license

Redundant License Configuration

Starting from zenon version 8.00 it is possible to share each license over the CodeMeter network. This allows you to have a dedicated license server. The license server can be any PC or virtual machine which runs CodeMeter. 

One license for two

Sharing a license in the network implies that the very same license can be used on different systems - but just only once.
This setting can be used if you have a backup system or use a shared engineering license. The one who needs the license (first) takes it and excludes the other from operating zenon. Note that both systems cannot run simultanously.




Two licenses for one

As the license server could also fail and therefore zenon would not be able to operate on either Server 1 or Server 2, it is also possible to have a backup license (for each zenon application). In that case you need two licenses which are equal (at the best). If the licenses are not equal, make sure, that the backup license is the better one. The zenon license redundancy picks only equal or better licenses.



The primary or secondary license server can also be the system which runs the zenon application.
It is possible to have up to 10 backup licenses configured.
For the configuration the zenon License Manager can be used. The entries are stored in the License.ini of each zenon system. 
The demo license can be used as backup license of the last resort.

Notification in case of a license loss

The system driver variable '[Project summary] Serial number' shows the serial number of the current license in use. Configure a reaction matrix on this variable (e.g. value change: any) to inform the user on any change of the license serial number. This notification can be used to check on the license server or the general state of the license. 
zenon does not provide a switch back  to the original license of the primary license server (either manual or automatically triggered).

N+1 licenses for N zenon applications

Thinking the above configuration a bit further it would be possible to have up to 9 zenon applications in a network which share the license information with each other. Additionally to that, there is one license server which holds a backup license. 
If the licensing of one system fails, it would switch to either to a license of an other zenon system or the additional license on the license server (Whatever comes first). An alarm would be triggered to inform the technician to fix the license.
Once the license is fixed, a restart forces zenon to take the initial license instead of the backup license.