TUFLOW Licensing
Introduction
A TUFLOW dongle or TUFLOW software licence is required to run TUFLOW, but is not required when using third party software such as a GIS, text editor or SMS.
As of 2010, two brands of dongles are available from BMT, and several third-party dongles are supported that are licensed and maintained by on-sellers of TUFLOW. For the latter, please refer to the vendor’s documentation for setting up the dongle.
BMT WBM dongles are either:
WIBU Dongles
WIBU Codemeter dongles were introduced in 2010 and support 64-bit platforms. The computer or server that the licence dongle is plugged into becomes the licence host. With network type licence any computer within the organisation can pull licences from the licence host over the network. Wibu dongles have several advantages over the Softlok dongles:
- Support for 64-bit platforms and future options for non-Windows platforms;
- Network licence manager runs as a service (ie. the computer with the network dongle needs to be on, but no one needs to be logged in);
- Much more flexible licensing options (for example, it is now possible to have a Network 10 TUFLOW licence with a Network 5 Multiple 2D Domains Module licence – with the SoftLok dongles a Network 10 Multiple 2D Domains Module would have to have been purchased);
- Multiple WIBU dongles (local and/or network licensed) are accessible together (ie. if all licences from one dongle are taken, licences from other dongles are automatically checked and taken);
- No network ghost licences (thus far!); and
- No need for TUFLOW to control limiting of local licences (TUFLOW’s run key is not used if the number of CPUs/cores exceeds the local licence limit).
Note, for the 2009-07, 2008-08, 2007-07 and 2006-06 releases, the “DB” builds or later will need to be used to recognise a WIBU Codemeter dongle.
For further information and installation instructions, refer to the dedicated Wiki page here.
Softlok Dongles
Softlok dongles are no longer issued as of August 2010 as they are unable to provide 64-bit support, however the dongles continue to be supported for 32-bit versions of TUFLOW. Softlok dongles may be exchanged for a WIBU dongle for a nominal fee. Please contact sales@tuflow.com. For further information and installation instructions, refer to the dedicated Wiki page here.
Software Licence
Software licence is recognised by the 2017 Release onwards and provided in a form of a digital file. The computer or server where the software licence is installed on becomes the licence host from which any computer within the organisation can pull licences from. The software licence is more restrictive compared to the dongle licence in that it is locked to a single computer.