February – 2018, Version 1.

CST STUDIO SUITE

LICENSING GUIDE 2018

CST STUDIO SUITE 2018

Antenna Magus 2018
IDEM 2018
FEST 3D 2018
SPARK 3D 2018

This guide explains what licensing options exist and helps to choose the license configuration that fits best your needs.
The described options and licensing policy are subject to change. Our standard terms & conditions are available at
https://www.CST.com/Company/Terms.
 CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 2

Please note: This document describes the in 2018 newly introduced product packaging, valid for any new sale, and customer
contracts already being converted from the previous legacy packaging to the new packaging. Customers with a contract
that is based on the legacy product packaging, are requested to refer to the 2017 Licensing Guide. In case of doubt please
contact your account manager.

CST OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF EM SIMULATION SOFTWARE TO ADDRESS DESIGN

CHALLENGES ACROSS THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM.

CST STUDIO SUITE - The centerpiece of CST’s product range is CST STUDIO SUITE®. This comprises
CST’s complete set of 3D electromagnetic simulation tools, along with a number of related solvers and
products dedicated to more specific design areas such as cable harnesses, PCBs, thermal and EM/circuit
co-simulation.

Antenna Magus, IDEM, SPARK 3D and FEST 3D complement and are optional parts of the CST STUDIO SUITE,
but are in addition available as stand-alone offering.

Antenna Magus is a software tool to help accelerate the antenna design and modelling process. It
increases efficiency by helping the engineer to make a more informed choice of antenna element, providing
a good starting design. Validated antenna models can be exported to CST MICROWAVE STUDIO® from
a huge antenna database which means that the engineer can get to the customisation phase of an
antenna design quickly and reliably.
Explore.Design.Deliver.
IDEM is a user friendly tool for the generation of macromodels of linear lumped multi-port struc-
tures (e.g., via fields, connectors, packages, discontinuities, etc.), known from their input-output port
responses. The raw characterization of the structure can come from measurement or simulation, either
in frequency domain or in time domain. A suite of advanced and well-conditioned rational fitting
modules grants applicability to virtually any kind of characterization. The resulting models are cast in
common SPICE formats for the system-level simulations required in your design flow. Thus, IdEM enables
SPICE processing for any kind of linear structure, component, interconnect, package, whatever is your
native characterization and application area.

SPARK3D is a unique simulation tool for determining the RF breakdown power. Field results from
CST STUDIO SUITE® simulations can be imported directly into SPARK3D to analyse vacuum breakdown
(multipactor) and gas discharge. Typical approximate approaches to determine the RF breakdown power
level of any component are intentionally, extremely conservative. SPARK3D can predict more realistic
breakdown power levels, significantly improving the design margins.

FEST3D is a software tool capable of analysing complex passive microwave components based on wave-
guide technology (including multiplexers, couplers and filters) in very short computational times with
high accuracy. This suite offers all the capabilities needed for the design of passive components such as
optimization and tolerance analysis. Moreover, FEST3D advanced synthesis tools allow designing band-
pass, dual-mode and lowpass filters from user specifications.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 3

THE PRODUCTS AND THEIR LICENSE SETUP

CST STUDIO SUITE represents a modular concept in which
each module covers a certain frequency or application range.
All CST STUDIO SUITE solvers and modules are seamlessly
integrated into a common interface.
With a newly introduced revised product packaging, a selec-
tion of 17 previously separately licensed solvers as well as the
most widely used 3D import options (previous ‘3D Import
Token’) are made available with each license.
A CST STUDIO SUITE license requires as a minimum config-
uration one CST STUDIO SUITE Package. The number of
Packages that can be ordered is not limited. Any such Package
contains a Frontend and a Solver Process and is the recom-
mended ordering approach, as it is more cost effective than
ordering additional Frontends or additional Solver Processes
separately. Other than the Package discount, there is no
difference in the license behavior or technical capabilities of
Frontends / Solver Processes being part of Packages.

A license can be configured to the needs of each customer by
making choices about the following parameters:
(1) Number of Frontends and Solver Processes
(2) Number of Acceleration Tokens (High Performance
Computing)
(3) Additional Solver/Design Technology
(4) Additional Import and Export Options
(5) Operating System (OS): Windows or Windows/Linux
(6) Network Type (LAN, WAN, Node-locked)
(7) Perpetual or Limited Term license
To further enrich the CST STUDIO SUITE license, customers
are free to add additional functionality as listed in Table 1 in
any quantity wished. The Multi-Platform upgrade and the
CST Bio Models follow a flat scheme and hence need to be
acquired only once to become generally available.
In case of Antenna Magus, IDEM, FEST 3D and SPARK 3D,
there exists also the possibility to order these as sepa-
rate (stand-alone) products, rather than as add-ons of a
CST STUDIO SUITE license. In this case the pre-requisite of
ordering at least one CST STUDIO SUITE Package becomes
obsolete and customers can just order the number of seats
required.

