Autodesk Clarifies Licensing with New Products

[Steve_Stafford]

I'm coming at this from the perspective of a network license scheme only. It is harder perhaps to deal with this control issue for firms that use standalone seats. I suspect the language is written from that angle primarily.

...While it's true the company couldn't stop concurrent use if licenses were being distributed off a server...

Not true, a company has excellent control over licenses if the only way a PC can obtain a license is when they are connected to their domain, via VPN/LAN/WAN. Working from home is no different in this case than if the PC were in a cubicle at the office. While connected to the domain, thru VPN, I can run software by obtaining a license from the network license server. The only way I can stay licensed, and disconnected from the network, is to borrow the license which removes one license from the network pool. I also can choose to let the term of the borrowed license expire or reconnect to the domain, via VPN, and return the license early.

...Our licensee is responsible for compliance with the Software license Agreement, and there can be no reasonable expectation that the licensee can monitor such usage on an employee’s home computer...

This is the part that I believe is inaccurate...as long as a VPN is involved. Define monitor, nobody monitors usage at the office either...except when someone says they can't get a license.... (or when dealing with the budget)

Working from home is also no different than a firm's several offices acquiring their licenses through their WAN and network server located in one city. The only way you can get a license is if there is one available in the pool. As long as the licenses served are valid for the country they are served to, can't do this between the UK and USA for example. You technically need separate license pools for each country.

It seems odd to me to focus on the ownership of the PC when Autodesk has the power to restrict such abuses by not providing standalone authorization codes for network licensed seats. Without such a code the only way to use the software anywhere is to have the PC join the domain via VPN or LAN/WAN.

Not that me muttering about this here will change it...

[Brian Myers]

Not true, a company has excellent control over licenses if the only way a PC can obtain a license is when they are connected to their domain, via VPN/LAN/WAN.

I'm just trying to understand how this works.... (lets say on a laptop owned by the company) Could an "individual" machine be set-up as a stand-alone device with the serial number also used on your VPN? In other words, could you use your version of AutoCAD without being connected to the internet (and VPN) by simply "registering" it with a serial number used also on your VPN?

This is really what I was referring to in my remark of a company not being able to control a license... in this case you could use AutoCAD on an airplane, train, car, etc. without a VPN connection. I'm just not sure if this can be done?

If it can be done, would this be legal? In the old days this would be legal, today I believe a different license (and serial) must be used on each machine regardless of the number of licenses owned or in use... is this true?

[Steve_Stafford]

...I'm just trying to understand how this works...

The VPN (virtual private network) is just a means to connect to your domain server like PC's at the office. The network admin would provide client software (based on your router/server setup) that you install on your home PC. This client software allows you to use your internet connection to join the office domain. Once connected you can run software that is looking for this server (or others that are part of the domain) for its license.

In the scenario of notebook on a plane, that notebook would need to be connected to the network, run the software, borrow a license, close the software, log off, take the flight. Now you'll have a license on your notebook for the time frame you selected when you borrowed the license. While you have this borrowed license the network pool of licenses is reduced by one seat. No way to run concurrently in violation of the license agreement.

The only way you could authorize your PC at home when your office uses network licensing is if Autodesk provided you with an authorization code. It's been awhile since I've had to deal with this stuff myself but they did so in the past.

My comments are based on the licensing schema for Autodesk Revit, which I believe has been brought into fairly close alignment with other Autodesk products.

[sinc]

One thing I should point out:

While Autodesk is in it for the money (in this case) we only need to upgrade to get a competitive advantage on our competition. If our software already did it all for us then there would never be a reason to upgrade. Autodesk is in the same situation, they constantly need to upgrade to stay ahead of their own competition. An open source product could likely never keep-up with the innovation that Autodesk can produce due to a lack of resources (in the case of firefox there is only so much innovation you can do, with CAD software there is a LOT more innovation and cost involved).

So I don't criticize Autodesk for needing a good Revenue flow... but I do agree that in this situation it creates a definite hardship for most companies that would have not expect this scenario. I'm sure with more thought a solution will arise (hmmmmm....)

I don't think that's the thing most people have an issue with.

The big issue is that with the new licensing scheme, if I understand the very vague "clarification", is that the only people that are affected are

• People who are pirating the software
• Small companies with with no VPN hardware and very few (maybe just one) standalone seat(s)

Obviously, people who are pirating the software don't care what Autodesk does, and will ignore the "clarification". That means the only ones who are really affected are small companies attempting to use standalone licenses. Since companies this size are usually struggling to get established, the cost of an additional seat, or of getting a VPN up and running, are pretty heavy. So for small companies, where the one or two Autocad people spend many hours (both at home and at work) trying to make the company successful, this is hard to take.

