NI licenses its test, measurement and automation software, including LabVIEW, TestStand, Measurement Studio, LabWindows/CVI and SystemLink, under the NI Software License Agreement, which sets a default of a Non-Concurrent named user licence and a term (subscription or perpetual) stated in the Quote.[1] NI’s policy page describes the three dimensions a buyer chooses on: the usage category (development, deployment or debug), the licence type (non-concurrent named-user or computer-based, or concurrent) and the licence term (perpetual or subscription).[2] This article gives the overall shape of that structure. The deeper articles in the See also list cover the agreement, the licence types and programs, volume licence management and activation, and the LabVIEW, TestStand and SystemLink product rules.
Governing documents
The principal document is the NI Software License Agreement, with addenda for source code, special licence types, the Volume License Program, the Enterprise Program, academic licences, product-specific provisions and U.S. government terms.[1] The agreement applies to the software, to updates and upgrades supplied under maintenance or support programs, and to accompanying documentation, utilities and driver interface software; third-party software that ships with the product is licensed on its own terms.[1] A Quote that references the agreement forms part of the contract and sets the term and the “License Scope”, meaning the usage or consumption limits and entitlements in the Quote.[1]
NI’s policy page states that its definitions of usage categories, licence types and terms are subject to the NI General Purpose Software License Agreement.[2] The page shows an update date of 18 November 2024.[2] Where the web pages and the agreement differ, the agreement and the Quote should be treated as controlling.
Usage categories
NI sells three usage categories:[2]
- Development licences create new applications and programs, can be bought as a single seat or within a Volume License Agreement or Enterprise Agreement, and include a home exception for one home machine.
- Deployment licences are required for distributing applications built with a product. One deployment licence is needed for each target computer on which the application runs, and there is no home exception.
- Debug licences permit installing the software on one computer and using it only to fix issues in an application or system already created with a development licence, with no home exception.
Applications built with a development version of the software are “Authorized Applications” and can generally be distributed without additional fees, except where they were built with software on NI’s Deployment Licenses listing, in which case each target computer needs a valid licence or deployment licence, or written distribution authorization from NI.[1] NI lists the debug and deployment licences it offers, with part numbers, on a separate page.[3]
Licence types and metrics
Non-concurrent licences are assigned to specific users or computers at certain sites; they come as named-user licences (installation on up to three computers, running on one at a time) or computer-based licences, and use is restricted to the Americas, Europe or Asia and cannot cross continents.[2] Concurrent licences allow installation on unlimited computers at certain sites provided no more than the purchased number of instances are in use at once, and are sold only under a Volume License Agreement or Enterprise Agreement.[2] The catalog rows for these are Named User License, Computer-Based License and Concurrent License.
The agreement defines a “computer” for named-user and computer-based licences as one computing device, including any cloud computing system, or, where the software is used with a virtual machine, one virtual machine on a computing device.[1] For SystemLink the counting units are Users (each unique web UI logon or API key) and Nodes (each physical or virtual hardware system).[1]
Terms and service
NI sells licences as subscription or perpetual. Unless the Quote says otherwise, the licence is a term-based Subscription License.[1] A perpetual licence means the purchased version never stops working, with a software service agreement included for the first year and renewable annually; a subscription licence must be renewed to keep using the software and renewal also maintains service benefits.[2] NI’s LabVIEW page states there are no functional or feature-level differences between subscription and perpetual licences.[4]
Renewal of software service for perpetual licences is priced at 25 percent of the perpetual list price when renewed on time, with late fees after the on-time renewal date; for subscription licences, single-seat and volume renewals are priced at the subscription list price.[5]
Programs
NI offers a Single-Seat License Program, a Volume License Program for teams needing five or more licences, and an Enterprise License Program for large organisations, plus academic site and volume licences for educational institutions.[5] The Volume License Program and Enterprise Program require an Approved Volume License Manager (NI VLM, FlexNet software or other software NI approves in writing), activity compliance logs and a designated Software Administrator.[1] NI VLM is described as a free benefit of the Volume License Program.[6] Details are in NI license types and programs and NI Volume License Manager and activation.
Compliance and audit
NI may, on written notice, inspect use of the Software during normal business hours, and a business licensee must on request certify in writing that its use complies. If an inspection shows underpayment, the licensee must immediately pay the amount and reimburse NI for the cost of the inspection.[1] The agreement does not state a threshold percentage or a frequency limit. The software may also collect and send software, hardware and use information to NI for purposes including checking that valid keys are used and complying with the agreement.[1]
Virtualization, containers and cloud
The agreement’s definition of a computer makes each cloud computing system and each virtual machine count as a computer for named-user and computer-based licences, and forbids using techniques that pool connections or reduce the number of users or endpoints (virtualisation, multiplexing or pooling).[1] LabVIEW development licences have specific allowances for continuous integration computers and for unlimited internal container instances used for automation, but not for development.[1] See NI LabVIEW, TestStand and SystemLink licensing. The documents reviewed do not set a general bring-your-own-licence rule for public cloud providers.
Out of scope
This overview does not cover NI hardware warranty and calibration services, prices (none recorded), the NI General Purpose Software License Agreement versions other than the English document retrieved, or corporate ownership. The agreement document shows no revision date, and NI may amend it with notice: for subscription licences an amendment takes effect on renewal, and for perpetual licences thirty days after notice.[1]