Workgroup License Manager (The Zoo)

Manage assignment of Rhino licenses among members of a workgroup.

Related topics…

To script the installation process and allow more efficient use of Rhino licenses, network administrators now have the option of installing Rhino as a workgroup node. Workgroup nodes obtain license keys at run time from the Zoo, unlike standalone Rhino, which requires that a license key be entered on each system.

When a Rhino workgroup node starts, a request for a license key is sent to the Zoo. If the number of available keys has not been exceeded, the Zoo assigns a key to the workstation, and the number of available licenses is reduced by one. When a node shuts down, the license is added back to the available license pool.

The Zoo will run on any system in a network workgroup. All of the nodes must be in the same workgroup. The Zoo uses an inter-process communications mechanism that is used by several Windows networking services. Thus, the Zoo should operate reliably in both Microsoft Workgroup and Domain networking environments. For details on setting up a workgroup, contact your network administrator.

The Zoo can be downloaded free of charge.

Features include:

• No special version of Rhino is needed.

• No special hardware is needed.

• Commercial versions of Rhino will work either as a standalone license or as a network node. This is an installation option.

• Standalone licenses can easily be converted to network nodes and back.

• All the nodes will keep working even if the network connection or server is down, but no new ones can start up without access to the Zoo.

• The Zoo will run on any system in the workgroup.

• Very little administration is required. The license keys are typed into the Zoo instead of on individual systems.

• A workgroup can have a mix of nodes and standalone licenses.

• Rhino licenses can be checked out so laptop users can disconnect from the network. The license can be checked in again when the laptop is reconnected to the network.

CheckOutLicense

Checks a license out from the workgroup license manager (Zoo).

When you run the CheckOutLicense command, the Rhino license converts to a standalone node from a workgroup node. You can then remove your computer from the network and continue to run Rhino.

The CheckOutLicense command allows users to check out a license from the license manager. This converts their workgroup node to a standalone node. The user can then run Rhino without being connected to the network.

When reconnect to the network, they must run the CheckInLicense command to check their keys back into the Zoo.

CheckInLicense

Checks in a license to the workgroup license manager.

When you run the CheckInLicense command, the Rhino license converts a workgroup node from a standalone node, and the license checks into the workgroup license manager (Zoo).