VMware has tweaked its software licensing so submarines can keep their computers running when they’re beneath the waves.

The new type of licenses became necessary once VMware moved to subscriptions, which come with a theregister.com for customers to operate in either “connected mode” that sees their systems generate a licensing activity report and automatically upload it to VMware every 180 days, or in a “disconnected mode” in which customers must manually upload licensing info.

Military submarines, however, are all about stealth and staying incommunicado. Breaking cover to update software licenses is not going to happen.

VMware therefore now allows some users to designate their licenses as “critical,” which removes the need for license reporting until a convenient moment.

Paul Turner,

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