COMSOL licensing is the set of terms under which COMSOL AB and its subsidiaries sell COMSOL Multiphysics, a general-purpose simulation platform, together with its add-on modules, the COMSOL Compiler add-on and the COMSOL Server deployment product.[4] All of these Programs are licensed, not sold, under one COMSOL Software License Agreement (SLA) that is delivered with each release. The current release described here is COMSOL Multiphysics 6.4.[1][4] COMSOL does not publish list prices. Customers obtain a quotation from COMSOL or an authorised distributor, and the quotation, purchase order or invoice identifies the licence type, the quantity, the Territory and whether the licence is perpetual or for a limited period.[1]
The licensing model is built from a small number of licence types that differ in who may use the software, on how many computers and from where. Four types are sold commercially and a further two are sold only to academic institutions. A commercial customer chooses among a named single user licence (NSL), a CPU-locked licence (CPU), a floating network licence (FNL) and, for hosting simulation applications, a COMSOL Server licence (CSL).[2] Degree-granting institutions can buy the NSL, CPU and FNL at Academic Prices and can also buy a class kit licence (CKL) and an academic server licence (ASL).[2][1] The SLA gives the precise rights for each type in section 2(h), and the licence file issued by COMSOL enforces them through a FlexNet licence manager where one is required.[1][5]
COMSOL’s 6.4 Installation Guide notes that no licence type restricts use to one operating system: an installation can run on Windows, macOS or Linux, and a model file saved on one platform opens on another.[3] All licence types allow multicore and multiprocessor shared-memory computing, so COMSOL does not count cores, sockets or processors.[3] That is the main difference from engineering-software vendors that price by core or token, and it moves the licensing question to users, computers, concurrent sessions and geography.
Editions
The product suite has five layers. COMSOL Multiphysics is the platform product and includes the Model Builder, the Application Builder and the Model Manager.[4] Add-on modules extend it for electromagnetics, structural mechanics and acoustics, fluid flow and heat transfer, chemical engineering and multipurpose functions. Interfacing products connect it to CAD and other third-party software.[4] COMSOL Compiler and COMSOL Server deploy applications that are built in the Application Builder.[4] Each layer is licensed as a separate line on the quotation but is enforced through the same licence file; see COMSOL modules and add-on products.
| Licence type | Abbreviation | Core use right | Sold to | Deeper article |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named Single User License | NSL | One named user on up to four computers, two at a time | Commercial and academic | Licence types |
| CPU-Locked License | CPU | One designated computer, one user at a time, no network or remote use | Commercial and academic | same |
| Floating Network License | FNL | Concurrent users on any machines in the Territory, with client-server and cluster use | Commercial and academic | same |
| Class Kit License | CKL | Up to 30 students and teachers per class | Academic only | same |
| COMSOL Server License | CSL | Hosts and runs Applications; four per concurrent user | Commercial | COMSOL Server and Compiler |
| Academic Server License | ASL | 300 concurrent users, four Applications each | Academic only | same |
The summary in this table comes from COMSOL’s licence options page and the SLA.[1][2] COMSOL’s web page states that the summary is provided for convenience and that the SLA controls.[2]
Metrics
COMSOL counts people and computers, not hardware capacity. The Named User is one person designated to COMSOL, who may install the Programs on up to four computers and run them on two at the same time.[1] The Designated computer is one physical computer on which a single licensed user at a time may work, who must be physically located at the machine.[1] The concurrent user under an FNL is any individual using the Programs at a given moment, up to the number purchased.[1]
In practice the licence manager counts “features”, which are the licence keys listed in the licence file. COMSOL Multiphysics, each add-on module and several system capabilities have their own feature names, such as COMSOL, COMSOLUSER, COMSOLGUI, ACDC or RF. Each COMSOL Desktop process checks out the COMSOL, COMSOLUSER and COMSOLGUI features, and using an add-on checks out that add-on’s feature.[6] The FlexNet licence feature is therefore the unit that an asset manager reads when reconciling usage. See COMSOL licence manager and licence files.
