Carlson Software Knowledge Base

Cloud based Network License Manager

Starting with Carlson 2024 the same network serial number that works with on-premises license manager can be configured to be provisioned in the cloud by contacting the Carlson representative. For Embedded AutoCAD products, the cloud option is now available starting with the recent builds of Survey 2025 Embedded and Takeoff R13. Please make sure you are running the latest build available. When this option is enabled, the software will check the cloud license manager first and ignore the on-premises license manager used previously. Similarly, upon request, the provisioning can be removed to revert to the in-house model. Other features are treated the same as on premise functionality.

Pros:

• No need for locally run network license manager and therefore no license request/loading step. No downtime when server goes down or needs to be replaces
• Multiple sites can use the same license pool
• Remote users do not need VPN just to access the license manager
• No need to commute the license when going off-site
  

Cons:

• Internet connection is required
  
• Licenses CANNOT be commuted at this time
  

Classic On-Premises Network License Manager

Carlson Software's license management software (Sentinel RMS, found in Carlson Knowledge Base Article #55) coordinates the use of a licensed application by multiple users and computers. This license manager usually runs on a computer that is located on the same subnet as any computer which will be running one of our programs.^†

The license management software, on the server, reads the license file to identify the valid uses of a single application or feature. There may be multiple licenses in a single license file. The computers that run the Carlson Software programs are called "clients."

When a licensed application is run on the client, a request for a license is sent across the network to the license server. The license server, then, grants the request, if possible, and returns an authorization message back to the client.

^† Note: A license server program need not run on a file server system or any specific hardware server. Any computer that meets the requirements is acceptable.

Troubleshooting

For troubleshooting, please refer to Knowledge Base Article 211.