OEM / Unlimited Runtime
Applications that run on many servers, or on a cloud platform that adds and removes instances automatically, are the case for the unlimited runtime (OEM) license of TX Text Control .NET Server. Learn what it allows, how it differs from individual runtime licenses and in which deployments it makes sense.
What the OEM License Allows
The optional unlimited runtime (OEM) license lets you deploy your application to an unlimited number of servers.
- Unlimited instances. You can deploy TX Text Control in your application without counting the instances or pods that run it. Whether your application runs one instance or hundreds, a single OEM license covers them.
- No instance tracking. Cloud platforms create and shut down instances unpredictably. With an OEM license, you do not need to track individual instances for licensing purposes.
- Deployment only. The OEM license is a runtime license, so it covers the deployment instead of individual runtime licenses per server. It does not replace developer licenses: each developer who compiles your application still needs an assigned development license.
Runtime Licenses and the OEM License Compared
| Runtime licenses | Unlimited runtime (OEM) license | |
|---|---|---|
| Servers covered | One production server or virtual machine (per operating system) per license | Unlimited |
| Applications and users per server | Not limited | Not limited |
| Scaling out to new instances | Each new instance or pod requires a valid license | Covered |
| Tracking instances | Required to stay compliant | Not required |
| Developer licenses | Required for each developer | Required for each developer |
When the OEM License Makes Sense
The standard runtime licensing is applied per instance, which works well for static deployments with a known number of servers. It becomes harder to manage when your platform scales your application dynamically:
- AWS Fargate creates new container instances of your application as demand increases, and each of them runs its own instance of TX Text Control.
- Azure App Services adds application instances with horizontal scaling to handle traffic spikes.
- Kubernetes creates pods that run your application based on the workload, and each pod that hosts TX Text Control needs a license under the per-instance model.
In all of these cases, the number of runtime licenses grows with the number of instances. The OEM license covers any number of instances, so you can scale without adding licenses.
If you distribute your application to customers who install it on their own servers, these installations need runtime licenses or OEM deployment rights as well. Confirm with the sales team that your distribution model is covered.
For the technical side of scaled deployments, see Scaling Containers, Kubernetes, AWS and Azure.
Contact Sales
The license agreement is binding, and the OEM license is an optional license that you purchase in addition to your developer licenses. Text Control's sales engineers help you define your licensing needs and determine whether the unlimited runtime license fits your deployment scenario. Contact the Text Control sales team for details and a quote.
The blog post Why an Unlimited Runtime License (OEM) for TX Text Control is Perfect for Cloud Deployments describes the cloud scenarios in more detail.