully functional. If a license is being shared among several colleagues in an office, the key can be moved from one computer to another depending on who is utilizing the software at a given time. (If the software is always utilized on only one specific computer, it can be secured directly to that computer without the need of a key.)
A single or multi-user network license (also known as a floating license) is an ideal solution for offices that share software over a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN). There is no limit to the number of network licenses that can be purchased; the number can be customized to fit the number of users in your company. For example, purchasing one network license allows one person at a time to run the software from any computer on the network; if five network licenses are purchased, a 5-user license will be issued, enabling up to five people to run the software at any given time.
A network license file is stored on a designated ‘server computer’ which also runs a license server program that monitors the number of users concurrently running the GEO-SLOPE software. Utilizing a well-known network license management program called ‘FLEXnet Licensing’, a software license can be granted to anyone on the network if a license is available; a hardware key does not have to be physically moved. For additional details, please refer to the section on ‘Network Implementation’.
Network licenses can be ‘borrow-enabled’, allowing an end-user to check out a license for use while disconnected from the corporate network. Borrowing offers flexibility, but may not be suitable for all environments. If you wish to utilize this feature, please contact GEO-SLOPE for details.
It is possible to change your license type, from standalone to network or vice versa, at any time, though costs may be incurred. Please contact GEO-SLOPE for details.
 
3. Individual or Bundled
All GEO-SLOPE software products can be purchased individually. These are known as individual product licenses. Our product names are: SLOPE/W, SEEP/W, SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W, TEMP/W, CTRAN/W, AIR/W, VADOSE/W, and VADOSE/W Basic. How individual licenses work:
  • A SLOPE/W license enables a single user to utilize the SLOPE/W software at any given time.
  • If a SLOPE/W license and a SEEP/W license are purchased, one individual (user) can make use of both licenses, or one user can utilize the SLOPE/W license on one computer while another works with the SEEP/W license on a different computer.
  • If two SLOPE/W licenses are purchased, two users can run the software simultaneously, one with each license. The number of simultaneous users is limited by the number of licenses purchased.
In addition to individual product licenses, GEO-SLOPE offers a number of bundled product licenses. These licenses are also single-user licenses, but enable a user to access more than one product.
If a bundled license is purchased, a user can utilize the license to work with one, two or all of the products on that license. Bundled licenses are thus ideal for integrated analyses.
The bundled license names are as follows: GeoStudio Standard, GeoStudio Professional, and GeoStudio Universal. (The GeoStudio Basic Edition license is also a bundled license, but will be addressed in the next, ‘Limited Feature,’ section.)
  • The Standard license includes SLOPE/W, SEEP/W and SIGMA/W
  • The Professional license includes SLOPE/W, SEEP/W, SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W, TEMP/W and CTRAN/W
  • The Universal license includes SLOPE/W, SEEP/W, SIGMA/W, QUAKE/W, TEMP/W, CTRAN/W, AIR/W and VADOSE/W
An example of how a bundled license works:
A Standard license enables a single user, or one computer, to run the license and use the SLOPE/W, SEEP/W and/or SIGMA/W software. If a second user wishes to work with one of the products, s/he must wait until the license is no longer in use. However, if two licenses are purchased, two users can work with the software simultaneously, one with each license.
NOTE: Bundled licenses are considered to be specific products, each with a unique name, and each incorporating different individual products, exactly as listed above. GEO-SLOPE offers only these three bundled licenses; it is not possible to substitute products within a bundle or to customize your ownlicense.
Other important details to note regarding GEO-SLOPE software products:
  • Individual product licenses can be upgraded to bundled licenses at any time, though costs will be incurred. Bundled licenses cannot be changed into individual product licenses.
  • A specific software product cannot be exchanged for another product. It is also not possible to upgrade one product into another product.
 
4. Limited Feature

Our GeoStudio Basic Edition and VADOSE/W Basic products are the two limited feature licenses we offer. GeoStudio Basic is a bundled license and VADOSE/W Basic is an individual product license.

What sets these two products apart from our other products is that the ‘Basic’ licenses do not have all of the features of the software available. This is reflected in the price of these products accordingly. These two products are also only available as standalone perpetual licenses.

