-As long as instructions are followed and resources are used, the switch to a NWSL from a NetHasp is fast, easy, and should have no noticeable downtime for the programming team
-IT professionals generally prefer working with a NWSL over a NetHasp for ease of use, better flexibility and control, and overall improvements to installation and maintenance of licensing
-NWSL offers more flexibility than a NetHasp, including running from a VM, using a VPN to access Mastercam licenses offsite, and the ability to borrow licenses for a predetermined amount of time
The NetHasp has been a great tool for distributing Mastercam licenses across a network for many years. This USB dongle, often found on a server, can house all the licenses for a company in one convenient location, making it easy to update for maintenance codes and typically easier to protect due to the restricted location it belongs. However, Network Software Licensing has largely overtaken the NetHasp due to the improved convenience, flexibility, and more robust support and development of the product. We encourage all of our current NetHasp customers to move to a NetWork Software License.
This guide is designed to provide you with an understanding of the following:
What is a Network Software License (NWSL)
What are the benefits of switching to a NWSL
What can a NWSL do that a NetHasp cannot do
The process of switching licensing types, including:
Downtime estimate
Network setup
Activation of the license
Returning the NetHasp
Maintenance update codes
What MCAM Northwest offers our customers in this transition phase
Network considerations
Costs associated with the switch
A Network Software License (NWSL) is simply a different tool for distributing Mastercam licenses. The primary purpose of a NWSL is the same as a NetHasp, but it takes a different approach to do this. While a NetHasp runs a software to read a piece of hardware and then distributes that license, a NWSL is a software based solution that does not require specific USB hardware to run. The NWSL runs different software than a NetHasp that can be easily accessed through a web client and provides more options and features than a standard NetHasp. Working with a NWSL brings Mastercam licensing into a more current standard which is used by several other major software brands that utilize a networkable licensing option.
The primary benefits of switching to a NWSL include better support, improved development for future applications, and added functionality compared to a NetHasp. IT team members generally prefer the NWSL interface and functionality over the NetHasp due to it being much more modern and flexible for today's needs in the world of software. Additionally, due to the fact that a NWSL is strictly a software based solution, it is much less likely for a company to lose access to Mastercam due to the license being stolen and impossible to destroy completely. In the case that a company loses access to their NWSL (outlined in our section on network considerations), MCAM Northwest can typically get the customer back up and running with a fix or a temporary license within a couple of hours, compared to multiple days for a NetHasp replacement.
Can be remotely managed more effectively.
Supports being run on a Virtual Machine (VM).
Supports pulling a license through a VPN for remote work.
Supports deeper license management tools, including the ability to restrict .licenses to specific computers from the server, or boot users who currently have a license pulled at the server.
Properly supports .machine environment licensing (possible with NetHasp, but more difficult).
Allows for License Borrowing, which gives the option of temporarily moving a seat of Mastercam to a machine that can be removed from the network and automatically returns after a set time (up to 10 days). Ideal for traveling employees who may not have reliable internet access to use a VPN.
In the case of a lost license, it can be either fixed or provided with temporary licenses much more quickly.
MCAM Northwest has a proven model for switching to a NWSL that makes the process simple and easy to follow. We work hard to work out potential issues in advance so that this transition happens seamlessly with minimal interruption to your programming team. Here are the general steps in the process:
Customer approves the switch to NWSL and pays the fee (if applicable)
MCAM Northwest attempts to secure a NWSL with the same license # as the NetHasp
If a NWSL with the same # as the NetHasp is not available, MCAM Northwest works to rebin or unbin posts that are tied to the NetHasp license #. Binning is a tool used to restrict the use of a post to a specific license #.
