Virtual Machine of Rockwell software

[jackyPLC]

Hi all,

I would like to replicate my PC onto a virtual machine so I could use it on a different laptop when I'm on site. I have never created a VM before. If I do create one in order to get all the Rockwell software (studio 5000, factory talk, etc) onto my laptop, will the VM use up the one license I have or can I still use the software on both?

This might not be morally right. But I need to use the software packages on a high-grade laptop as it will be inside of the cement factory (will only need the VM for 4-6 days). Thanks!

 

[Lem]

The software pulls/uses the license when it is in use and doesn't need a license to be installed (It even has a 5 day grace period of use without a license). Do you use a license server or do you have it installed on your PC directly?

I use only VM's for all my PLC interface software, I wouldn't even want to put all those services and extra programs on my main windows install. As long as the license is registered to you, it doesn't matter where you use it. It becomes more of a matter of how to transfer the license between the different machines or vm's that you are going to use it in.

 

[jackyPLC]

The software pulls/uses the license when it is in use and doesn't need a license to be installed (It even has a 5 day grace period of use without a license). Do you use a license server or do you have it installed on your PC directly?

I use only VM's for all my PLC interface software, I wouldn't even want to put all those services and extra programs on my main windows install. As long as the license is registered to you, it doesn't matter where you use it. It becomes more of a matter of how to transfer the license between the different machines or vm's that you are going to use it in.

Thanks for replying. I use a license server. We are two people using one license in the office interchangeably. I might be using it for more than 6 days.

First of all, when I create a VM copy, can I make it take the license with it? If yes, will I and my coworker be able to use the licenses on original PC and VM simultaneously?

 

[Lem]

Since you're using a server, the normal way to get the license onto the VM for offline use (without having a connection to the server) would be to borrow it for x days onto the VM. At that point, no it would not be available for your coworker to check out from the server until you either manually check it back in from the VM or the time you selected when you borrowed it expires.

If you can set up a vpn connection to your laptop that you're using while on site so that it can connect to the license server then you can just use it while the software is open as you do now and coordinate with your coworker to use it at different times.

 

[jackyPLC]

Okay got it. I guess if the licences were on the PC (tied to the hardware ID), I could have created a VM and had the license active on both the PC and VM.

Anyways, thanks for the help.

 

[robertmee]

If you create your different VMs with the same disk volume ID and thats the binding to your license, you can just copy the hotkey file to the license folder and it works for each VM.