Product Category Orderable Item Quantities: min/max

CST STUDIO SUITE Package (= 1 Frontend + 1 Solver Process) 1/-
Frontend/Process - Additional Frontends -/-
- Additional Solver Processes -/-
HPC Acceleration Token -/-
OS Multi-Platform Upgrade -/1
EDA Import Token -/-
CST Bio Models -/1
Import/Export Chip Interface -/-
GERBER Single Layer -/-
GERBER Multiple Layer -/-
Filter Designer 2D -/-
Filter Designer 3D -/-
System Simulator -/-
Additional Technology Antenna Magus Seat -/-
IDEM Seat -/-
FEST 3D Seat -/-
SPARK 3D Seat -/-

Antenna Magus Seats Antenna Magus Seat 1/-

IDEM Seats IDEM Seat 1/-
FEST 3D Seats FEST 3D Seat 1/-
SPARK 3D Seats SPARK 3D Seat 1/-

Table 1: Products, orderable items and min/max quantities.

CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 4

1A) FRONTENDS

The Frontend provides a user with the ability to build or

import a new model, define the solver settings and display
results including post processing. Users can use the tabs
within the graphical user interface to seamlessly switch
between an unlimited number of projects, regardless of the
associated product, while consuming only one Frontend.

With a node-locked license (=single user in front of a single

machine) no more than one Frontend license is needed to
open several CST STUDIO SUITE instances or to switch
within the design environment to another tab.
Several different users accessing simultaneously the soft-
ware using a network license require to order the respective
number of Frontends, either via CST STUDIO Packages or
additional Frontends.

As Frontends and Solver Processes are de-coupled, the

Frontend behavior is not affected, if a simulation is launched
in the front or in the background. The user can continue to
use the Frontend even though a simulation ís running.

Antenna Magus, IDEM, FEST 3D and SPARK 3D come along with

their own interface and do not block the CST STUDIO SUITE
Frontends, even if being part of a CST STUDIO SUITE
configuration.

1B) SOLVER PROCESSES

The number of Solver Processes specifies the maximum

number of simulation runs that can be performed at a time.
Additional Solver Processes increase this overall number and
allow to run more than one simulation at a time. An alterna-
tive approach is to speed-up a single simulation by the use of
so called Acceleration Tokens.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 5

2) ACCELERATION TOKEN

The ability to solve complex structures or a large number

of designs can be enhanced by a variety of solver specific
features. This includes parallelization on the CPU level
scaling up from single CPU devices to whole cluster systems Multi CPU
using Distributed Computing or MPI Computing on shared or
distributed memory environments.

Simulation performance can be further improved for some GPU Computing Unit
solvers by hardware acceleration on supported accelerator (Accelerator Device)
devices. (Please refer to the GPU Computing Guide for the
complete list of supported devices.)

Customers can access all CST acceleration features by means

of Acceleration Tokens without limiting themselves to a
specific feature. The Acceleration Tokens can also be shared
amongst users/processes of the same license.

The number of Acceleration Tokens consumed for a simula-

tion at a certain time always reflects the hardware used by
this simulation. Tokens are released (partially/fully) as soon
as the simulation is (partially/fully) completed. The number Cluster for MPI and/or DC
of required tokens is specified in the table below, e.g. four
CPUs require one Acceleration Token. Thereby it doesn’t
matter how the CPUs or accelerator devices used in the
simulation are distributed on physical machines and which
software feature is used to utilize the hardware.

The accelerations tokens required for the used number of

CPUs and GPUs are added together to get the total number
of tokens required by the simulation.

Acceleration Acceleration Accelerator

CPU Devices
Token Token Devices
0 2 0 0
1 4 1 1
2 8 2 2
3 16 3 4
4 32 4 8
5 64 5 16
6 128 6 32
7 192 7 48
N 64 x (N - 4) N 16 x (N - 4)
Table 2: Acceleration Token consumption.

CPU Device: Accelerator Device:

Microprocessor plugged into the CPU socket of a mainboard.
The CPU device is the smallest unit with regards to the CST
licensing scheme and a CPU device includes all CPU cores
available on the device.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_socket
Additional hardware device which is attached to a computer
(usually a PCI expansion card) to speed up specific compu-
tational workloads. Currently supported are certain NVIDIA
GPUs and Intel Xeon Phi. The device includes all resources on
the expansion card, i.e., in case of two GPUs on one card this
is counted as one accelerator device.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 6

Example 2: How many Acceleration Tokens are required for

a simulation using a cluster of two machines with 2 CPU
devices and 2 acceleration devices each?

