Licensing Getting Started

According to the terms of your CM Labs contract, you are entitled to one or more products.

CM Labs will create one or more activation keys corresponding to the purchased products.

An activation key is a 16-digit code and is used to generate of one or more license files for the computer(s) that will run Vortex Studio applications.

The Vortex Studio License Manager application lets you generate license files using the activation keys provided by CM Labs, you don't need to contact support to generate license files once you have an activation key.

Vortex Studio licenses are independent of the Vortex Studio version. A Vortex Studio license allows users to run any version released (or to be released) before the maintenance and support Expiration Date.

Products are complementary, i.e. each license file unblocks a product.

See Using the License Manager Application.

You must have a computer with an internet connection to be able to generate license files using your activation key(s).

Terminology

Activation Key: An activation key is a 16-digit code used to generate one or more license files
Activation Server: Server that users connect to in order to generate a license file using an activation key. The RLM activation server is reached via the internet. The activation server URL is http://hostedactivation.com/cmlabs.
License file: A file created as the result of generating a license.
License Server: A centralized computer software system that allows client computers to enable licensed software to run on them.
License Folder: Location of the generated license file, typically C:/CM Labs/Licenses folder on Windows or /opt/cmlabs/licenses/ on Linux.
Activation Key Expiry Date: The date by which the activation key can no longer be used to generate a new license.
License Expiry Date, or Expiration Date: The date when the license expires. After this date, you will not be able to use the product until you generate a new license file.
Maintenance and Support Expiration Date: The date that the Maintenance and Support services associated with your license stop. After this date, you cannot receive support nor update to a new version of Vortex Studio software.
Maximum fulfillments: The number of times the activation key can be used to generate a license. For a floating license, all the fulfillments will be consumed and converted into seats on a license server.

Types of Licensing

Four types of licenses are available depending on the products you purchased.

Node-Locked Licensing

Node-locked license files are bound to one hardware device and cannot be transferred.

Any number of application instances are allowed to execute on the same computer.

See Generating Node-Locked License Files.

Floating Licensing

Floating licensing is hosted on license servers.

The application using a floating license must connect to the license server, a request is sent to the server.

If a license is available, the license server allows the application to run.

When the application ends using the license, the license is reclaimed by the license server and made available to other authorized users.

Floating licensing enforces a maximum number of computers that can use the product at the same time.

See License Server Setup.

See Generating Floating License Files.

Application-Locked Licensing

This type of licensing is not needed anymore.

Compatibility Notice

An academic License is not offered anymore. The previously provided Academic licenses will still be functional until expiration.

Prior to 2022.8, content saved in Vortex Studio Academic cannot be opened with commercial Vortex Studio licenses such as Create or Activate.

Vortex Studio 2022.8 and above can open content saved with an Academic license.

How to Use your Activation Key

The following licenses have been removed and integrated in existing licenses, Create and Activate :

Vortex Studio Create Simulator Add-on – Subscription Node Locked
Vortex Studio Embed Add-on - Permanent Application Locked

The following licenses have been renamed:

Vortex Studio One Simulator Node - Permanent Node-Locked renamed to Vortex Studio One Activate Node - Permanent Node-Locked
Vortex Studio Unlimited Simulator Node - Permanent Node-Locked renamed to Vortex Studio Unlimited Activate Node - Permanent Node-Locked

How to Use your Activation Key for Vortex Studio Create

Academic License is not offered anymore. The previously provided Academic licenses will still be functional until expiration.

License	Description	How To
Vortex Studio Create – Subscription Node Locked	Provides generation of one node-locked license file valid for 1 year.	Generating Node-Locked License Files
Vortex Studio Create - Subscription Floating	Provides generation of one floating license file valid for 1 year on a license server.	Generating Floating License Files Connecting Computers to a License Server
Vortex Studio Academic – Subscription Node Locked (legacy support)	Provides generation of one node-locked license file valid for 1 year.	Generating Node-Locked License Files
Vortex Studio Demonstration – Time Limited Node Locked	Provides generation of one node-locked license file valid with a limited time for demonstration purposes.	Generating Node-Locked License Files

How to Use your Activation Key for Vortex Studio Activate

License	Description	How To
Vortex Studio Activate Five Nodes – Subscription Node-Locked	Provides generation of five node-locked license files valid for 1 year.	Generating Node-Locked License Files for a Simulator
Vortex Studio Activate One Node – Subscription Node-Locked	Provides generation of one node-locked license files valid for 1 year.	Generating Node-Locked License Files for a Simulator
Vortex Studio One Activate Node - Permanent Node-Locked	Provides generation of one node-locked license files valid permanently.	Generating Node-Locked License Files for a Simulator
Vortex Studio Activate Five Nodes – Subscription Floating	Provides generation of five floating license files valid for 1 year on a license server.	Generating Floating License Files Connecting Simulator Computers to a License Server
Vortex Studio Activate One Node – Subscription Floating	Provides generation of one floating license file valid for 1 year on a license server.	Generating Floating License Files Connecting Simulator Computers to a License Server
Vortex Studio Unlimited Activate Node - Permanent Node-Locked	Provides generation of an unlimited number of node-locked license files valid permanently.	Generating Node-Locked License Files for a Simulator

Licensing Getting Started

Terminology

Types of Licensing

Node-Locked Licensing

Floating Licensing

Application-Locked Licensing

Compatibility Notice

How to Use your Activation Key

How to Use your Activation Key for Vortex Studio Create

How to Use your Activation Key for Vortex Studio Activate

Using the License Manager Application

Generating Node-Locked License Files

License Server Setup

Generating Floating License Files

Troubleshooting Licenses

Custom Licensing

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