Do all RIPs need to be on the same computer?

This page applies to Harlequin v13.1r0 and later; both Harlequin Core and Harlequin MultiRIP.

Each license defines whether RIPs must be running on the same computer as the LDK licensing server (node-locked licenses) or can run on other computers, communicating with LDK across the network (floating, or network licenses).

This enables two basic models (although variations are possible):

• A single instance of the LDK Server runs on one machine and serves licenses to RIPs running on other machines (and optionally also the computer on which the LDK Server is running). This would use one activation, multiple concurrency and floating licenses.
• Every computer in an installation runs both an LDK Server and one or more RIPs, with the RIPs obtaining their licenses from the local LDK Server. This would use multiple activations (one per computer), single or multiple concurrency (depending on the number of RIPs per computer), and node-locked licenses.

Network licenses are a robust method of delivering licenses for multiple concurrent RIPs in a single rack-based digital front end for a digital press where the network components are assumed to be consistent between installations. Network licenses between computers on arbitrary networks should be treated as beta status until further information is available.

For more information on setting up a system on multiple computers (including remote use of the LDK Server), see Technical Note Hqn089 - Securing multiple RIPs using Sentinel LDK.