Acceleration Token CPU Devices Accelerator Devices

0 2 0
1 4 1
2 8 2
3 16 4
4 32 8
5 64 16
... ... ...

The total number of tokens is calculated by summing up

the tokens for all used CPUs and accelerator devices.

2 x 2 CPU devices -> 1 token

2 x 2 acc. devices -> 3 token
} 4 token required
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 7

3) ADDITIONAL SOLVER/DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

In 2018 the licensing scheme of the CST STUDIO SUITE has

been revised such that any new CST STUDIO SUITE contract
by default already enables an impressive and unmatched col-
lection of 17 different solvers. The below table describes which
solvers are amongst those 17 solvers that are made available by
default, and which others are offered as add-ons.

Solver Process
Already Part of
Solver Module Icon Check-out
Standard License?
required?
Time Domain T Yes Yes
Frequency Domain F Yes Yes
Eigenmode E Yes Yes
Integral Equation I Yes Yes
Asymptotic A Yes Yes
Multilayer M Yes Yes
Printed Circuit Board PCB Yes Yes
Rule Check RCK Yes Yes
Static S Yes Yes
Low Frequency LF Yes Yes
Tracking TRK Yes Yes
Wakefield WAK Yes Yes
Particle-in-Cell PIC Yes Yes
Thermal TH Yes Yes
Structural Mechanics SM Yes Yes
Circuit Simulator DES Yes Yes(1)
Cable Harness CBL Yes Yes
System Simulator SYS - -
Filter Designer 2D FD2D - -
Filter Designer 3D FD3D - -
Antenna Magus AM - -
IDEM IDEM - -
FEST 3D FEST3D - -
SPARK 3D SPARK3D - -
Table 3: Solver Overview

(1) Most of Circuit Simulator (DES) features do not block a Solver Process, however,
the Optimizer, Parameter Sweep and the Transient Task require a Solver Process key
to be available.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 8

4) ADDITIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT OPTIONS

CST STUDIO SUITE offers a broad range of included and optio-

nal mechanical CAD and layout import capabilities.
Geometry import examples

Category Format Import Export Charge

2D DXF X X -
2D GDSII X X -
2D Gerber Single Layer X X Yes
3D STL X X -
3D SAT X X -
3D 3D OBJ X -
3D NASTRAN X X -
3D Mecadtron X -
3D Conventor X -
3D ADS/HFSS/Sonnet X -
3D Autodesk Inventor X -
3D CATIA V4 X -
3D CATIA V5 X -
3D IGES X X -
3D Parasolid X -
3D PTC Creo and PTC Pro/E X -
3D Siemens NX X -
3D Solid Edge X -
3D SolidWorks X -
3D STEP X X -
3D VDA-FS X -
EDA Chip (Open Access, GDS II) X Chip Interface
EDA ODB++ X EDA Import Token
EDA CADENCE Allegro PCB/APD/SiP X EDA Import Token
EDA CST Layout Database X EDA Import Token
EDA IPC-2581 X EDA Import Token
EDA Mentor Graphics Expedition X EDA Import Token
EDA Mentor Graphics PowerPCB (PADS) X EDA Import Token
EDA Mentor Graphics Hyperlynx X EDA Import Token
EDA Simlab PCBMod X EDA Import Token
EDA Zuken CR-5000 X EDA Import Token
EDA Zuken CR-8000 X EDA Import Token
EDA Gerber Multiple Layer (NETEX-G) X Yes
Visual POV Ray X -
Results Touchstone X X -
Results ASCII X X -
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 9

Results ADS Component X -

Results MWO Link X -
Results SPICE X X -
Voxel OBJ (e.g. third party posable hand/body model format) X -
Voxel Biological Data Interface (no Data Set) X -
Voxel CST Voxel Bio Models X Yes

Table 4: Import/Export options (not all formats are supported by each product).

If not included by default or otherwise indicated, all options are “Single User”. After the feature is released by a user, there is
a 30 minute wait time before that feature is available for another user.

