License Borrowing with BORROW

This method of implementing mobile licensing is used only when license rights are held in license files.

If a license is to be used on a computer that is intermittently connected to a license server, that license can be issued as a floating license with the BORROW keyword. A BORROW license can be borrowed from a license server via a special checkout and used later to run an application on a computer that is no longer connected to the license server. License borrowing must be enabled by a software publisher before a user can borrow licenses.

With license borrowing, a software publisher issues a floating license with a FEATURE line that contains the BORROW keyword. A user specifies the expiration date a borrowed license is to be returned and runs the application while connected to the network which writes borrowing information on the client computer. The license server keeps the borrowed license checked out. The FlexEnabled application automatically uses the local borrowing data to do checkouts during the borrow period. If enabled by the software publisher, borrowed licenses can be returned early, that is, before the borrow period expires. Upon the earlier of either the expiration of the borrow period or the early return of a borrowed license, the local borrowing data no longer authorizes checkouts and the license server returns the borrowed license to the pool of available licenses. No clock synchronization is required between the license server and the system running the FlexEnabled application.