FLOATING Licence

The FLOATING licence allows a number of simultaneous users to access the software. This licence type is available for the SIDRA INTERSECTION software only. 

The FLOATING licence system will not allow more than the licensed number of users to access a licence simultaneously. For example, in a FLOATING 10-licence Pack, the next user can access to a licence in order to use the software (client application) only when one of the first ten users returns a licence by stopping use of the software.

Several FLOATING licence packs can work side by side on the same server effectively adding the number of licences available. 

This web page presents information about setting up a FLOATING Licence.  The information is provided for the Licence Administrator (IT Manager):

• to install the Licence Manager program on a server, and then create and activate Licence Files using the Licence Manager program, and 
• to install the End User software (SIDRA INTERSECTION) on any number of individual computers that are connected to the network, and set up licensing on End User computers. 

The Licence Manager program is supplied with the FLOATING Licence and can be downloaded from YOUR ACCOUNT.

The Licence Manager program is ONLY required if you have a FLOATING licence – it is not required for the other licence types, and it is not available for download unless you have purchased a FLOATING licence. For any queries, please send an email to info@sidrasolutions.com

Country where licence is used: Licences can be used in any site (office) of the Licensee's organisation in the country for which the licence is issued. In the case of multi-national organisations, purchase of additional licences or a special agreement is required for other countries where the Licensee's organisation has offices. This applies to all licence types.

All licence products are treated individually from a pricing and licence management perspective. Each SINGLE computer licence, FLOATING licence pack and ENTERPRISE licence has an individual price, Licence ID and COVER expiry date associated with it.

SIDRA SOLUTIONS software licences are non-transferable, they cannot be passed on, rented or leased, or sold to another organisation.

There are no special system requirements for the FLOATING Licence, and there is no special End User component.  The SIDRA INTERSECTION End User software (client application) simply requires access to a directory on the Licence Server where the FLOATING Licence file is stored.  

The Licence Server required by the FLOATING Licence may be an existing server on your LAN and must be accessible to all computers running SIDRA INTERSECTION in order to obtain a licence. The Licence Manager software supplied to you needs to be installed on the server machine.

The Licence Server has the following requirements:

• Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003/2008
• An internet connection for licensing transactions. 

With a FLOATING Licence pack, End Users will need to access a common network folder on the server during the time that they are using SIDRA INTERSECTION.  The licensing system will create and use a FLOATING Licence File for each FLOATING Licence and a Semaphore File for each user who is allocated a licence currently.  These files are stored in the common network folder.  The Semaphore File is opened and held open in a locked state for each user who runs  SIDRA INTERSECTION and is allocated a licence.  After the user exits SIDRA INTERSECTION, the Semaphore File allocated to that session will be deleted.

The shared folder on the server is for licence control only.  The End User software (SIDRA INTERSECTION) and its data reside on the individual user computers.  There is no application data written to Semaphore Files.

The FLOATING Licence arrangement is flexible and you can choose to use it within a single site or over a number of sites (offices) at different locations.  If you wish to set up the common network folder on a server at a central location to serve several sites via a WAN link, this is a feasible arrangement and is allowable under our licensing conditions.  However, it is important to understand that the ability to use the SIDRA INTERSECTION software in this manner is dependent on the reliability of your inter-office links. 

Under the FLOATING Licence system, the End User software (SIDRA INTERSECTION) cannot be used on a computer that is not connected to your network.  If you wish to use the software on laptop computers that are taken away from the office, you will need to purchase SINGLE licences for these computers.

The licensing system software used by SIDRA SOLUTIONS does not use any network-specific calls. Therefore, it should work with any network operating system that allows the End User computers to write to a common directory.  The algorithm has been tested on all of the major network operating systems such as Novell Netware, Windows and other smaller peer-to-peer networks such as Lantastic.  No new hardware is required and there is no special server software needed beyond the normal operating system.

Explanations are given below about the way FLOATING pack licences can be purchased for SIDRA INTERSECTION.

• You can purchase a combination of FLOATING packs to achieve the total number of licences you wish to have since several FLOATING licence packs can work side by side on the same server effectively adding the number of licences available.
• Minimum FLOATING licence pack size is 10. If you have a smaller number of users, you should consider purchasing SINGLE licences instead of a FLOATING licence pack since it is easier to manage SINGLE licences.
• There is no upsizing from one FLOATING pack to another in the purchase process. You simply buy additional SINGLE licences or FLOATING licence packs as you need.
• The unit cost per licence is the same for all FLOATING licence packs. Therefore, the purchase and COVER renewal costs of different combinations of FLOATING packs will be the same. The following examples will all cost the same: a) three 10 packs, or b) one 10 pack and one 20 pack, or c) one 30 pack.
• Above FLOATING 30-licence pack, negotiation about an ENTERPRISE licence is strongly recommended.
• COVER renewal cost for each FLOATING licence pack is payable separately. The unit cost of COVER renewal per user is the same [Cost: $250 per licence].

