Node-locked license usage on Windows server 2019

[Adrian_P]

Hello

We are thinking about purchasing a node-locked license and install it on a physical PC with Windows Server 2019 Standard installed

My questions are:

1. Can we have diffrent testers connect remotely to this PC and use TestComplete? (within the limit of one at a time off course)

2. Since it's a Windows server, must the license be tied to a specific user in the network, or can we connect remotely with our personal users to access TestComplete?

[tristaanogre]

I'm not an expert at the licensing system but here's my guess:

1) I don't think so.  When TestComplete runs, it hits the license server that it is connected to.  A Node Locked licenses basically has it's own license server installed along with it as a service so, as soon as the first person logs in and runs TestComplete, the license I think would be consumed.

2) No.  Node locked means it will only run on the machine to which it is installed.  What you are wanting to do is serve up floating licenses of users.  That's a floating licenses with a license manager installed locally.

I'd recommend contacting sales at SmartBear and describing your needs to work on purchasing the proper licensing structure.

[AlexKaras]

Hi,

To my understanding this should be possible. (Assuming that your users will connect remotely via remote desktop.)

Node-locked license bounds to the hardware and should work for any user logged into the given physical machine.

https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/licensing/license-types.html#licenses-by-type

[Marsha_R]

With the node-locked, it's one particular machine that can sign in to use the license.  If you let all your users access the one machine, then that should work.

Floating allows each user to use the license from any machine.  You can have TestComplete installed on many machines, but whichever user signs in first gets to use the license.  

We use floating, but depending on how many users you have, it can be an issue with maintaining versions of TestComplete and versions of certain system files.   

It never hurts to ask Sales.  I'm sure they're familiar with the kind of setup you have.

[sonya_m · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone for your input!

@Adrian_P , the Node-Locked license is the license that can be used on the machine where it was activated. You are activating the license and run TestComplete application on the same machine.
The Node-locked license is bound to the machine hardware but you can log in to this machine with any Windows users. All user profiles on this machine can use the app and the license.

As for the remote access, situations can be different:

1. You may want to get access to the license throught the network: run the application on one machine and use the license that is activated on another machine. It's not possible with the Node-Locked licenses. This is possible only with the Floating licenses (the Floating licenses can be shared in the network). Here is the link where you can find more infomraiton about the Floating licenses: https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/licensing/license-types.html.

2. Another option - you can use the remote connection to access the machine where the license is activated. In this case, you are actually running the TestComplete app on the same machine where the license is activated.