Ansys licenses can be hosted in one of three ways.  The licensing model you choose is decided during the purchasing process with your account manager. This article will describe the different options available to you in order to help you select the best method or identify which method(s) you are currently using.  Ansys client software supports using one, many or all of these methods within the same environment.

FlexNet Licensing (Self-Hosted License Server / Most Popular)

The FlexNet Licensing model type is Ansys' self-hosted (installed on your own server) licensing option that has existed for over 15yrs.  As of 2023, it is the most common licensing method in use.  It uses a small, stand-alone application, called the Ansys License manager, that hosts the Ansys FlexNet license file that is issued to you. The license manager checks in and out licenses to one or many users over a network. It is a required application to run your Ansys client software if you have a FlexNet based license.  A client must be able to connect to and stay connected to the license manager in order to open and use the software.‍  It can be installed on the client machine for single user deployments but is most often installed on a dedicated machine in multi-user environments. 

For more information about this licensing option see - INFO - Ansys FlexNet Licensing Overview & System Requirements 

Shared Web Licensing (Ansys Hosted License Server)

Shared Web Licensing is a new licensing model that Ansys released in 2023 R2.  It eliminates the need for customers to install and run their own Ansys license server without any IT expertise or hardware required, making it much easier and faster to get up and running with your Ansys software.  Instead of having to install and configure your own license sever, wait for a license file to delivered to you and then install it, users simply sign-in with their Ansys account and their license is immediately accessible over the internet.  These licenses and users are then hosted and managed directly from your Ansys Licensing Portal. This greatly simplifies the process of accessing your Ansys license when working from home or the road and no longer requires you to setup a VPN or borrow a license before leaving the office.  This method requires the client to have an internet connection, however, clients can still borrow licenses ahead of time, if they will not have an internet connection.

As of 2023R2, Shared Web Licensing does not support all products.  For more info about this licensing type and what products are supported, see - INFO - Ansys Shared Web Licensing Overview.  

Elastic Web Licensing (Ansys Hosted License Server)

Ansys Elastic Licensing model is their flexible, pay-per-use licensing model that enables usage-based licensing for traditional software and Ansys Cloud Direct product.