Product: Zoo
Summary: A overview of the features of the Zoo.

The Zoo lets you share Rhino, Flamingo, Penguin, Brazil, and Bongo licenses (CD-keys) among users on the same network workgroup. When these products are installed as the workgroup nodes instead of a stand-alone product, it works like this:

• When a workgroup node starts, it requests a license from the Zoo.
• An unused license is assigned to the node.
• When a node shuts down, the license is returned to the Zoo's license pool.

• The Zoo is free!
• No extra costs. Special versions of Rhino, Flamingo, Penguin, Brazil, or Bongo are not needed.
• No special hardware needed. The Zoo will run on any Windows-based system.
• No special software needed. The Zoo will run on any Windows system that supports Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5, including Windows Vista and newer.
• Simple setup. Install the Zoo on any Windows-based system, and enter the license keys into the Zoo instead of the individual systems.
• Checkout. Commercial and Educational Lab License keys can be checked out so laptop users can disconnect from the network. Educational lab licenses are limited to a 30-day checkout. When the laptop is reconnected to the network, the key can be checked in again. Note: Single user Educational licenses are not supported in the Zoo.
• Robust. Network nodes will keep working even if the network connection or server is down.
• Routable. The Zoo works on both single-segments networks and networks where systems are separated by routers.
• Runs as a service. If you reboot the system with the Zoo, the Zoo automatically starts up.

• Standard Internet protocol support. Clients communicate with Zoo using HTTP (Port 80) protocol. This makes it much easier for system administrators to route Zoo requests on complex networks or over the Internet.
• Firewall friendly. Zoo requires the client to periodically check with the server, but never initiates connections back to the client. Administrators do not need to open firewall ports on client machines.
• Limited license checkout. The prior Zoo version allowed license checkout to support laptop users for business travel, but there was no limit to the checkout duration. Zoo now lets the administrator specify the license checkout duration.
• Third-party plug-in support. Zoo allows third party plug-in developers to add support for their products to the Zoo.