The ANSYS Academic products are licensed using FLEXlm (FLEXnet), a common software license manager from Acresso Software. All the academic product licenses are floating local area network (LAN) licenses, utilizing a single, designated license server*. Since many of the ANSYS Academic products are multiple task licenses, this means that all of the tasks are floated on the server's LAN. You can install the software on as many machines connected to the LAN as you like, however the number of users who can simultaneously access the software is limited by the number of tasks you purchase (1, 5 , 25 or 50 etc). If you need just a single licensed task on a single machine, even a laptop, you just make that machine your license server & install both the licensing software & the product on the same machine. Its a very flexible licensing scheme - hence its name!
For our academic products we impose a 50 mile LAN radius which is discussed on your license form. Users can access (check out) licensed tasks from the license server if they are physically connected to the LAN, or if they are using a VPN connection. Additionally, the Academic Teaching level products have a license borrow feature that allows laptop users to check out a licensed task and then unplug from the LAN and work remotely for up to 7 days (except the "unlimited" DesignSpace feature which may not be borrowed). Borrowed tasks must stay within the 50 mile LAN radius, and you can borrow up to n-1 tasks from an n task license. A borrowed license may be returned early by reconnecting to the network & using the ANSYS Borrow Utility. Note, the license borrow feature is OFF by default. If you need this feature you must request it to be turned on at the time of your license purchase or renewal. There is no additional charge for this feature.
If you are seeking a larger LAN radius (for distance learning programs) or require a total academic software solution for an entire campus then we have that flexibility. Please discuss your requirements with your ANSYS sales person.
The following diagram explains the LAN radius:
* Note, we can provide academic product license files for either single server or three server redundant systems.
