Managing licenses
Helix ALM's flexible licensing model allows you to use the right mix of licenses for your company's specific needs. Product licenses are managed globally with the Helix ALM License Server, reducing license administration time.
Helix ALM products include floating and named licenses. Named licenses are best for users who log in frequently while floating licenses are best for users who log in occasionally.
Named licenses
A named license is dedicated to a specific user and allows the user to run the product from any place on the network. Named licenses cannot be shared. In addition, the Helix ALM License Server Admin Utility tries to automatically associate existing named license users with corresponding named licenses. For example, if you edit a 5-user named license and replace it with a 3-user named license, the license server admin utility tries to reassociate the remaining users with another named license.
Floating licenses
A floating license can be used by anyone on the network, up to the limit specified on the license server. The license server tracks the number of available floating licenses. When a user logs in, the corresponding total used floating license number increases by one. If more users than allowed by the floating license try to log in, they are denied access.
For Helix ALM licenses only, a maximum of five users can be assigned to one floating license at the same time. When a user logs in, a floating license is reserved for that user for 30 minutes, even if they log out during the 30-minute period. If the user logs out and then logs in again during the 30-minute period, they will still be able to use the floating license. These rules do not apply to Surround SCM licenses.
Note: Users with floating licenses use multiple licenses when logged in to a Helix ALM client application and a third-party application integrated with a Helix ALM product at the same time. Make sure users know to log out of clients and disconnect third-party applications from Helix ALM products when they finish working to make licenses available to other users.
Evaluating floating license usage
For a better understanding of floating license usage, administrators can view details about licenses currently in use, reserved licenses, and available licenses. See Viewing licenses in use. This information is also available in the license server support file. See Generating support diagnostic reports.
Administrators can also view the last time a user logged out of a Helix ALM product or the current date/time if the user is currently logged in. This can help determine if a user still needs a floating license or if it can be assigned to a different user. It can also help determine if a user can be inactivated on the license server.
The last activity information is displayed in the Global Users list and the View and Edit User
Helix ALM licenses
Helix ALM licensing includes separate licenses for issue management, requirements management, and test case management to provide users access to the features they need to work with. You can use a combination of area-specific licenses or a Helix ALM suite license to access all areas. Keep the following in mind:
- Helix ALM suite licenses provide access to issue management, requirements management (full license), and test case management. If a user is assigned a Helix ALM suite license and a license for a specific Helix ALM area, such as requirements management, is already assigned, the suite license is assigned instead of the other license. If the user is already assigned a Helix ALM suite license and an area-specific license is assigned, the suite license is unassigned and the user will not have access to any other areas except the specific one assigned, unless other licenses are also assigned. When a user with a floating Helix ALM suite license logs in, licenses for all Helix ALM areas are in use.
- Requirements Management full licenses provide access to all requirements management functionality. Reviewer licenses only provide read-only access to requirements and requirement documents in the Helix ALM web client and no access in the Helix ALM desktop client. Only one requirements management license type can be assigned to each user.
- Each Helix ALM license includes a license for the SOAP-based SDK, except for requirements reviewer licenses.
License duration
Evaluation, perpetual, or subscription licenses are available depending on the duration needed.
| License type | Use to: | Provides access to: | When they expire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluation | Try products for a trial period | A specific product version and technical support during evaluation period. | Licenses stop working and users can no longer use them to access products. |
| Perpetual | Make a one-time purchase with annual maintenance renewal for upgrades and technical support | A specific product version. Technical support and product upgrades are also available as long as maintenance is current. | Users can continue using the product version that licenses are associated with, but access to upgrades and technical support is no longer provided. |
| Subscription | Subscribe to products for a specific period of time determined at the time of purchase | A specific product version, technical support, and product upgrades as long as subscription term is current. | Licenses stop working and users can no longer use them to access products. |
Use the license server admin utility to track when maintenance, evaluation periods, or subscription terms expire. See Viewing license details. To continue using products after evaluation periods or subscription terms expire, or to upgrade products after maintenance for perpetual licenses expires, contact Perforce Sales to purchase new licenses or renewal extensions.
