Using Floating Licenses
A floating license is not tied to a specific computer; it can be used by any computer on the network. Each floating license can be used by only one computer (or client) at a time, so two licenses can be used by two clients at once, and so on.
In a floating-license environment, one machine acts as the floating-license server. The server tracks how many floating licenses are available, how many are in use, and who is using them.
When a client needs a license, it contacts the server and requests one. This is called a check-out. If a license is available, the server assigns it to the client, and that license is no longer available to other clients. If all floating licenses are checked out, the request is denied.
When a client no longer needs the license, it returns the license to the server. This is called a check-in. A check-in usually happens when the user exits SpinFire. If SpinFire shuts down unexpectedly, the floating-license server still reclaims the license.
The server and client are configured through a floating-license file, license.al. This file contains the following information:
- Server Hostname
The network name of the machine acting as the floating-license server.
- Server Host ID
The server’s MAC address, also called the physical address.
- Vendor Name
A name that uniquely identifies the company whose product is licensed. For SpinFire, the vendor name is spinfired (actifyd for SpinFire Insight 2025.3.0 and earlier). The vendor name is needed to determine the service name.
- Number of Licenses
The number of available licenses.
- Licensed Feature
A feature is any software component that can be licensed and is checked out and checked in. For example, SpinFire is a feature.
- Borrowing Flag
Indicates whether a feature can be borrowed.
- Borrowing Time
How long (in hours) a feature can be borrowed.
SpinFire determines whether a license is a floating license by checking the configuration code. For a floating license, the license.al file includes an XML node containing the floating-license text. SpinFire extracts this text and saves it to disk as a new file, sfpflv2.dat, which the floating-license system then uses.
Borrowing and Returning Licenses
The Borrow License command lets you use a floating license temporarily while your computer is disconnected from the network that runs the license server. This is useful for mobile users.
When SpinFire is in floating-license mode, the Borrow License command appears on the Tools menu. You can borrow a license for 1 to 30 days. While the license is borrowed, it is not available to other users until it is returned or expires. If you need to run SpinFire off the network for longer, consider purchasing a standalone SpinFire seat.
To return the license before the borrowing period ends, connect to the network that runs the license server and select Tools > Return License.
After the license is returned or expires, SpinFire no longer runs without a network connection to the license server.
Loss of Network Connection
If the network connection between SpinFire and the license server (FLEXlm) is broken, the floating license stays checked out for two hours. During that time the license is unavailable to other users, even if the connection is restored.