5) OPERATING SYSTEM – MULTI-PLATFORM 6) NETWORK TYPE (LAN, WAN, NL)

ADD-ON
By default the CST STUDIO SUITE is provided as a Windows
Edition. Customers running simulations in a pure Linux envi-
ronment (e.g. a computer cluster running the Linux operating
system, controlled by a queuing system) are free to complete
their license with a Multi-Platform upgrade.
Please note that configurations with a CST frontend/GUI
running on Windows but simulations started remotely using
either MPI or DC don‘t require this option. Only if the CST
Frontend is running on Linux the Multi-Platform is needed.
For details on the OS versions supported please refer to
http://updates.CST.com/downloads/CST-OS-Support.pdf
A Local Area Network license (LAN) is the standard choice for
working groups with more than one user. Having a network
license, a group or division of a company may install the
license on a server and on an unlimited number of clients
which all belong to a local area network, provided that the
LAN does not extend beyond a single building or group
of buildings. In no event a LAN license shall be used in a
geographic area greater a square of one square mile.
A license server will be installed in order to ensure that the
allowed usage in terms of Frontend, Processes, Acceleration
Tokens, etc. is not exceeded. The license file will be bound to
a computer’s MAC ID.

Licenses that permit use beyond a LAN are also available

and are called Wide Area Network (WAN) licenses. The uplift
factor depends on the number of sites for which the usage
should be extended. The sites for the WAN must be defined
on quotes and invoices.

For use by only one user, the Node-Locked (NL) license is an

economical alternative. A node-locked license restricts the
access to a single computer and is bound to the computer’s
MAC ID. Terminal server access is not allowed or possible.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 10

7) PERPETUAL AND LIMITED TERM LICENSES,

MAINTENANCE AND UPDATES

The CST software is available for purchase (PLC) and lease

(YLC = 1 year, QLC = 3 months). Customers are entitled to use
the latest release of the CST product they have acquired, that
falls into the maintenance period ordered by the customer
for that product. The CST standard terms & conditions, avail-
able at https://www.CST.com/Company/Terms, apply.

Limited term licenses (YLC, QLC) automatically include main-

tenance and updates. For perpetual licenses the maintenance
and updates have to be ordered separately and such order
is mandatary for the first year of usage. In case of perpetual
licenses maintenance and updates (ALC) can be renewed on
a yearly basis at about 20% (subject to change) of the then
current PLC list price before the expiration of maintenance
and at 25% for any backdated maintenance. Interruptions are
not allowed. Maintenance has to be ordered for the complete
license, it cannot just cover parts of it.

Warranty/support is limited to model sizes

■■ Up to 200 Million mesh cells for Cartesian grids
■■ Up to 2 Million second order mesh cells for tetrahedral grids
■■ Up to 64 GBytes memory

Typically a major release is delivered once a year. In-between,

service packs with bug fixes are regularly made available and
in case of CST STUDIO SUITE installed without further inter-
action by the user in the background, if the automatic update
manager is enabled. This automatic process is not in place for
Antenna Magus, IDEM, FEST 3D and SPARK 3D, which require
the customer to install updates manually.
CST STUDIO SUITE LICENSING GUIDE 2018 11

ABOUT CST ABOUT SIMULIA

CST is a market leader in providing 3D electromagnetic
(EM) field simulation tools through a global network of
sales and support staff and representatives. CST develops
CST STUDIO SUITE, a package of high-performance soft-
ware for the simulation of EM fields in all frequency bands.
Its growing success is based on a combination of leading
edge technology, a user-friendly interface and knowledge-
able support staff. CST solutions are used by market leaders
in a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, auto-
motive, defense, electronics, healthcare and telecommuni-
cations. CST is part of SIMULIA, a Dassault Systèmes brand.
Further information about CST is available on the web at
www.cst.com
The SIMULIA brand of Dassault Systèmes enables users
to leverage physics-based simulation and high-perfor-
mance computing to power sustainable innovation for
products, nature, and life. Powered by Dassault Systèmes
3DEXPERIENCE platform, SIMULIA realistic simulation
and optimization applications accelerate the process of
making mission-critical design and engineering decisions
before committing to costly and time-consuming physical
prototypes.
www.3ds.com/simulia
ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides
business and people with virtual universes to imagine
sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions
transform the way products are designed, produced, and
supported. Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative solutions
foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the
virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings
value to over 210,000 customers of all sizes, in all indus-
tries, in more than 140 countries.
www.3ds.com

TRADEMARKS
CST, CST STUDIO SUITE, CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (CST MWS), CST EM STUDIO, CST PARTICLE STUDIO, CST CABLE STUDIO, CST PCB STUDIO, CST MPHYSICS STUDIO,
MPHYSICS, CST MICROSTRIPES, CST DESIGN STUDIO, CST EMC STUDIO, CST BOARDCHECK, PERFECT BOUNDARY APPROXIMATION (PBA), Antenna Magus, the CST logo,
3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass icon, the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES, IFWE and 3DEXCITE are
commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a French “société européenne” (Versailles Commercial Register # B 322 306 440), or its subsidiaries in the
United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their
express written approval. DS Offerings and services names may be trademarks or service marks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries.

CST, a Dassault Systèmes company | CST STUDIO SUITE® is a CST® product.

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