NLM vs seat license : ROI

[hmer]

Did somebody already make a kind of mini-study allowing to know roughly from how many licenses it is preferable to use NLM rather than a management by station ?

I know that the first reply is "it depends" and that a precise answer requires to take into account several parameters: use of the current licenses, availability of a server or not (to support more than ten connections), type of users, geographical distribution and so on ...
That's much more a feeling, or a return from experienced users that I want to have.

Except if Autodesk has a small tool making it possible to calculate the number of licenses to be have using NLM starting from some simple questions (a kind of abacus).

[TravisNave]

"It depends" - ha.

Use simple math. If you have one user that will use it 100% of the time, then you need one stand-alone license. Two users using 100% of the time, then you should get two stand-alone licenses.

If you have two users each using it 50% of the time, then you only need 1 network license. All you need to do is find out how many licenses 100% of the users will need. Make an Excel spreadsheet if you have to.

If one user needs to use it 50% of the time, one user needs it 100% of the time, and another user needs it 25% of the time, still another needs it 25% of the time, and yet another needs it 75% of the time... that would mean you could get by with 3 network licenses even though you have 5 users. However if three users are tying up the licenses and for some reason that 100% user can't get a license, you are gonna have major problems. Therefore, you'd want to get that one user his own stand-alone license.

I am sure somebody here has worked out their ultimate cost efficient seat calculator...

[hmer]

Thanks Travis,

That's one of the parameters, but I think there can be many others. Like sometimes the additional cost of a server when you have only workstations and, BTW only 10 simultaneous possible connections with the licenses manager. There can be also hidden costs as the management of the license manager, etc ...

That's why I would be able to have the maximum of these parameters in view before suggesting an architecture to my client, which has several geographic localizations.

[TravisNave]

The 10 connection limit is only for Workstation versions of Windows. The Server versions do not have this limitation.

[Anonymous]

TravisNave wrote:
> Use simple math.

There are some intangible variables. For me, the simplicity of network
license management important. Having all of the licenses in one place
rather than having to worry about activations, etc, is worth its weight
in gold.

OK, so it doesn't have any weight, but you get the idea. The multi-seat
standalone capabilities have helped this a bit, but I still prefer
network licensing.

Jason

[hmer]

That's what I wanted to say ... Sorry if it wasn't clear enough.

[hmer]

Thanks Jason.

[Anonymous]

I would like to hear opinions on this as well. If someone has a calculator or formula to figure this out, I'd love to see it.

We have 23 licenses being served by one license server. On any given day, I see about 14 - 18 licenses being used. This has been the case ever since I started using the TIMEOUT feature in FlexLM. Before that, no one ever closed AutoCAD for fear of not being able to obtain a license again.

That being said, we are growing and I'd like to have some guidance on when to start looking at more licenses. I don't want to spend money for the sake of spending it, but I don't want to get caught short handed again either.

Thanks for any help/advice anyone can give,
Greg

[Anonymous]

One way is to see the trend of usage by time using for example JTB
FlexReport.
You can also look at the peaks and see if they are regular or just at some
times during the day.
You can drill down and see what users where using licenses during that peak
and so on.

--
Best Regards, Jimmy Bergmark
CAD and Database Developer Manager at www.pharmadule-emtunga.com
Blog: http://jtbworld.blogspot.com
JTB FlexReport (FLEXnet / FLEXlm report tool) -
http://www.jtbworld.com/jtbflexreport
SmartPurger (Purges automatically) - http://www.jtbworld.com/smartpurger.htm
or download some freeware at http://www.jtbworld.com
More on AutoCAD 2006 and 2007
http://www.jtbworld.com/autocad2006.htm
http://www.jtbworld.com/autocad2007.htm


wrote in message news:5176486@discussion.autodesk.com...
I would like to hear opinions on this as well. If someone has a calculator
or formula to figure this out, I'd love to see it.

We have 23 licenses being served by one license server. On any given day, I
see about 14 - 18 licenses being used. This has been the case ever since I
started using the TIMEOUT feature in FlexLM. Before that, no one ever
closed AutoCAD for fear of not being able to obtain a license again.

That being said, we are growing and I'd like to have some guidance on when
to start looking at more licenses. I don't want to spend money for the sake
of spending it, but I don't want to get caught short handed again either.

Thanks for any help/advice anyone can give,
Greg