What is Dassault Systemes License Server (DSLS)? #
DSLS is Dassault Systèmes’ own license management tool for the 3DEXPERIENCE platform – the licensing layer behind CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, and SIMULIA. It runs on a server-client model: the application asks DSLS for a license every time it opens, and DSLS grants or denies that request against the license pool and the authorization rules configured on the server.
Which applications does DSLS manage? #
| Application | Product line | Requests a license from |
|---|---|---|
| CATIA | 3D design and product engineering | DSLS |
| DELMIA | Manufacturing and production simulation | DSLS |
| ENOVIA | Collaborative PLM and data management | DSLS |
| SIMULIA | Simulation and analysis | DSLS |
Network-licensed, on-premises SOLIDWORKS Desktop uses the SolidNetWork License Manager (SNL), rather than DSLS. SNL is a separate SOLIDWORKS licensing system based on FlexNet technology, while DSLS is Dassault Systèmes’ license-server platform for supported Dassault Systèmes offerings. If SOLIDWORKS Desktop is part of your environment, confirm with Open iT how your specific licensing setup can be tracked; do not assume that DSLS support also covers SNL.
Which license types does DSLS support? #
Dassault Systèmes doesn’t license CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, and SIMULIA under one scheme. Its 3DEXPERIENCE product terms list six. Which one applies to a given product is set by the Product Portfolio, where one exists, and by the applicable Quote or Transaction Document. Some products offer only some of the six: CATIA SCANeR 2026, for example, is licensed only as Concurrent, Credit Based or Token Based.
| Dassault Systèmes licensing scheme | Comment cela fonctionne-t-il ? |
|---|---|
| Casual Named User Based | Where the Quote specifies it, a Named User may use the licensed program for no more than 40 hours per calendar month, unless the Quote or Product Portfolio says otherwise |
| Concurrent (or Floating) Based | Authorized for a maximum number of simultaneous uses, drawn from a shared pool |
| Credit Based | Gives the right to use up a set number of credits. Credits can be used once only, can’t be reused and aren’t refundable. They’re issued per year, and unused credits expire at the end of that year |
| Token Based | Gives the right to use a set number of tokens for the length of the license. Each token serves one use at a time and goes back to the shared pool when released. The Product Portfolio or Documentation sets how many tokens a use takes |
| System License | The right to use certain licensed programs for a specific database instance, or as the Product Portfolio states. A minimum number of Named User rights may be required |
| Named User Based | Authorized for a maximum number of Named Users, as defined in the Transaction Document. Each Named User has a unique username and password, which can’t be shared |
Here’s how Open iT’s data collection lines up with each scheme:
| License activity | Collected through |
|---|---|
| Token-based usage | Log file parsing (TokenUsageYYYYMMDDHHMMSS.log) |
| Concurrent and per-user usage (Concurrent, Named User) | License manager utility polling (License Model User Concurrency, Usergroup License Use) and log file parsing (Usergroup and Host License Use events) |
| Denied requests, against any scheme | Log file parsing (Denied License Use events) |
Open iT also runs a report – DSLS License Usage per Licensing Model and Pricing Structure – that breaks usage down by these schemes directly, rather than as a generic seat count.
How Open iT supports DSLS #
Open iT collects DSLS usage two ways. License manager utility polling runs the DSLicSrv status utility every hour on a 5-minute sample interval, pulling the license server’s current usage and availability. Log file parsing reads the DSLS history logs directly – LicenseServerYYYYMMDDHHMMSS.log and TokenUsageYYYYMMDDHHMMSS.log – on a 5-minute cycle. Polling covers seven types of usage history (including user concurrency and total license usage over time). Log parsing adds seven more, including a full record of license events and can provide session and denial-event data captured in the configured DSLS logs.
That denial record is what makes reports like these possible: License Denials per User, License Denial Reasons, License Usage per User, per User-Group, and per Host, License Efficiency per Feature, and Real-Time Monitoring of license usage – plus one built specifically for DSLS’s own licensing schemes, DSLS License Usage per Licensing Model and Pricing Structure.
See who actually has a CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, or SIMULIA seat, not just who was granted one #
A grant from DSLS means a license is spoken for. It doesn’t show whether the person holding it is actively using it. That gap matters most when denials happen around the same time. If granted licenses sit idle while other requests are refused, a bigger pool may not be the only answer. Open iT’s CLIMS True Active Usage data shows how much of each granted session is actual use. Look at what’s happening inside the pool before assuming it needs to grow.
Foire aux questions #
Does DSLS manage SolidWorks licensing?
Yes and no, depending on which SolidWorks. DSLS covers Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE-platform applications: CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, and SIMULIA. SolidWorks cloud usage (3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS) is tracked separately, through Open iT’s own SOLIDWORKS Cloud configuration. Classic on-premises SolidWorks, licensed through Dassault’s SolidNetWork License Manager, isn’t covered by either configuration today.
