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1.5. Step 2b: Set Options—Borrowing

Disponible en español: Paso 2b: Configuración de Opciones – Préstamos de Licencias

Applies to:
Palisade Server Manager 6.x/7.x/8.x with Concurrent Networks only. For Palisade Server Manager 8.6.1 onward, determine if you need to use the Licenses or the Legacy Licenses tab see Licenses tab vs Legacy Licenses tab for more information.

Can end users borrow a network license for use off network?

You may wish to let end users borrow a license for use while not connected to your network. If you allow borrowing, you will also specify the maximum number of days allowed, up to 366.

At the time of borrowing, the user specifies a number of days to borrow the license, subject to the maximum that you set on this screen. For end-user instructions, see Borrowing a Concurrent Network License for Use Off Network. A borrowed license is deducted from the available pool on the server during the borrowing period.

When the underlying Concurrent Network license is the certificate type, a borrowed license can be used only by the user who borrowed it. When the underlying license is the activatable type, a borrowed license can be used by any user on that computer. (See Server Step 3 for the certificate and activatable license types.)

At the end of the borrowing period, the license is automatically returned to the server pool, even if the user is still off network. In Server Manager, click Status to view the count of available licenses.

A user who returns to the office earlier than expected can return the borrowed license early by following instructions in the article mentioned above.

What should I consider before making that option available?

Some things to think about before you enable borrowing, or when you set a maximum period:

A borrowed license is monopolized by that user. Even when the borrower isn’t using it, the license is unavailable to everyone else. (Only the client software can do an early return; there is no way for the server to “force-return” a borrowed license.)
If any licenses are borrowed, you can’t deactivate the Concurrent Network license. If you allow a long borrowing period, you may have to wait for that length of time to change servers or upgrade to a new major version of the software.
Borrowing might not even be needed in your organization. If all licensed users are on desktop computers, for instance in a training session or a computer lab, they are always on network and have no need for borrowing. Similarly, if remote users can access your server through a VPN, they are on network and will not need borrowing.

Borrowing will not work if you have the end-user applications installed on a server, or any other environment where end users log in remotely to use the software. The borrow operation will seem to succeed, but in fact it will simply lock up the license till the end of the borrowing period.

How do I enable the borrowing option?

In Server Manager, click Options, and in the bottom section select Allowed. For the reasons given above, most administrators set a maximum of 7 or 14 days.

You can change the borrowing options at any time. The change will apply to future borrowing, but will not affect any currently borrowed licenses.

Borrowing doesn't apply to the Enterprise Network, because every Enterprise client is activated once and then has no more need to communicate with your server.

Last edited: 2020-07-06

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