HOW TO BUY PAYMENT OPTIONS LICENSING FAQS SALES FAQS EDUCATIONAL LICENCES

To install the Licence Manager program, and then create and activate Licence Files using the Licence Manager program:

1. Decide where to locate the FLOATING Licence File Folder on the network. Please ensure that you do not put the licence file in a folder under C:\Program Files on the server.
2. Create the FLOATING Licence File Folder.
3. Set permissions for the FLOATING Licence File Folder such that all End Users can create, open, read and write files. There are two sets of permissions on this folder:
   • Sharing Permission: End Users have at least Change and Read permissions.
   • Security Permission: End Users have at least Read & Execute, List Folder Contents, Read and Write permissions.
4. Install the Licence Manager on the server. The Licence Manager program itself requires no activation. The Licence Manager program must be run on the server where the FLOATING Licence File Folder is installed.  It is not possible to run the Licence Manager from a different computer to create the Licence File on the server.
5. Use the Licence Manager to create a Licence File for each FLOATING Licence Pack you have, and activate each licence. The licence activation requires your Licence ID and Password information.

NOTE: A new Licence ID is required for new versions of the software. For example, a Version 5.0 Licence ID cannot be used to activate a licence for Version 5.1. Licence IDs can be obtained from YOUR ACCOUNT.

The licence files will be saved in the FLOATING Licence File Folder. Several FLOATING Licence Packs can be installed in the same folder. The Licence Files for several FLOATING Licence Packs will work side by side in the FLOATING Licence File Folder, allowing the number of licences available in each pack to be effectively added together.

The licence activation process may fail for a number of reasons:

• Licence ID or Password incorrect.
• Licence cancelled.
• Failure to connect to SOLO activation server via Internet.
• Activation takes place on SOLO server but a response is not received back from the activation server, therefore activation appears to fail. This may be due to firewall or network settings blocking the response.
• The licence specified has already been activated.

You can also use the Licence Manager program to:

• deactivate a licence, and
• monitor user status and revoke licence allocation to an End User.

The Licence Manager does not need to remain running during normal use of the software by End Users but you may wish to monitor user status after initial setting up.

To enable the use of the SIDRA INTERSECTION software (client application) by End Users under the FLOATING Licence: 

• Install the software on each individual computer which will be allowed to access the FLOATING Licence.  
• End user installation and licensing can be set up via a SILENT Installation process. See the following document for detailed information on SILENT Installation settings for all SIDRA SOLUTIONS software: SILENTInstallationSettings.pdf.

Setting up the Software to Access a FLOATING Licence

To set up SIDRA INTERSECTION as an End User software on a computer which is allowed to access the FLOATING Licence: 

• Run SIDRA INTERSECTION. 
• Click the Licensing tab in the ribbon and select the Floating option (radio button). 
• Click the enabled folder (“Browse”) icon and select the location of the FLOATING Licence File Folder on the network.  You must "browse" to the location – you cannot type the path into the FLOATING Licence location field.
• If you cannot see the FLOATINGLicence File Folder while browsing, please ensure that the folder does not have the "Hidden" attribute, and that it has been mapped to a drive letter.  If you wish to use a UNC path for the FLOATING Licence, then this must be entered via the Silent Installation procedure. 

If the FLOATING Licence allocation process is successful: 

• your Customer ID, Company Name and Licence Type (FLOATING) will appear on the software status bar (bottom right), and will be displayed in software output reports, and
• your Company Name, Customer ID, Licence ID, and Licence Type (FLOATING) will appear in the About dialog under the SIDRA INTERSECTION button.  

The FLOATING Licence allocation process may fail for a number of reasons (an error message will be given if this happens): 

• You will not be allocated a licence if all licences for the software are in use by other End Users.  The FLOATING Licence system will not allow more than the licensed number of users to access a licence simultaneously.  For example, in a FLOATING 10-licence Pack, the next user can access to a licence in order to use the software only when one of the first ten users returns a licence by stopping use of the software.
• Your network connection to the FLOATING Licence File Folder must not be lost during your use of the licence. If you get a message related to this, check your network connection.
• The licence allocation process may fail because there was no valid FLOATING Licence File for the software found in the specified folder.
• End User does not have Read and Write permissions for the FLOATING licence file.
• The licence allocation process may fail because some network problems were encountered. 

When the failure to get a licence persists, contact your Licence Administrator.