Customer works to prepare the network for the new license (see the network considerations section, full documentation available)
Temporary NWSL codes are delivered to the customer
Customer installs the license management software
Customer activates the license and tests the ability to pull a license while NetHasp is still active (as backup)
When the NWSL is deemed to be working properly the NetHasp is mailed to Mastercam Corporate offices for return
Permanent license codes are sent to the customer when NetHasp is received
Permanent codes are activated by the customer for permanent use
The process of switching to a NWSL is fairly simple and generally does not keep the programmers off of Mastercam for long. In fact, when implemented and tested properly using this process, the only downtime for the programming team would include the time it takes for IT to adjust the server search settings on the client machines (about 5 minutes for each station, if applicable), and restarting Mastercam if Mastercam is being used when the NWSL is activated to force a switch to use the NWSL instead (average 2 minutes). While it is harder to estimate the time it takes to implement this change on the IT side due to differences in network complexity and setup, it generally takes less than an hour to make the change from NetHasp to NWSL in total and will save some time for IT down the line during maintenance updates.
Network setup generally consists of checking TCP/UDP rules, setting the server search settings on the client machines (only if the network is larger or the client machines are not on the same subnet), installing the software on the server, and potentially adjusting anti-virus software. We will note that Anti-virus software tends to be the major issue with NWSL installs, and IT must be prepared to either use a "learning mode" to teach the anti-virus that Mastercam and respective licensing tools are ok to use, or IT will have to go in-depth into the anti-virus software and whitelist a few programs and processes. MCAM Northwest can provide documentation on much of this process, however, we cannot give direct support for anti-virus or firewall setup procedures due to the variety of software options that our customers use. Your IT team must be familiar with and confident in how to use the firewall and anti-virus software to perform this switch effectively.
The initial code delivery from MCAM Northwest consists of temporary codes. These codes will have all the products and number of seats that the NetHasp licensing has, so there will be no difference in programming ability or bandwidth. However, these temporary codes do have an expiration date. This is in place to ensure that the NetHasp is returned to corporate in a reasonable amount of time. Once the NWSL is deemed to be working properly then the customer must send the NetHasp back to corporate without delay. Instructions for mailing the NetHasp back to corporate are included in the code delivery email. When the NetHasp is received by corporate the license is made permanent. IT will need to update the licensing codes on the network when this happens to ensure uninterrupted access to the software for the client machines.
MCAM Northwest has documentation for all the steps required for a NWSL switch. These documents can be provided ahead of time if requested. Additionally, we are happy to help with the setup of the licenses in any way we can.
We offer documentation, phone calls, web meetings, and screen sharing options for setup as requested by the customer. We can book an appointment for a set date and time, or we can meet on the fly as time allows. Generally, we can meet same day within a couple of hours of the request within business hours. There is no limit to the amount of time for this support as it is part of the maintenance agreement.
A few things to consider when deciding to make the switch to a NWSL:
Anti-virus tends to be the main issue with NWSL setup. IT must be familiar with their anti-virus software and know how to use a "learning mode" or whitelisting for Mastercam and additional licensing software and services.
If the client machines are not on the same subnet as the server, or if the network is larger (over 20 machines or so) then some additional setup for the client machines may be required. This includes adjusting the server search list on the client machine to look for the IP address of the license server. MCAM Northwest can provide documentation on this process.
The license server must have a static IP address.
If the license server is going to be run on a VM, the VM must be set to use consistent hardware settings. Any change in machine ID or settings (such as # of processors, RAM, graphics settings, dynamic IP, etc.) will break software licensing. While it can be fixed, this can be a costly mistake due to the downtime caused by failing to follow this requirement.
If the license server needs to be updated we highly recommend deactivating the Mastercam license before the update and reactivating the license after the update. This tends to reduce lost license issues.
While the Mastercam license server is typically set up on a true server running a server OS, this is not strictly required. The Mastercam license server can run on any Windows operating system that meets the minimum specifications. Specifications can be provided at request, but generally, anything made after about 2010 should be more than capable of running as the network license server.
A NWSL can even be run from a workstation. This is not recommended, as it does add additional challenges that we can discuss with the team. However, some shops still use this method if they do not have access to a true server.
The NWSL can be set up while the NetHasp is still running. This means there is typically no downtime for adding the new NWSL.
MCAM Northwest charges a fee of $200 to switch from a NetHasp to a NWSL. This charge is for the work it takes to adjust license settings and rebin posts. However, MCAM Northwest may waive this fee if the customer is having issues with the NetHasp product as it sits. This decision will be made on a case-by-case basis by our customer care and support team.