Net result is the policy hurts small companies, without doing much else. The little guys are used to subsidize the big guys.

Does that about sum it up?

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

I really must be missing something here...

Autodesk Licensing

Have a good one, Mike

[Brian Myers]

First, lets see what applies.. in my next post (following this post to simplify reading) I further introduce greater evidence to this fact:

http://autocomment.typepad.com/

AutoCAD 2006 EULA


2.2.1 Standalone (Individual) Version. If Autodesk identifies the Software as a "Standalone Version" or as an "Individual Version" or if the User Documentation does not identify the Software by any of the version designations set forth in Sections 2.2.2 through 2.2.6, You may Install and Access one (1) copy of the Software on one (1) individual Computer, which may not be connected to a network in a manner that allows more than one (1) user to Access, upload, operate, view or otherwise create or use a copy of the Software. You may not Install or Access the Software other than on one (1) computer at a time.

3.1.2 Additional Installation. Except with regard to Educational Institutional, Student and Evaluation Versions only, You may Install and Access a second copy of the Software on the hard disk of a second Computer owned by You or under Your control provided that:
(i) the original and second copies are used only by the same person;
(ii) the second copy is Installed and Accessed only on either (a) with respect to Network Versions, a redundant server that makes the Software available for use only when Your primary server on which the active Software copy is Installed becomes inoperable, or (b) a notebook computer or other non-server computer away from Your usual work location for the purpose of enabling You to perform work while away from Your usual work location;
(iii) only one of the Software copies is Accessed at any one time; and
(iv) both copies of the Software are Installed and Accessed exclusively with the copy protection device (if any) supplied with the Software.

3.2.4 Hosting or Third Party Use. You may not Install or Access, or allow the Installation or Access of, the Software over the Internet, including, without limitation, use in connection with a Web hosting or similar service, or make the Software available to third parties via the Internet on Your computer system or otherwise.

[Brian Myers]

This information is on a PDF directly on Autodesk's website.. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THIS PDF IN ITS ENTIRETY:

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/file...g_Q_and_A0.pdf

1.4 I have a network license system at work that allows me to run Autodesk products while on the network. Am I allowed to run a copy of the products on my home computer, and how do I do this?

The Autodesk Software License Agreement permits an additional installation only on a computer that is owned or controlled by the licensee. This provision is intended to allow employees to work while away from their usual work location. It is not intended to allow employees to install a product on their personal computer over which the licensee has no control.

You have two options:

- Use the License Borrowing utility to check out a license from the network license server on a computer owned by the licensee. Your license is automatically returned to the license server at the end of the day on the return date you set when you borrowed the license. You can also return a license early.

- If you have a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection into your company, dial up and run the application remotely on a computer owned by the licensee. You do not have to borrow a license from the server.

______________________________

In short: it appears the only time AutoCAD could ever legally be installed on a computer not owned by the person that it is licensed to is if the INDIVIDUAL (not company) that owns the license of AutoCAD is using it on a machine under his control.

[Brian Myers]

That means the only ones who are really affected are small companies attempting to use standalone licenses.

I mostly agree with you, but as you can read in my posts above this does effect more than just companies with standalone licenses. Simply getting a license from a server isn't legal either unless it's on a computer owned by the licensee or you yourself are the licensee.

So access via PCAnywhere or company VPN is legal... so is use on a company computer.. but you may never remove a license from the "control" of the licensee (aka, off a machine the licensee personally owns or they themselves are using).

[Steve_Bennett]

I mostly agree with you, but as you can read in my posts above this does effect more than just companies with standalone licenses. Simply getting a license from a server isn't legal either unless it's on a computer owned by the licensee or you yourself are the licensee.

So access via PCAnywhere or company VPN is legal... so is use on a company computer.. but you may never remove a license from the "control" of the licensee (aka, off a machine the licensee personally owns or they themselves are using).

Well this sucks. I'm gonna love having to tell others about this.

[Brian Myers]

Well this sucks. I'm gonna love having to tell others about this.

Oddly, this will actually increase the number of illegal copies being used. Also, for companies that are serious about legal licenses, it will actually be cheaper to purchase for their employees top of the line laptop and/or desktop machines for home use than it would be to purchase a new seat of AutoCAD. This could spur a great increase in laptop machines w/docking stations the next time companies upgrade their systems..