Reprise
License Manager (RLM) Internet Activation
NEW! To see a
demonstration of RLM activation,
click here
RLM Internet
Activation is a standard part of the RLM
providing ISVs with the tool they need to simplify the
delivery and installation of their customer's license keys.
RLM
Internet Activation is a collection of web-based
services that software vendors can deploy on their website so that customers
can retrieve their licenses automatically over the Internet.
Simplifying The End-User Experience:
Activation happens as an
integrated part of your product, or it can be accessed
through a standard browser
Software vendors control RLM Internet Activation
services directly within their applications via the RLM API.
When you use the API, you are in complete control of the
look-and-feel of the entire licensing process. Your customers
simply enter the activation key that you sent to them at the
time of purchase. If you ship your
software as boxed products, you can print the activation key
on the box and ship it as part of the physical deliverables. If you
allow software downloads, the activation key can be part of
the electronic receipt containing the download instructions.
If you chose not to integrate RLM Internet
Activation into your product but you still want to
activate over the internet, RLM also comes with an optional GUI program that your
customers can use to connect to the same RLM Internet
Activation server running on your website.
How does RLM
Internet Activation Work?
Using the Internet activation features of
RLM is straightforward and easy. You start by using RLM's
License Center (RLC) to interactively
define your products in terms of the kinds of licenses that
are needed to activate them (permanent, expiring demo,
etc.). Once your products are defined, RLC creates a series of "activation keys" for each
defined product.
An activation key resembles a 16-digit credit card number
(0123-4567-8901-2345). Activation keys are not RLM
licenses themselves, instead they are "tickets" that your customers use
to claim their permanent RLM licenses over the Internet.
Activation keys can enable any license type including trial
licenses, single-seat licenses, and floating licenses. They
can also be used for bulk activations at your largest and
best customers or through your distribution channel. Bulk orders require only a single activation
key that can be re-used until the all the ordered licenses
have been fulfilled. That's it. Now, all you need to do is
to install the RLM Internet Activation
software on your web server or on a hosting service of your
choice. And away you go.
To watch a video on the basic operation of
RLM and a simple example of RLM Internet Activation, please
click here.
Benefits of Internet Activation:
Frequently Asked Activation Questions:
What license delivery challenges does RLM
Internet Activation address?
Automatically retrieve the hostid:
Licensed applications
require a license key to run, so end-users must obtain a license
key by from their vendor by identifying the hostid (system id)
of the machine where the application is to run. In the past,
this process was sometimes clumsy. Some vendors would require
that the hostid(s) accompany the order. This was problematic
because customers often ordered software before they knew where
the software was to be installed (volume licenses or new
projects). To shortcut the process, "place-holder" licenses were
created using a bogus hostid so that the vendor could invoice
the customer right away, but that meant more work for the vendor
because the license would have to reissued once the permanent
hostid was determined.
Reduce support staff
load:
In other cases, vendors
would instruct their customers to call a hotline, fill in a web
form, or email a license key request with the hostid. Admin
staff would process the requests. This worked well for small
companies during standard business hours in the local time zone,
but customers work around the clock and they need licenses
immediately to get their work done, especially those who simply
need to reinstall their software after a crash - something that
often takes place during off-hours. Staffing a 24x7 hotline
specifically for this purpose incurs higher costs. As companies
grow, this license fulfillment process can become unwieldy.
Support bulk licenses: Large
customers often want to buy software in bulk to take advantage
of special volume discounts. If a customer buys the rights
to 200 node-locked licenses, he/she does not want to have to
process 200 separate license key transaction requests.
Enable evals and trials:
Evaluation licenses usually have an expiration date, but some
vendors don't want to issue them with a fixed date.
Instead, they want to issue a license that expires N-days from
installation or N-days after the license key is delivered.
Control t he User Experience:
Still other vendors want to incorporate activation into the
installation process to completely
hide the details of the license transaction from the user,
simplifying the whole experience.
Can I use RLM Internet Activation tools without the
Internet?
Yes. RLM License Center (RLC) can also be used by your
own admin staff as an easy-to-use license creation GUI. So, even
if you choose not to make the license activation server
available over the public Internet, your staff can still use it on
your Intranet to interactively create licenses for your
customers.
Even without the internet, it allows you to interactively define products
and create activation keys that can be used to create licenses
with a browser. You can then send the licenses to your
customers as an email attachment. The system is easy to deploy, and
you'll also benefit by having RLM create a record of license transactions created
through the system.
What does RLM Internet Activation cost?
There is no extra cost for RLM Internet Activation. It's a built-in standard part of the Reprise License Manager
(RLM) in versions 3.0 and higher.
What if my licensing activation scenarios are more
complex?
RLM Internet Activation is intended for relatively simple
activation scenarios; for more complex situations involving entitlement management,
electronic software downloads, e-commerce capabilities, Reprise Software suggests a
relationship with one of our License Fulfillment Partners.
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