Solution
NI Software Licenses allow you to download, install, activate and use NI software on multiple computers; however, considerations and features depends on type of contract agreement owned.
Policies for multiple computers vary based on the type of NI Software License Agreement you or your company has, being Single Seat Agreements or Multi-Seat Agreements. Further information on license and seat types can be found at Understanding Software Policies.
Single Seat Licenses
General Information:
- Only four migrations to other NI Online Account can be made per calendar year.
- Single-seat users can develop offline activation codes using Activation Code Generation maintaining limitations stated in following section.
- The usage of Single-seat licenses will depend on how activation was developed initially at NI License Manager, using one NI Account or via serial number.
The majority of single‑seat licenses are user‑based. Below are the key characteristics of these licenses when activating software on multiple computers:
- Maximum Number of Machines: 3
- Maximum Number of Users: 1
- Number of Simultaneous Usage: 1 computer at time
- Moving Software to Different Machine: deactivate NI software, uninstall NI software, and reinstall it on new aimed computer
- Transfer Licenses to Different User: contact NI following Transferring NI Software License
Multi-Seat Licenses
If you work for a company, or if you are a student at an institution that manages a license server and you are unsure of your licensing agreement type, you should contact your designated Software Administrator. They can confirm whether your organization uses a Volume License Agreement, Enterprise Agreement, or Academic Volume License, and provide the necessary information and license access if available.
General Information:
- Every Multi-Seat license is unique, the maximum number of machines that can have active NI software will depend on number of seats purchased and the seat type. Further information regarding seat types is located at Understanding Software Policies, under License Types section.
- For Multi-Seat Licenses, a Home License does not consume a license on the volume license server while Disconnected licenses consume a license on the volume license server. Further information about creating Home/Disconnected licenses at Related Links section.
- In order to develop home/disconnected licenses, the management tool needs to be NI Volume License Manager.
Shared Features among Multi-Seat Agreements (VLA-EA-AVL):
Below information is intended for Multi-Seat License Administrators. If you are an end-user aiming to activate software, review next section Specific Considerations for each Multi-Seat Agreement (VLA-EA-AVL).
Not Concurrent
- Maximum Number of Software:
- Users: This license follows the same guidelines as single‑seat user‑based licenses; however, the number of users must not exceed the number of user‑based seats purchased.
- Computers: These licenses are limited to one machine, with an unlimited number of users per machine. The number of installations must not exceed the number of computer‑based seats purchased.
- Number of Simultaneous Usage: Bound to same guideline stated at Single Seat Licenses section. Refer to your contract agreement to know if using computer-based or user-based types.
- Moving Software to Different Machine: Bound to same guideline stated at Single Seat Licenses section. Refer to your contract agreement to know if using computer-based or user-based types.
- Transferring a License to a Different User: To change and manage license permissions to end-users, software administrators may follow Getting Started with NI VLM: Adding Client Permissions - NI.
Concurrent
- Maximum Number of Machines: Undefined.
- Maximum Number of Users: Undefined.
- Number of Simultaneous Usage: Active and running instances cannot exceed number of concurrent seats purchased.
- Moving Software to a Different Machine: Install software on new computer, maintaining above specification for simultaneous usage.
- Transferring a License to a Different User: Concurrent use licenses are not transferrable.
- Home License Exception: Currently there is no home usage for a concurrent-based license.
Specific Considerations for each Multi-Seat Agreement (VLA-EA-AVL):
VLA – Volume License Agreement
Volume License Agreements offer flexible activation using NI License Manager or a centralized tool as NI Volume License Manager. To activate software, refer to Activate NI Software as Part of a Volume License Agreement - NI
EA – Enterprise Agreement
To activate software, Enterprise Agreements are required to activate through a Volume License Server. If you are an active end-user refer to Enterprise Agreement (EA) End User Resources - NI for activation and other resources.
Further information regarding administrator tools at Enterprise Agreement (EA) Administrator Resources - NI.
AVL – Academic Volume License
Following information is for Academic Volume License Administrators. If you are one AVL student-user and would like to activate software, refer to Activating NI Software as a Student Through an Academic License - NI.
Further information regarding administrator tools at Academic Volume License Administrator Resources - NI.
Home licenses are not available for Student options as they rely on concurrent-unmanaged type licenses.