CF9 Developer & license limitiation

Around 8 years ago, I developed a Flash application for our company. I compiled it into an exe and it sits on our SBS2008 server. It connect to CF9  via CFC's and has a MYSQL db as it's data source, both of which reside on the same server. There are 5 or 6 workstations which use the application via a shortcut to the exe file.

This has been working quite happily without change until recently when, for some as yet unknown reason(s), it failed with NullPointExceptions. After trying for some days to get it going, I had no choice but to re-install using CF9.02. I configured it as a developer edition and all seemed fine but then it pops up the exceeding license message.

OK, we've been doing well in not having to pay a license fee all this time but I'm curious as to how CF9 knows about different IP addresses when it is being accessed by a single application on the same server (127.0.0.1).