What type of licence do I need?

Updated on 10 Oct 2022
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Flood Modeller provides a variety of licence types to better serve your requirements. Aside from the modular nature of the software where the users can enhance the base package with additional features, there are two major decisions when it comes to licensing:

Standalone vs Network licence

This distinguishes between licences available on one machine only at any given time (standalone) and licences being served to multiple machines over the network.

The main benefit of a network licence is the freedom from being tied to a single machine on which to do your modelling. This allows the flexibility to work from any location, at any time - access to your company intranet is all that is required. A network licence also provides additional security as there is not a physical licence to be misplaced or broken!

Lock via USB dongle, software lock or cloud container

Your licences can be supplied via three routes; physical locks in the form of USB dongles (sticks) and software locks in the form of either files installed on your machine(s) or Cloud containers which are essentially virtual licences, but with the constraint of having constant internet access. A brief list of advantages and disadvantages for both options are presented in the table below. Despite their respective characteristics, the core functionality remains the same.

	USB Dongle	Software Lock	Cloud Container
Pros	Can be used on different machines as and when needed. Minimum configuration overhead (plug'n'play). Provides easy access when working remotely or from client office. Can be updated easily by the end-user (without IT support).	Once installed, the licence is always available to use. No need for hardware management. Unlikely to become lost or damaged unless the machine itself is affected.	Can be installed on up to two machines simultaneously. No tied to any machine specifications. No need for hardware management. Unlikely to become lost or damaged unless the machine itself is affected. Can be used with VM and physical machines.
Cons	Must be plugged into the machine. Not always suitable for virtual machines. Could become lost or damaged more easily (incurring replacement costs).	Tied to one machine only. Sensitive to hardware (virtual or physical) changes.	Constant internet access required. Only comes with network licences.

USB Dongle

Software Lock

Cloud Container

Pros

Can be used on different machines as and when needed.
Minimum configuration overhead (plug'n'play).
Provides easy access when working remotely or from client office.
Can be updated easily by the end-user (without IT support).

Once installed, the licence is always available to use.
No need for hardware management.
Unlikely to become lost or damaged unless the machine itself is affected.

Can be installed on up to two machines simultaneously.
No tied to any machine specifications.
No need for hardware management.
Unlikely to become lost or damaged unless the machine itself is affected.
Can be used with VM and physical machines.

Cons

Must be plugged into the machine.
Not always suitable for virtual machines.
Could become lost or damaged more easily (incurring replacement costs).

Tied to one machine only.
Sensitive to hardware (virtual or physical) changes.

Constant internet access required.
Only comes with network licences.

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