GOLD is priced on the basis of the number of simultaneous processes which can be operated. The entry level is a single
'floating seat' licence (single server, single platform) which would allow the program to operate anywhere on your network.
Industrial Users - Additional charges are made for extra processes, servers or platforms. Additional processes can be added
up to a maximum price when we will grant an unlimited licence (single server, single platform). An optional maintenance contract is available for
an annual fee. Maintenance includes updates and support and is recommended.
Academic Users - The academic licence for GOLD allows a single floating process (single platform) to operate at any given time. Where a licence is granted for
access beyond this package, additional charges are made for extra processes, servers or platforms. Please note - an academic licence cannot be
extended to a fully unlimited licence, and academic users are not invited to take out maintenance contracts.
Evaluation Keys - A GOLD evaluation key will permit you to evaluate GOLD on whichever machines in your organisation you wish and on the platforms/operating
systems requested. It is intended to allow as many users as you wish to evaluate the program concurrently. It will also allow you to evaluate
the PVM feature. Please note - the PVM feature cannot work on a single seat licence, so you would need to purchase extra seats if you wish to continue using PVM
following the evaluation period.
Full Keys - On purchase of GOLD your key will operate through a licence server and will restrict the operation of GOLD to the number of seats and platforms
which have been purchased. Prices are available by emailing
It is recommended that you
advise your Systems Administrator of the licence arrangements of GOLD.
Multi-platform Licences including Windows - If you purchase platform licences for both UNIX and Windows platforms, the seats cannot float between these
platforms and you will need to specify how many of each you require for each platform.
Small Company Licences - We offer a special 'small company' rate for a single process (single server, single platform) licence.
This is not expandable for multiple process use without first upgrading to the standard entry level. To qualify, the company must be independent of
other companies, under five years old, and have less than 200 employees.
How does the GOLD licensing
system work with multi-core or multi-processor systems?
GOLD processes jobs on a per ligand basis, and each ligand docking will be performed on a single processor, or a single core
if a multi-core processor. In order to utilise the full power of a multi-core or multi-processor system, you will need to use the parallel
version of GOLD via PVM (Parallel
Virtual Machine). This will allow multiple ligand dockings to be started at the same time, which will allow each core and/or processor
to be utilised. Each of these individual docking processes requires the use of one GOLD licence, so a multi-seat licence would be
required.
For example, to run a GOLD docking that utilises all four cores of a quad-core processor, a four-seat GOLD licence will be required
in order to start a parallel job via PVM that runs four processes on the quad-core processor (one per core).
It should also be noted that the Windows version of GOLD does not support PVM, but can be run in parallel via GRID-based parallel processing.
What is GOLD's "FLEXlm Licence Manager" and how does it work?
FLEXlm is a third party licence management tool that is used to regulate the use of GOLD and to ensure that usage remains within the terms of the
relevant GOLD licence agreement.
The FLEXlm licence manager software is a client/server application whereby GOLD clients must "check out" a valid licence from the specified FLEXlm
licence server before a GOLD run can begin. GOLD licences are platform-specific such that there must be a GOLD licence available for the specific
platform which is being used to run GOLD.
The machine that will be used to run the licence server must be specified prior to purchasing the licence, since the licence server is "node locked" to a specific machine.
However, the GOLD client licences are "floating" and can be allocated to any client machine for which a platform licence has been purchased, until the total number
of available licences have been checked out. At this point, further licence requests will be denied by the licence server.
If you are already running a GOLD licence server and wish to update an existing licence file, please remember to stop the FLEXlm licence server first.
After updating/installing a counted permanent GOLD licence, please remember to start/restart the FLEXlm licence server after saving the changes.
You will be sent a file called ccdc_licence.zip which you should copy
to the top level of your GOLD Suite installation (or for IRIX users to the
gold_v4.0/gold directory of your GOLD classic installation) and then
unpack the ccdc_licence.dat file it contains. On Windows this can be
achieved by double clicking on the .zip file and extracting the .dat
file (Windows 2000 users will require WinZip or similar to do so).
On linux use the command:
unzip ccdc_licence.zip
or if unzip is unavailable on your system use the commands:
When I start a GOLD run for the fist time why do I get a FLEXlm error?
The most common cause of errors when starting GOLD after installing a new licence is that the format of the licence file is incorrect. Please ensure that your licence matches the formats below:
Note that thishost should refer to the hostname of your server machine.
How can I diagnose problems with GOLD's FLEXlm licence server?
If you are experiencing licence problems, please refer to the instructions relating to the relevant type of GOLD licence:
Evaluation Licences - Since this type of licence does not require the use of a FLEXlm licence server, you should not attempt to start the
licence server since doing so will result in an error message. If you are unable to run GOLD successfully using this type of licence, the most likely cause
is that the licence file itself is corrupted or incomplete in some way. Please open the licence file in a text editor by going to:
UNIX - cat GOLD_Suite/ccdc_licence.dat
Windows - Start/Programs/CCDC/GOLD Suite/Licence Tools/Edit Licence File
Please check that the licence key information in the licence file exactly matches the licence details you were sent by email. If not, please make the
necessary changes and try to run GOLD again. If you still encounter difficulties, please email
and attach your installed licence file to the email.
Floating Permanent Licences - This type of licence requires the use of a FLEXlm licence server. Most errors encountered with this type
of licence file will be reported through the FLEXlm licence manager interface. Therefore, there are two key ways to diagnose the problem:
1 - Check the FLEXlm licence manager log file for errors:
UNIX - cat GOLD_Suite/gold/license.log
Windows - error messages will be displayed in the FLEXlm licence server window that opens when
you start the licence server.
2 - Run the FLEXlm licence status evaluator:
UNIX - GOLD_Suite/bin/gold_licence status
Windows - Any licence server status messages will appear in the DOS window in which the licence server runs.
Do I need to run a GOLD licence server when using an evaluation licence?
The simple answer is no.
There are two types of GOLD licence: "counted" and "uncounted". Counted licences by definition require the use of a licence server,
which counts how many licences are in use at any one time. On the other hand, uncounted licences do not require the use of a licence server since they do not
restrict how many licences can be used at once, only which platforms the licences can be used on, and how long for (i.e. the expiry date).
Standard GOLD evaluation licences are "uncounted" and therefore do not require the use of a licence server. All permanent GOLD licences are counted
and do require the use of a licence server.
If you are a GOLD evaluator and you would particularly like to test a counted licence during your evaluation period, please contact
