In short
- A node-locked licence works on one particular computer. A floating licence is a pool shared over a network by a licence server.
- Node-locked suits desktop software, offline sites and individual buyers; floating suits offices sharing a few seats.
- Most node locks compare a hardware ID in code, which crackers patch and hardware changes break.
- A key sealed inside the computer's TPM is a node lock enforced by cryptography: nothing to patch, nothing to spoof.
Node-locked licences
A node-locked licence (also called device-locked or hardware-locked) is valid on one computer. It's the natural model for software sold to individuals and for machines that run offline: there is nothing to coordinate, and the licence can be checked locally.
Floating (concurrent) licences
A floating licence is a pool: a licence server lends a seat to whoever starts the program and takes it back when they close it. It's efficient for an office where ten people share three seats, but it needs a server running and reachable at every launch. Lose the network and nobody can work.
Side by side
| Node-locked | Floating | |
|---|---|---|
| Tied to | One computer | A pool of seats |
| Needs a server | No | Yes, at every launch |
| Works offline | Yes | Only on the server's network |
| Best for | Individuals, field and air-gapped machines | Offices sharing a few seats |
| Typical weakness | Hardware ID checks are spoofable | Server outages; seat-sharing hacks |
The trouble with hardware IDs
Most node locks build a hardware ID from disk and network serial numbers and compare it in code. That has two failure modes: a cracker patches out the comparison or fakes the IDs, and an honest customer replaces a disk and is locked out. Dongles avoid the spoofing but cost money, ship by post and get lost.
A node lock enforced by the chip
Pramaan locks a licence to a key inside the computer's TPM. The content key is sealed to that chip; only that chip can unseal it. There's no comparison to patch out and no ID to fake, and swapping a disk or a network card doesn't matter. When a customer does change computers, the publisher issues a licence for the new one; with licence resale, a licence can even move to another person, sealed to their machine.
Questions
What is a node-locked license?
A licence that works on one particular computer and no other. Pramaan enforces it by sealing the licence to a key inside that computer's TPM security chip.
Which is better, node-locked or floating?
Node-locked suits software bought by individuals and machines that work offline; floating suits offices sharing a few seats over a network. A floating licence needs a server at every launch.
What happens to a node-locked licence when I change computers?
It stays with the old computer. The publisher can issue a licence for the new one, and on Pramaan Marketplace a licence can be resold, moving to the buyer's computer.
Related guides
- Offline Software Licensing, No License ServerLicense software that must run without internet, on air-gapped sites, field computers and labs: offline activation, and licences that carry their own proof.
- How to Protect Software From Piracy (2026 Guide)Practical ways to stop software piracy: why licence keys and checks get cracked, how hardware-bound licences and leak tracing work, and what works offline.
- Reselling Software Licenses: Used Software, SafelyCan you resell a software license? The law in the EU and US, how a licence moves to a new buyer's computer, and how escrow and royalties protect everyone.
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