Using the Floating License Server with the Client SDK:

Distributing Software applications that run on closed networks presents itself with many challenges. Node Locking on virtual machines, and activating licenses intended for use on devices with stringent security requirements, often without internet access can pose significant challenges for deployment. LicenseSpring offers a floating license server which can be installed and configured on your customer's sites, even if the client application is running on a machine that does not have internet access. This guide will explain some of the particularities of using the C++ client SDK to register and deregister from a floating server on a private network. 

As a reminder, we offer both a floating server for private networks, as well as a cloud floating license. The client SDK will work in a very similar way in both scenarios. For information regarding registering, deregistering, timing out, and borrowing licenses with a cloud floating license please read our C++ Tutorial for Setting up concurrency with Floating Cloud.

Why do software vendors choose to deploy a Floating Server instead of using LicenseSpring's Cloud Floating licenses?

In the floating cloud scenario, the client application connects to LicenseSpring's servers directly, so there is no on-prem server to install and to manage. This also means that the cloud floating license is simply not suitable for all situations. There are a few particularities to be aware of when working with the floating license server:

• License entitlements are stores on the server-on site: A License is issued with the entitlements used to configure the License server, instead of individual computers. Once the license server is activated, none of the computers need to communicate with an outside system. They can even be activated offline.
• High Availability setup: Floating servers can be configured to be redundant and you can configure any number of them on the network. The only prerequisite is that they can connect to each other.
• Offline and Air gapped capabilities for floating licenses: If client facility network loses internet access, floating licensing capability remains
• Lower latency on a private network: Floating servers are local to the end-user computers, ensuring low latency and reliability
• Multiple deployment options: LicenseSpring supports multiple deployment options, including Docker, Kubernetes, and native binaries, which are all listed here

Floating Server Requirements:

• There can be any number of redundant floating servers running on the private network. They must be able to communicate with each other
• Floating server(s) need internet access, at least initially (to activate the licenses) and periodically to sync with central server

Last Updated: September 19, 2022