Counting / floors
The SLA contains no minimum order, floor or true-up clause in the retrieved text. The quantity is whatever the quotation, purchase order or invoice states: for an FNL or CSL, “the number of concurrent users set forth on our invoice or the purchase order we accept”.[1] Two academic types have fixed ceilings. A class kit is limited to 30 students and teachers per Program, and an academic server licence to 300 concurrent users, with the Institution responsible for the count.[1]
Several counting points matter when planning an estate. An NSL or CPU licence does not become concurrent: the Named User and the designated computer can each be replaced no more than twice a year.[1] A concurrent user of an FNL may run any number of sessions on a local computer.[2] Batch features are counted separately, and a concurrent user can run an unlimited number of distinct batch processes on one licence if the models differ only by parameter values.[6] Programs licensed under one licence type may not be run in integrated use with Programs licensed under another type, so an estate that mixes NSL and FNL add-ons needs each product on a matching base.[1]
Virtualization & partitioning
The SLA does not contain a virtualization, hard partitioning or host-count rule. The relevant restrictions concern remote access. An NSL can be reached through one encrypted remote connection but not in client-server mode or for cluster or cloud computing, and a CPU licence cannot be used over a network or remotely at all.[1] An FNL may be installed on “the server of a third party providing secure remote computing capacity”, and the licence manager may be installed there as well, but end users must stay within the Territory.[1] A licence manager can run on a laptop, workstation or server, and a single computer can be both licence server and client.[12]
Cloud / BYOL
COMSOL supports cloud and cluster computing for FNL and CSL licences on Windows and Linux.[2] The SLA lets the licensee install an FNL on a third-party provider’s server, which covers installing the Programs on a cloud provider’s server.[1] COMSOL’s installation guide states that COMSOL Multiphysics and COMSOL Server support cloud computing and points to COMSOL pages for Amazon EC2 and Microsoft Azure, which are not covered by the retrieved documents.[11] Maintenance and Support excludes cluster or cloud operating system installation, configuration and hardware support.[1]
Programs
- Maintenance and Support. Initial support lasts for twelve months or to the end of the term, renews at the then-current price, and is limited to the latest two released versions. A lapse may attract a restart fee.[1]
- Academic Prices. Institutions get separate provisions that restrict use to on-campus teaching and research and prohibit commercial work.[1]
- Territory. Fees are based on use in the country of delivery or the region on the invoice, and COMSOL may charge an additional fee for use elsewhere.[1]
- License borrowing. An FNL can be borrowed for offline use for up to one month by default.[9]
- Trial licences. A trial is for testing only and defaults to an NSL for the named user.[1]
- Product Updates. Free update downloads correct problems without new functionality and need no new licence file.[8]
Audits and compliance
The retrieved SLA does not include an audit, inspection or software-usage-verification clause. COMSOL reserves the right to “use various technologies to authenticate and validate your use of the Programs”.[1] Compliance duties that an asset manager should track include notifying COMSOL of third parties that use the Programs on the licensee’s behalf, not sharing login credentials, not automating licence check-out to circumvent licence management, and providing a sworn declaration within five business days after termination.[1] COMSOL may terminate for an uncured breach after 60 days, or 15 days for nonpayment, and at any time for unauthorised use or copying.[1]
Licence usage for FNL, CKL and COMSOL Server licences is visible to any user with checkout access, using the FlexNet utilities, and not just to the administrator.[13] The licence file is bound to a hostid, so moving the licence server needs a new file from COMSOL.[10]
Out of scope
- Prices and discounts, which COMSOL does not publish.
- Signed quotations, distributor terms and any negotiated amendments.
- Third-party software that COMSOL includes, which is licensed under its publisher’s terms listed in about.txt.[1]
- COMSOL’s example Applications and models, which carry their own notices; see COMSOL Software License Agreement.
- Litigation involving COMSOL: see The MathWorks v. COMSOL.
- Version history of the agreement. COMSOL publishes separate Software License Agreement versions for each release from 4.4 onward.[7]