To assess whether our Basic Edition or VADOSE/W Basic products are suitable for the types of analyses you are planning to do, please carefully review the ‘GeoStudio Product Details’ and/or ‘VADOSE/W Basic Product Details’ document(s) available on our web site. These provide point by point feature comparisons between the Basic and ‘full feature’ versions of our software products, to enable you to determine whether the limited feature products will satisfy your modeling requirements.

 
5. Leased
Leased licenses are available for your short-term projects. All of our full-feature products can be leased for one-month or one-year terms. Licenses can be leased as standalone or network licenses.
Leased licenses are locked to a single computer and utilize an internal hostid number on your computer to manage the license. Because of this feature, both the software and license file can be downloaded from our web site, providing immediate access to the software. There is no physical shipment and thus almost no lag time between placing your order and beginning your use of the software. Your order can be placed by telephone, fax or email, payment made by credit card, and your leased license can be made available for use within an hour.
Note that advance payment is required prior to issuing a leased license file. There are no discounts applicable to leased licenses, and these licenses cannot be renewed; each term is considered to be a new lease.
 

◎ License Management

GEO-SLOPE software utilizes FLEXnet license management technology. Every license file contains encrypted information that “locks” the license file to a specific hardware device, either to a FLEXid hardware key or directly to a computer. This hardware device is called the “hostid” (host identification).
*Using a Key with your license
If a key is supplied with your standalone license, you can download and/or copy the license file to many different computers, however only the computer that has the key attached can run the software. If a key is supplied for a network license, the key remains attached to the server computer at all times.
Only one key is supplied per license. In order to obtain a second key, a second license would have to be purchased. It is important to recognize that the key itself does not contain any license information. It is simply a device that contains a unique serial number. The license file created for you will be linked to this key. We can also create license files that are linked to FLEXid keys you already own.
If you use multiple GEO-SLOPE standalone products, you can link each product license to the same key, or you can link them to separate keys. Using the same key for all products means you have fewer hardware devices to track; however, you also have less flexibility since all products must then be run on the same computer. If you have multiple FLEXid USB keys, you can connect them to a USB hub if

you do not have enough USB ports on your computer. Multiple keys cannot be used for network licenses; all of the products would be linked to the same key, as it is only possible to have one hostid per server. If a key is damaged, a replacement key can be purchased from our office and the damaged key returned to us by mail. Your software will be temporarily unavailable for use until the new key is delivered.
 
*Using a Computer as hostid
This key-less option is recommended for and ideally suited for network licenses, as it may not be desirable to connect a hardware key to your network server computer. It is also the only option available for leased licenses.
The license file is locked to an Ethernet MAC address or a composite hostid generated by GeoStudio. We will provide instructions as to how to identify the hostid, as this number must be provided to GEO-SLOPE prior to the creation of a license file.
This option is available for standalone licenses upon request, but would only be beneficial in very limited instances, as it locks your license to a single computer. Without a hardware key, you can only run the software on one specific computer.
 

◎ Network Implementation

Network (floating) licenses can provide efficient and controlled use of shared software across a LAN or WAN. GEO-SLOPE’s use of FLEXnet license management requires the installation of the ‘FLEXnet Network License Server’ to implement network licensing for your company. Your network must also be running the
TCP/IP protocol.
Running the FLEXnet Network License Server does not require a file server. The designated computer must, however, be running Windows NT or 2000 (Professional or Server), XP Professional, 2003 Server or Vista. It must also be a computer that does not get shut down frequently, as the License Server must be running whenever clients check out a network license.
Client software does not have to be installed on the License Server computer; it will run a FLEXnet daemon and a GEO-SLOPE daemon. For more information about FLEXnet license management, please refer to the FLEXnet Resources section online at: http://www.geo-slope.com/downloads/?s=utilities.
Installation and configuration instructions for the Network License Server computer and your Client Computers will be shipped with the software. If you wish to implement license borrowing or have other questions about network licenses, please contact GEO-SLOPE by telephone at +82) 042-222-1188 or by email at sales@woorimtech.com