ARCHICAD Licensing Options for Business Continuity

This article will outline licencing options available in the case that a business is no longer able to operate on premise.

ARCHICAD, the best software for Architecture and Design is licenced through a separate software called Codemeter.

ARCHICAD can be licenced either by inserting a Physical Key, known as a dongle into a USB Type A slot (standard USB) or virtually, by downloading a Software Key to the hard drive of the machine. A third option is also available in which the Licence Key is not physically or virtually present on the host computer but accessed remotely through a network.

Most clients tend to have individual Physical or Software Codemeter Keys, with the exception of larger companies, who for logistical reasons wish to centralise resources either on premise or in the cloud through this latter option by purchasing a Network Key. The Network Key is an extension to the Codemeter Key which allows remote access.

For users with a single Codemeter Physical key it is advised they retain possession of this in the event they can no longer access their place of work.

For users with a Software key, it is advised they upload the key to the cloud using the GRAPHISOFT Licence Manager Tool as outlined here

For users with a Network Key there are several options available:

1. You can access your ARCHICAD licence via the internet through non-secure communication. This will require a simple “Port-Forward” from your office’s link to the internet to the computer which hosts the Network Key
2. You can access you ARCHICAD licence via a secured virtual private network
3. You can purchase borrowable licences where ARCHICAD can reserve and remove a single key from a network for a time limited period. Click here to learn more.

Options 1 and 2 are outlined further here

If none of these options are viable you can also purchase hourly or monthly rental licences for ARCHICAD which will provide you full access to the licenced software for a predefined period of time.