MathWorks cloud, MATLAB Online and Parallel Server licensing covers how MathWorks licences apply outside a single desktop: on public cloud virtual machines, in containers, in the browser, on compute clusters and in deployed applications. MathWorks states that eligible licensed users can run certain products on public clouds such as Azure and AWS. Some products can also be packaged in containers, with eligibility and configuration depending on the licence type.[1] Cluster computing is licensed separately through MATLAB Parallel Server, which is licensed by the number of MATLAB computational engines (workers) running at the same time.[4]
Editions
| Product or environment | Licence condition (MathWorks) |
|---|---|
| MATLAB Online (full) | A qualifying licence current on Software Maintenance Service[1][3] |
| MATLAB Online (basic) | Free with a MathWorks Account; 20 hours per calendar month, 10 products[3] |
| MATLAB on public clouds, in containers, Cloud Center, Jupyter | Campus-Wide, Individual, Network Named User or Concurrent licence, linked to a MathWorks Account and configured for cloud use[1] |
| MATLAB Parallel Server | Licence hosted on the organisation’s network license manager, or cloud-based online licensing[1] |
| MATLAB Production Server, MATLAB Web App Server on public clouds | Concurrent licence configured with a network license manager on the virtual network[1] |
| Applications built with MATLAB Compiler | End users run them royalty-free on MATLAB Runtime[7] |
Metrics
MATLAB Parallel Server workers
MATLAB Parallel Server “is licensed based on the number of MATLAB computational engines running simultaneously”. Each engine it launches checks a worker out from the licence.[4] A per-user ceiling applies under term licensing. Once a user has 200 workers checked out, that user can run more engines at the same time without checking out more workers. The licence should be sized for all simultaneous users.[4] MathWorks gives worked examples:[4]
| Scenario | Workers needed |
|---|---|
| 3 simultaneous users, 100 engines each | 100 × 3 = 300 |
| User A runs 5,000 engines, user B runs 100 | 200 × 1 + 100 = 300 |
| 2 users run 4,000 engines each, 4 users run 80 each | 200 × 2 + 80 × 4 = 720 |
Under on-demand licensing, sold per worker per hour, no licence size is fixed in advance. Every engine checks out a worker, however many the user already holds.[4][5] Catalog: MATLAB Parallel Server is licensed per simultaneous worker.
No MATLAB licences on the cluster. All cluster-side licensing is handled by MATLAB Parallel Server. The user’s desktop licence profile is enabled on the cluster dynamically, so MATLAB and toolbox licences are not needed for the cluster nodes.[6] Catalog: No separate MATLAB licences needed on the cluster.
Concurrent licences for server products
MATLAB Production Server and MATLAB Web App Server on public clouds need a Concurrent licence that uses a network license manager on the virtual network. Deployments include a license manager by default, or an existing one can be used. Customers without an eligible MATLAB Production Server licence can use its pay-as-you-go offerings on Azure or AWS.[1] MATLAB Compiler includes a development version of MATLAB Web App Server for hosting web apps on a trusted intranet.[7] Catalog: MATLAB Production Server and Web App Server on cloud need Concurrent licences.
Counting / floors
Cloud prerequisites. To run MATLAB on a public cloud, a licence must be linked to a MathWorks Account and configured for cloud use. Campus-Wide and Individual licences are configured for cloud use already. For Network Named User and Concurrent licences, the license administrator may need to change the license server.[1] Catalog: MATLAB on public clouds and containers: eligible licence types.
Static MAC addresses. MathWorks warns that a virtual machine without a static MAC address may get a new one when it restarts. The new address counts toward the maximum number of machines the licence permits, which can push the licence over its limit. It gives the fix for Azure, AWS (an Elastic Network Interface) and Google Cloud (a static internal IP address).[1] Catalog: Cloud VMs need a static MAC address.
Containers. A container licence must be valid for every MathWorks product in the container. With Concurrent licences the container is pointed at the license manager by port and DNS address.[1] Catalog: Containers: licence must cover every product in the image.
MATLAB Online. Eligible licensed users can use MATLAB Online without extra configuration, but the licence must be current on Software Maintenance Service.[1] The full version is available with many licence types current on SMS, among them Campus-Wide, Academic Teaching, Standard Individual, Startups, Home and Student. Users without such a licence fall back to the basic version.[3] The basic version gives 20 hours per calendar month, resetting at midnight UTC on the first day of the month, and 10 commonly used products. It has a 15-minute continuous compute limit and a 15-minute idle timeout, against 90 and 60 minutes in the full version.[3] MATLAB Online does not support packaging with MATLAB Compiler or MATLAB Compiler SDK.[9] Catalog: Full MATLAB Online requires a qualifying licence current on SMS; MATLAB Online (basic).
Virtualization & partitioning
Before deploying MATLAB in a virtual machine or VDI, MathWorks tells customers to check that their licence offering in the Program Offering Guide permits virtual machines or environments, and to confirm the environment meets the system requirements.[10] MathWorks publishes Docker images, Amazon machine images and Azure virtual machines as reference architectures.[10] Catalog: Check the licence offering before virtualising MATLAB.
Cloud / BYOL
Bringing a network licence. Administrators can connect cloud MATLAB to an on-premises license manager, or run the license manager on a cloud virtual machine using MathWorks reference architectures for AWS and Azure. Campus-Wide licences can use online licensing as they are.[2]
Online licensing for MATLAB Parallel Server. Online licensing is cloud-based and replaces the network license manager. Users link their MathWorks Account to the licence, and every cluster node must be able to reach MathWorks license servers. Users can then bring their own licence to any accessible cluster configured for online licensing. No license manager is needed, new releases work without a new licence file, and term, perpetual and on-demand licences are supported.[5] Standard and academic term licences can be switched between the network license manager and online licensing through Support.[5] Catalog: Online licensing for MATLAB Parallel Server needs linked accounts.
MATLAB Runtime. Applications and components built with MATLAB Compiler or Simulink Compiler run on MATLAB Runtime, a standalone set of shared libraries. MATLAB Runtime can be downloaded freely without a MATLAB licence. Its version is tied to the MATLAB release that built the application.[8] End users run the applications royalty-free.[7] Discovery tools that find MATLAB Runtime on end-user computers should not count it as a MATLAB installation. Catalog: Compiled applications run royalty-free on MATLAB Runtime.
Programs
Software Maintenance Service includes online offerings such as MATLAB Online, MATLAB Drive and MATLAB Mobile.[11] If SMS lapses, full MATLAB Online access ends even on a perpetual licence. The perpetual desktop rights continue.
Out of scope
This page does not cover third-party cloud marketplace charges, the pricing of pay-as-you-go offerings, or hosting-provider programmes, because MathWorks does not publish their licence terms on the pages cited.