Algor Offers Floating Licensing to Facilitate Concurrent Software Usage in Network Environments.

Business Editors

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2000

Algor, Inc., a leading maker of software for mechanical engineers, now provides floating, concurrent usage licensing with automatic monitoring at special concurrent-user pricing. Concurrent usage licensing enables multiple software users to conveniently access Algor's entire line of CAD/CAE interoperability, finite element modeling, FEA and Mechanical Event Simulation (MES) software from any computer over a network.

&uot;Algor's concurrent usage licensing enables significant cost and time-savings by letting organizations purchase the number of licenses actually needed,&uot; said Michael L. Bussler, president of Algor, Inc. &uot;Engineers can take full advantage of Algor's powerful FEA and MES software within network environments since the floating licenses are not locked to hardware on specific computers or limited by workstation-based or network-based license managers.&uot;

Some FEA software providers lock the software license to a specific computer, which is governed by either a physical device attached to the hardware or a workstation-based license manager that locks the license to a computer through software encoding. Others offer network-based license managers, maintained on a separate computer, which oversee multiple users within the organization. These license managers often require cumbersome user lists that must be maintained and updated frequently.

Unlike other licensing methods, Algor's unique concurrent usage licensing is not tracked by hardware or by user, but by the number of sessions in use at any one time. Algor's software can be installed an unlimited number of times either on a network or on a local computer, enabling availability where and when it is needed. Therefore, engineers can work freely with Algor's software at different workstations within an organization, up to the number of concurrent user sessions purchased.

When ordering software, Algor customers simply designate the desired number of concurrent user sessions for that package. The software includes a built-in concurrent usage monitoring feature that is self-maintaining and activated automatically when the software is installed. If concurrent software usage exceeds the number permitted by the license purchased, the software provides on-screen notification for the engineer that all available sessions are in use. An engineer or system administrator can then access the concurrent usage monitoring utility to determine which workstations are currently running the software.

Concurrent usage licensing is available at special concurrent-user pricing for Algor's entire line of mechanical engineering software for PC workstations running on Windows NT, 95, 98 or 2000. Algor's software can be purchased starting at $975 for a single concurrent user license.

Algor has been a leader in the engineering software industry since introducing FEA for PCs in 1984 and interfacing with CAD systems in 1985. The company provides innovative, affordable and easy-to-use software products that have enabled 20,000 engineers in 60 countries to create safe, efficient, cost-effective designs. Algor also offers superior educational support and customer service that includes the use of state-of-the-art Internet audio/video technology for &uot;Web Courses,&uot; which provide step-by-step software instruction, and free public &uot;Webcasts&uot; in live demonstration format.

Algor's product line features FEA-based Accupak/VE Mechanical Event Simulation software. Accupak/VE reduces the need for physical prototyping and eliminates the need to input dynamic loads by determining the motion, flexing and resulting stresses of a part or assembly at each instant of an event. Algor's proprietary kinematic element technology makes performing Mechanical Event Simulations using CAD solid parts and assemblies practical for realistic, accurate results. Engineers can use Algor's InCADPlus and InCAD DesignPak products to seamlessly capture exact CAD geometry from popular CAD systems within Algor. The company also offers linear stress, vibration, heat transfer, electrostatic, fluid flow, composite materials and piping systems analysis tools. Algor's software interchanges data with products from ANSYS, Inc. (Nasdaq:ANSS), Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), CADKEY Corporation, MSC.Software Corporation (NYSE:MNS), Parametric Technology Corporation (Nasdaq:PMTC), Structural Dynamics Research Corporation (Nasdaq:SDRC), Unigraphics Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:UGS), SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systemes S.A. (Nasdaq:DASTY) company, and others.

Note to Editors: In the word &uot;InCADPlus&uot; mentioned in the last graph of this release, &uot;Plus&uot; should be superscript.