Minitab multi-user licensing is the concurrent-use model for Minitab’s desktop products. The client software is installed on workstations, and a server program, Minitab License Manager, checks each start against the number of seats bought.[1] It applies to Minitab Statistical Software, Minitab Workspace and Minitab Simul8, and to add-on modules such as Predictive Analytics.[3] Minitab’s support policy describes the License Manager as “utilized in legacy multi-user installations”. It lists versions 2.1 and 2.2 as supported, compatible with Minitab 20 to 22 and Workspace 1.x.[7] New Minitab Solution Center purchases are named user subscriptions managed in the Minitab License Portal, covered in Minitab License Portal and named user subscriptions. This article also covers single-user desktop subscriptions, which are activated with a product key.
Editions
| Desktop licence type | How it is licensed | Deployment property |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-user, networked | Minitab License Manager on a server; clients point to it[1] | LICENSE_SERVER (and LICENSE_SERVER_PORT, 27000 to 27009)[8] |
| Multi-user, standalone | License Manager and Minitab on the same workstation; one licence file per workstation[1] | LICENSE_SERVER=localhost[2] |
| Single-user desktop | Product key activation[10] | PRODUCT_KEY[8] |
| Named user (License Portal) | Sign-in to an online account[8] | LICENSE_PORTAL=1[8] |
Networked and standalone configurations can be mixed. Minitab’s example is 20 networked workstations plus 5 standalone ones.[1] Several servers can also be listed for redundancy in the LICENSE_SERVER property.[6]
Metrics
Multi-user seat
Minitab License Manager “ensures that the number of concurrent users never exceeds the licensed number of seats”.[1] The installation side has its own rule: “The client software can be installed on up to three workstations for each licensed seat.” In Minitab’s example, 100 licences on one server serve Minitab installed on 300 workstations, and only 100 can run at once.[1] Catalog: Multi-user seat; Multi-user seats limit concurrent use; three installs per seat.
A multi-user licence therefore has two limits to check: peak concurrent checkouts against seats, and installed workstations against three times seats.
Single-user desktop subscription
A unique product key must be used on each computer. Customers with several electronic subscriptions of one product download the setup once and activate each computer with its own key.[10] The Move License feature deactivates the licence on the current computer and resets the product key for a new one.[9] Catalog: Single-user desktop subscription; Single-user licences move by deactivating and resetting the product key.
Counting / floors
The licence file. Licence files are created by the organisation’s Minitab License Coordinator or other authorized users at licensing.minitab.com.[1] The file, minitab.lic, is a text file that records the expiration date, the number of licences and the MAC address of the computer it was created for. It “cannot be used on a computer that does not have the MAC address specified”.[1] Each INCREMENT line names the product (for example Minitab, workspace or predictiveanalytics), the vendor daemon (minitab), the version, the expiry date and the number of users allowed to run the software concurrently.[1] Catalog: Multi-user licence files are bound to a MAC address.
Number of files. Every Minitab License Manager installation needs its own licence file. Seats can be split across servers. Minitab’s example is 75 seats on a server for Department A and 25 on one for Department B, which takes two files.[1] A standalone configuration needs one file, and a maximum of one user, per workstation.[1] To add seats, the administrator fulfils them against the same MAC address as the original and appends the new INCREMENT lines to minitab.lic.[5] Licence files for different products or add-ons are merged into one file in the same way.[1]
Measuring use. LMTools, in the License Manager installation directory, lists the total licences and the number in use on its Server Status tab, for example “Users of Minitab: (Total of 50 licenses issued; Total of 33 licenses in use)”.[4] The License Manager counts several instances of Minitab started by the same user on the same computer as one checked-out licence.[3] Catalog: Licences in use are reported by LMTools.
Options file. An options file, minitab.opt, in the License Manager directory can define user groups by Windows account name. It can reserve licences for users or groups (RESERVE) and limit how many connections a user or group can check out (MAX). For example, MAX 1 stops a user from starting Minitab on a second computer.[3] Catalog: Options file can limit a user to one computer at a time.
Floors. No minimum seat count is published.
Borrowing
Where the licence type supports it, Minitab recommends borrowing for offline use of Minitab Statistical Software, Minitab Workspace or Minitab Simul8.[2] While connected, the user picks a return date (Help, About Minitab, Borrow License). The licence is returned automatically at the end of the period, or earlier by the user.[1] A borrowed Simul8 licence stays checked out, and unavailable to others, until it is returned.[2] Minitab’s sample licence files carry BORROW=26280, a FlexNet value in hours.[1] Administrators can reserve licences that may not be borrowed with BORROW_LOWWATER, and cap borrow time with MAX_BORROW_HOURS.[3] Catalog: Multi-user licences can be borrowed; limit with options file.
The alternative for permanently offline machines is a standalone installation. It needs a licence file created with that computer’s MAC address, with Minitab License Manager and the application installed on the same machine.[2]
Virtualization & partitioning
The SSA leaves use of locally installed software in virtualized environments at the customer’s own risk.[11] Because licence files are bound to a MAC address, a License Manager virtual machine whose MAC address changes would need a new licence file.[1] The supported License Manager platforms are Windows Server 2019 and 2022 and Windows 10 and 11.[7]
Cloud / BYOL
Multi-user licences are desktop licences. No cloud or bring-your-own-licence rules are published for them. Moving a desktop installation to License Portal sign-in is done in Minitab with Change License Type, as the multi-user guide describes.[1]
Programs
Technical support includes licensing assistance for users of Minitab License Manager and the Minitab License Portal, for customers current on subscription or maintenance.[7] Catalog: Minitab Technical Support; Minitab License Manager is for legacy multi-user installations.
Out of scope
This article does not cover the SPM local license server, which has its own guide, or Minitab’s cloud-only products (Engage web app, Connect, Real-Time SPC, Model Ops), which are licensed per named user through the License Portal.