12d Model requires access to a ‘dongle’ in order to run.
Most users have a ‘standalone’ dongle attached to a USB port in their computer.
Standalone dongles are available in full size USB, mini USB, and micro SD Card
Since 2015 12d Solutions has shipped ‘Codemeter’ dongles with new licenses of 12d Model
If your dongle number starts with 5c2d47 (or is too small to read) then you have a codemeter dongle
If your dongle number starts with 572d47 then you have a WIBU dongle
The alternative to a standalone dongle is to use a ‘network’ dongle
A typical arrangement is to have the network dongle attached to a server, and for the 12d Model user machines to ‘point’ to the dongle on the server
This provides a secure location for the dongle, and a machine with a fixed I.P. address
If a server (or other suitable machine) is not available then a ‘USB Anywhere’ device can be used to provide a USB port
As of mid 2023 12d Solutions began offering ‘Internet Hosted Licenses’.
In simple terms, the Internet Hosted License is exactly like a Network License except that it uses the internet to get access to the license.
And there is a lot less effort for you to maintain the license server and network dongle.
Network Dongle / Internet Hosted License
- 12d Model is available to any user on the network, including the wide area network
The dongle is ‘burned’ with the number of license that you have purchased - Authorisation of 12d Model relies on the network (or internet) being up
- Each project that is opened takes one license from the network dongle / internet hosted license – even if the projects are opened on the same computer.
- All copies of 12d Model licensed by the network dongle /internet hosted license must be the same configuration.
This is because the network dongle / hosted license only allows 12d Model to start, it cannot control what modules are available on a license. - The physical dongle can be burned with additional ‘virtual’ dongles.
12d Model can be configured so that the user chooses the capability that they need for the project, and the relevant dongle is used.
Standalone Dongle
- 12d Model will only run on the machine with the dongle.
- Authorisation of 12d Model is independent of the network or internet
- You can open as many different 12d Model projects as you like on the machine with the dongle
Network licensing using a network dongle provides a safe and flexible way for all of your staff to use 12d Model. The ONLY downsides are the need for all licenses to be configured the same, and that one user can take many licenses.
Set out below are commonly asked questions and answers:
Can I monitor who is using the network dongle, and ‘kick them off’?
Yes. A Web Admin panel is available that will tell you how many licenses you have, how many are being used, and how many are free.
It will also tell you the computers name, the I.P. address, and the user name that was used to login to Windows on that computer.
And Yes, you can kick a user off.
What happens if more users try to use 12d Model than we have licenses?
Once all of the licenses have been user, the next and subsequent user who tries to open 12d Model will get an ‘Error Authorising 12d Model’ message.
What can I do if I have different configurations of 12d Model on different licenses
The physical USB device (network dongle) can have more than one ‘dongle number’ burned into it.
We help you to give these dongles sensible names (eg ‘Designer’ and ‘Drainage Designer’) and your staff choose which dongle to use when they start 12d Model.
When 12d Model starts it remembers which dongle was last used, and will automatically use that dongle again (unless the operator chosses a different one)
I have many staff working from home. Can they access the network dongle / internet hosted license?
Yes. If you have a VPN, then the remote computer can access the network dongle through the VPN.
The network dongle can also be accessed via the internet, this involves setting a port forwarding rule on your router. Many organisations have done this, but suggesting it to your I.T. Department may make them unhappy and they may say ‘No’.
How much does the Network Dongle cost?
The licenses of 12d Model that access the network dongle are the same cost as a license that usesd a ‘standalone’ dongle.
There is a one-off fee for supplying and configuring the network dongle, depending on the configuration this is usually less than AUD1,000
There is an ongoing (annual) fee for 12d Solutions Internet Hosted licenses. This depends on the number of different configurations you have and how many licenses you have.
I have staff in an overseas office that are on a different time zone. Can they use the network dongle / internet hosted license while my staff in Australia are not at work?
Yes they can. There are no geograpical or timezone restriction on using the network dongle / internet hosted license.
My office has moved all data into the cloud, we don’t have a server any more.
What can I do?
You have a couple of options:
-
- Set up a old tired computer in the office to act as a license server, and use that.
- Buy an ‘Anywhere USB’ device and use that.
- Use 12d Solutions ‘Internet Hosted Licensing’.
Do we have to use a Network Dongle. Can’t you give us an internet hosted license?
Yes , 12d Solutions can provide internet hosted licensing.
All of the benefits that you get from using a network dongle are available, but you don’t have the administration of the server and the dongle to worry about.
There is an annual cost for 12d Solutions to provide the internet hosted licensing.
And you still need to buy the 12d Model license. All that changes is that you don’t need to have a USB device in your machine.
Does 12d Model cost more if it is licensed to a network dongle or internet hosted license?
No. The cost of the 12d Model license does not change.
There is a one off cost for configuration and supply of the network dongle (see above) but the cost of the 12d Model license is the same.
Internet based licensing has a recurring annual cost.
How long does it take to set up and configure a network dongle or internet hosted license?
This depends on how complex your network is, and how good your I.T. support is.
Typical setup time is less than an hour (sometimes less than half an hour).
Some installations have taken 3 or 4 hours.
Can I move my existing standalone licenses to a network dongle or internet hosted license?
Yes you can.
The proceedure is to setup, configure and test the network dongle or internet hosted license.
When everyone is confident that it is working reliably the standalone dongles are sent back to 12d Solutions.
Sorry, you cannot keep the standalone dongle ‘just in case’.
Is there any way that I can stop my users from opening two or more 12d Model projects at the same time?
No.
These bad people will be taking multiple licenses from the network dongle/ internet hosted license pool and may stop other operators from being able to use 12d Model.