1.4 Licensing DPM Authority

Overview

DPM Authority uses a server-based licencing mechanism. Licensees of DPM Authority will be provided with a single activation key which can be activated on multiple computers (depending on how many user licences have been purchased). 

When a licence key is used on a computer - it becomes bound to that computer ID. A licence can be transferred from one computer/server to another by first deactivating it from the old computer, and then activating it on the new computer. This can be done using the Licence Self-Help Portal or by contacting support.

There are two methods for activating a licence:

1. Online Activation
2. Offline Activation

For scenarios where DPM Authority will be packaged for deployment to multiple computers within an organisation, the activation key can be included in the package to enable automatic licensing for end-users when launching the software for the first time. See the section titled Assisted Software Deployment below.

Online Activation

Online Activation is the easiest method for activating the licence and for implementing changes to the licence, such as licence period extensions or changes to licensed features. For this to occur, the Report Authority client will need to be able to communicate with our licence server at the following address:

https://quicklicensemanager.com/authoritysoftware

If your organisation's IT security policy prevents such communication, consider whitelisting this address, or fall back to the offline method described below. 

When DPM Authority can communicate with the licence server, licence details will be updated automatically each time the application is launched. This allows for completely automated licence period extensions or changes to licensed features. Without this, you would have to follow the offline activation method to bring any changes to your licence into effect.

To activate DPM Authority using the online method, click File - Licence - Activate Licence:

Then choose Online Activation:

Paste your activation key into the form and click Activate:

If you get an error that states there are no more licences available, you can deactivate the licence on a computer that is no longer being used (see Licence Self-Help Portal), or contact support to purchase an additional licence.

Once licenced, the licence details will be displayed in File - Licence:

If the DPM Authority client is prevented from communicating with the licence server, or the computer does not have access to the internet, the licence can be activated using the Offline method. This will involve using the Licence Self-Help Portal in a browser on any computer or smartphone. QR codes are provided to assist the process if using a smartphone.

Offline Activation

To activate DPM Authority using the Offline method, click FIle - Licence - Activate Licence:

Then choose Offline Activation:

Your computer ID will be automatically populated.  Paste your activation key in the appropriate box, then click the Get button to the right of the Computer bound key input box. This will launch your browser on the Licence Self-Help Portal.

If you access this page by clicking on the Get button, your activation key and computer ID should already be populated.  if not, enter the values. In the second input box, make sure to select DPM Authority:

Put a checkmark in the "Generate license file" option box:

Then click Activate. This will generate a Computer key and download a file with the name "LicenseFile.xml":

Copy this computer key and paste it into the Computer bound key input box in Report Authority:

Finally, click the Browse button to the right of the Licence file location input box and locate the LicenseFile.xml that you downloaded from the Licence Self-Help Portal and click the Activate button:

Please note this process will need to be repeated for any change to the licence details, such as licence term or licenced features.

The file LicenseFile.xml can be safely deleted once activated.

Assisted Software Deployment

Where DPM Authority will be packaged for deployment to multiple computers within an organisation, the activation key can be included in the package to enable silent and automatic licensing for end users.  This will however only work if the Report Authority client can communicate with the licence server at https://quicklicensemanager.com/authoritysoftware.

To automate the activation of the software, open the file C:\Program Files (x86)\Authority Suite\DPM Authority vX.X\Configuration\AppLevelLicence.config in a text editor:

Paste the activation key into the ActivationKey property and save the file:

Once deployed, when the DPM Authority is launched by the end user, the software will attempt to activate itself automatically using the activation key found in the AppLevelLicence.config file.  

Please note that in this scenario - it is possible for an end user to temporarily use a different activation key in the case where they might want to evaluate additional unlicensed components, but the software will always revert to the activation key stored in the AppLevelLicence.config file when launched.

Using Report Authority in a Virtualised Environment

If DPM Authority is to be used in a virtualised environment, where it may be served to an individual user using any number of different servers, the default behaviour of binding the activation key to the computer ID will be problematic.  This is because the same user will need the licence activated on a different computer ID each time the application is launched.  In this case, the licence can instead be bound to the user name. Please contact support for details on how to do this.