in the fields of automobiles, aerospace, equipment manufacturing and other fields,Siemens NX (formerly UG) it is a widely used CAD/CAE/CAM integrated platform. As the number of corporate R&D personnel increases and multiple projects are advanced in parallel,NX deployments continue to scale, not only brings an improvement in design efficiency, but also exposes a common problem:
“How should licenses be distributed reasonably?”
The essence of floating license is resource sharing. In theory, it can support the most users with the least resources. However, in practice, improper scheduling and disordered use often lead to:
- Users complained about “not being able to get a certificate”;
- The IT department passively “adds certification”;
- High-priced licensed modules sit idle for long periods of time;
- Conflicts arise between projects due to resource occupation.
How to achieve fair, efficient, and controllable license allocation under the premise of limited resources is the core proposition of NX software management.
1. Introduction to NX software licensing system: modular + floating license
Siemens NX adopts a licensing model based on FlexNet, and the license is combined in units of module functions (Feature), which are typically divided into:
| Authorization type | Example module | Function description |
|---|---|---|
| NX Core | NX100, NX101 | Basic modeling, sketching, and assembly functions |
| NX Advanced | NX102, NX103 | Advanced modeling, assembly features, PMI, and more |
| NX Mach 3, Mach 4 | NX301~NX304 | Standard product package, integrating multiple modules |
| NXCAM | CAMBASE, CAMMILL, etc. | Processing module, supports 2.5-axis and 5-axis programming |
| NX Simulation | ADVANCED SIM, STRUC SIM | Structural simulation and solving capabilities |
When each client runs NX, it will apply to the License Server for authorization of multiple modules, such as:
- NX Core (required) + Advanced Assembly + Drafting;
- If you use CAM, simulation and other modules at the same time, you will also apply for the corresponding function license.
Due to the high price of authorized modules (the unit price of some modules reaches tens of thousands of yuan),Reasonable allocation is particularly critical.
2. Common pain points in license distribution
1. The phenomenon of “license grabbing” is serious during morning and evening peaks
- Peak usage occurs at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day, and multiple users cannot start at the same time;
- The floating pool capacity is insufficient, and a “license exhausted” prompt often appears.
2. Module usage is confusing and authorization is wasted
- Some users check all modules by default and only use basic functions;
- High-priced simulation/CAM modules are occupied by non-target users, causing idle resources.
3. Project teams seize resources from each other
- There is no resource isolation between departments, and it is often “first come, first served”;
- Authorization availability cannot be guaranteed for high-quality projects, which affects the delivery schedule.
4. Lack of usage monitoring, making it difficult to evaluate whether to expand capacity
- The IT department cannot see who is using it or how much it is using;
- It is impossible to distinguish between “necessary expansion” and “low usage efficiency”.
3. How to reasonably allocate NX floating license?
The following is a combination of enterprises Nodexel system five best-practice management strategies:
1. Refined authorization combination strategy
- Authorization packages are defined according to positions (such as design positions, simulation positions, processing positions);
- Limit the scope of modules used by different roles to prevent mistaken use of advanced functions;
- It is recommended to regularly confirm the authorization requirements list with the department head.
2. User/project team quota mechanism
- Set licensing quotas (soft limits) by project group;
- If the quota is reached, you can enter the “waiting queue” or release additional resources through approval;
- The project leader can manage the authorization priority of members in the group by himself.
3. Set licensing priority and scheduling rules
- Priority can be set for high-quality projects/key node positions;
- Ordinary projects adopt a “first come, first served” or time period current limit strategy;
- Combined with the scheduling platform (Nodexel license optimization platform) to achieve policy automation.
4. Configure automatic release mechanism (Idle Timeout)
- Monitor NX sessions that have been inactive for a long time (such as more than 30 minutes);
- The system automatically releases module authorization to prevent users from occupying resources “not in use”;
- Supports dual mechanisms of foreground reminder + background release to improve user experience and resource utilization.
5. Deploy visual monitoring and historical reports
- Check the authorization pool usage in real time (by module, user, time period);
- Supports exporting usage statistics by week and month;
- Use data in combination to conduct expansion/shrinkage assessments to achieve accurate budgeting.
4. The value brought by Nodexel license optimization platform
As the scale of use expands, the License Server alone cannot meet advanced requirements such as “fair scheduling, priority policies, and behavior control.” Therefore, more and more enterprises are deploying license optimization systems to help achieve:
| Function | value |
|---|---|
| User behavior tracking | Know who is using it, how long it has been used, and whether it is active |
| Module-level release control | Automatically release specific modules to save on expensive licenses |
| Project authorization group | Avoid competition for resources between departments |
| Report statistical analysis | Accurately assess usage rates to assist purchasing decisions |
| Regularized scheduling | Set permission policies for different users or projects |
Practice has proved that Without increasing the number of authorizations, the average concurrent usage efficiency can be increased by 30% to 50%.
5. Conclusion
NX is a powerful integrated platform, but its module licensing structure is complex and expensive. In a multi-user, multi-project, and multi-department parallel environment, resource preemption, license waste, and internal conflicts can easily occur if not managed.
Pass Nodexel establish grouping policies, usage quotas, intelligent release and behavior statistics mechanisms, enterprises can Achieve an efficient, fair, and sustainable simulation and design environment with limited licensing resources.
Reasonable allocation of floating licenses is not a cost saving, but a starting point for amplifying investment benefits.
