How to Upgrade or Extend a BricsCAD Network Licence

Quick answer: Upgrading a network licence doesn’t require a new key, your existing one stays valid. From the Network License Manager, check for available updates and apply them in a couple of clicks. After upgrading, there’s a compliance step worth not skipping: you need to delete every old copy of the licence file across your organisation, not just update the server itself.

Before You Upgrade

You’ll need the Bricsys Network License Server already installed and running. No new licence key is required, upgrades reuse your existing one.

How to Upgrade Your Network Licence

1. Open the Bricsys Network License Manager using the shortcut on your desktop or in your Start menu.
2. Check the UPDATE AVAILABLE section of the dialog box.
3. Click Review updates to see a preview of what will change.
4. Click Update to apply it to your Network License Server.

If the server has no internet connection, this process won’t work; offline activation is a separate process for that situation.

After You Upgrade: Delete Old Licence Files

This is a compliance requirement, not just tidying up. Once you’ve upgraded, you need to permanently delete every old copy of the network licence file across your organisation, including copies on other servers and on individual employees’ or contractors’ machines, not just the one you just updated. Keeping old licence files around beyond what you’re actually entitled to isn’t treated as harmless clutter; it’s explicitly flagged as something you’re required to clean up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a new licence key to upgrade a network licence? No. Upgrades reuse your existing key; new keys aren’t generated for upgrades anymore.

What happens if the Network License Server doesn’t have internet access? The update-checking process in the Network License Manager needs an internet connection. Without one, offline activation is the separate process to use instead.

Is extending a network licence subscription a different process from upgrading it? Octave’s own documentation doesn’t describe a separate process for this specifically; the same update-checking flow through the Network License Manager is what’s documented, and appears to cover both scenarios.

Do I really need to delete old licence file copies after upgrading? Yes, across your company’s servers and any employees’ or contractors’ machines, not just the server you upgraded. This is stated as a requirement, not a suggestion.