Licenses

Description

Server Management Console's License section enables entry and management of Automate Enterprise licenses. It gives new and prospective users the ability to enter an evaluation license in order to gain access to a free 60 day software evaluation period and allows permanent license keys to be entered for those that purchased a copy of Automate Enterprise. Upon activation, Automate Enterprise license information will be displayed in this section, including computer name, hardware ID, current license key, licensed products, key status and expiration date. See Licensing & Maintenance for more details. 

Parameters

The following table describes the available properties and settings found in the License page:

Property Description
Apply new key Enables entry of a new license key. Simply paste the license key in the provided text-box and click Apply. A "Success" banner will appear indicating a successful submission.
Machine Name The computer name or IP address of the licensed computer.  
Hardware ID The hardware ID of the licensed server component, which is a short character string of the computer's hard disk ID, Ethernet MAC address, and other unique hardware elements. It is generated during the installation process and used to identify the hardware platform on which Automate Enterprise is installed. Whenever the server component starts, the license key and the hardware ID are examined to determine software validity.
Current Key The currently applied license key. This key along with a matching hardware ID verifies that the software license is valid and used in accordance with the End User License Agreement (EULA). This license requirement is also used to reduce piracy by ensuring that the software is not being used on any device other than the one for which it was purchased.
NOTE: To migrate Automate Enterprise from one computer to another, contact keys@helpsystems.com. For more details, see Obtaining Permanent License.
Status The status of the currently applied license. A license state can be one of the following:
  • Key Valid - The applied license key is valid until the specified expiration date (displayed in the Expires parameter).
  • Key Valid (Key will expire within the next 30 days) - The applied license key is valid but will expire within the next 30 days. This warning is displayed in yellow text to alert the user. In addition, an expiration warning banner will appear each time Server Management Console is opened.
  • Key Valid (Key will expire within the next 7 days) - The applied license key is valid but will expire within the next 7 days. This warning is displayed in red text to alert the user. In addition, an expiration warning banner will appear each time Server Management Console is opened.
  • Key Expired - The applied license key is expired. This message is displayed in red text to alert the user. In addition, an expiration banner will appear each time Server Management Console is opened. Software functionality is limited until the license is renewed.
Expires The expiration date of the applied license.
Maintenance Expires

The maintenance expiration date. The software version has direct ties to the license key’s maintenance period. When a version is installed which was released after the license key’s maintenance has expired, the user will be unable to access any functionality within the product. If there is no maintenance expiration associated with the license, this property will not be displayed.

Licenses

 The total number of components and objects tied to the current license. This can include the Execution and Management Server, Development Tools (SMC), Agents, WebSMC, Actions and Conditions. For those that purchased individual actions and conditions, the total number of available actions/conditions are displayed in parenthesis followed by the total number of currently licensed actions/conditions. To view a list of licensed vs. unlicensed actions and conditions, click the Actions or Conditions link. For more details, see Licensing & Maintenance.

Account Creation & Activation

A license is required for all installations of Automate Enterprise. Licenses are assigned to user accounts which are used to activate and validate the software. In order to gain access to a license, an account needs to be created through the website or by phone. New users can register by completing our simple registration form. The new account can be used to download and evaluate a fully functional copy of Automate Enterprise before making a purchase. The new account can also be linked to any future production (purchased) licenses along with maintenance and service.

To Activate Automate Enterprise or Development Tools

  1. After successfully installing Automate Enterprise, opening Server Management Console for the first time will take you to the License page.

  2. Copy the obtained license key and paste it onto the Apply new key field (shown below), then click Apply.

  1. Upon completion, a  message will appear confirming a successful activation of both the server component and development tools.

NOTE: Automate Enterprise agents are handled through a Client Access License (CAL) validated by the Automate Enterprise component, therefore, activation is not required for deployed agents. Client Access Licenses are automatically authenticated and made active during the deployment process.

To Obtain a Permanent (Purchased) License

A permanent (paid) Automate Enterprise license is tied to a specific computer. For those who wish to migrate their copy of the software from one computer to another or upgrade from a one version to another (i.e. upgrade from Automate to Automate Enterprise), a new permanent license key must be acquired. To obtain a new permanent key, the hardware ID and license key of the system where Automate is currently installed needs to be captured. See Obtaining Permanent License for more details.