run parallel multiple projects with ReadyAPI

Hey Lea 

When you say 

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Lea wrote:

Can the same ReadyAPI license be used to run multiple projects in parallel? 

and if yes, is the limit the same as the 'the number of allowed concurrent product instances' mentioned below? 

 

You'll have to forgive me - I can be quite literal and that gets in the way sometimes - I just need to make sure I understand what you're asking.

 

I'll probably go a little overboard explaining, but that's cos I'm a little unsure of your question - hence I'm hoping the answer to your question will be covered off within my lengthy answer!

 

ReadyAPI supports multiple projects.  A ReadyAPI project is simply a collection of APIs along with a number of associated test suites/test cases and test steps and these test steps within the testcases map to the APIs and allow the tester to execute tests to check the quality of the APIs being developed.  See the embedded screenshot.  Below is my ReadyAPI instance.  I've worked in several places and each different project I worked on - I created a new ReadyAPI project - the latest one was for a company called the Planning Inspectorate.

 

 

So above you can see multiple ReadyAPI projects within my single ReadyAPI instance.

 

ignoring your original usage of the word 'project'  - I'm thinking you don't actually mean ReadyAPI projects at all.

 

I think you're asking about whether a single ReadyAPI user can run >1 ReadyAPI instances (say on >1 machines) simultaneously - is that correct?

 

things have changed in regards to licensing over the last 2 years, so my info could be a little out of date, but ReadyAPI uses 2 different license types.  The single per user, per machine, fixed term license (that used to actually be a file, but now is based on a SmartBear useraccount) and floating licenses.

 

The single per user license is about 700 GBP / year, whereas the floaters are thousands a year.

 

I think there's some possible negotiation with SmartBear regarding the floaters, but when I checked this out a number of years ago, floaters started at about 4000 GBP /year and came in sets of 4 - so 4 possible users could use 4 ReadyAPI instances simultaneously.  I think the way it works is say there are maybe 12 possible useraccounts and ANY of these 12 can launch ReadyAPI on their laptops, however - it's limited to maximum of 4 simultaneous users (4 simultaneous ReadyAPI instances) - any 4 of those possible 12 users could run ReadyAPI simultaneously. So - I think that's how the floaters work in SmartBear apps.

 

Myself - I'm running a single per user, per machine, fixed term license which is based on my SmartBear useraccount.  When I installed ReadyAPI, I got prompted for a license, I indicated it was a per user (rather than a floating license), I input my SmartBear username and password - there was some negotiation with the license server (as my useraccount details were verified) and then ReadyAPI was unlocked.

 

As I said above - my license type is a per user, per ReadyAPI instance, fixed term license.

 

The "per user" bit means, it's specific to my username.  The "per ReadyAPI instance" means it's specific to a single ReadyAPI instance.

 

ReadyAPI is installed on both my laptop (laptop #1) and the blank laptop (laptop #2) that's on the desk next to me.  Currently my license has activated the ReadyAPI instance on the laptop I am typing this out (laptop #1). 

 

If I start up the laptop next to me (laptop #2) and tried running ReadyAPI, I'd get a prompt for the license and if I tried using my SmartBear useraccount details - I'd get a warning that my single per user, per machine license is already in use (on laptop #1) and so cannot be used for the ReadyAPI instance on laptop #2.

 

If I wanted to start using this other laptop's ReadyAPI instance (laptop #2), i would need to go back into my first laptop's ReadyAPI (laptop #1), select 'Help' >> 'License Manager' then select 'Release License' and follow the instructions.

 

Then once the license was released on laptop #1 (so at that specific moment in time, my ReadyAPI license isn't being used by ANY ReadyAPI instance), ReadyAPI would probably shutdown without the valid license, I'd switch over to laptop #2, run the license manager within ReadyAPI and use the creds of my license to enable the ReadyAPI instance of laptop #2.

 

In summary - if you're not talking about floating licenses, you can't run >1 ReadyAPI instances simultaneously for a single per user, per machine license.  You have to disable and 'release' the license on the working ReadyAPI instance, before you can use the same license details (SmartBear useraccount details) on a 2nd ReadyAPI instance.

 

It should be noted that you need to be careful with the 'license release' procedure.  It works fine, however people have had problems activating their license on a new ReadyAPI instance if they weren't able to follow the license release procedure on the original laptop.  I know someone posted about a year ago how they had a mainboard failure, so the originallaptop was kaput, so they couldn't even login to the original laptop.  They tried getting a new laptop and registering their new ReadyAPI instance - but because they hadn't been able to follow the license release procedure, SmartBear considered the license still in use with the original ReadyAPI instance.  I think it required a SmartBear helpdesk call to resolve.

 

Has this answered your question?  After re-reading I'm still unsure if you were talking about actual ReadyAPI projects or not....

 

 

Cheers,

 

Rich