Web-based Application: License Administrator Console (LAC)

The License Administrator Console (LAC) is a web-based application that allows ReliaSoft's customers to manage the users who have access to the software based on the purchased license. Access to the LAC will be provided to customers with ReliaSoft-hosted Floating Licenses (Version 10 and later) or Concurrent Network Licenses (Version 9 and earlier).

These licenses are designed to be self-administering, and using the LAC is not a pre-requisite for your users to activate and use ReliaSoft's applications. If you don't use the LAC, the ReliaSoft License Server will simply allow any user who possesses the license key to activate the application on as many computers as they wish, until the maximum number of seats or Named User Activations is reached. The LAC is a convenience; it provides a portal for administrators to monitor usage and perform related administrative tasks.

How Do Concurrent Network Licenses Work?

A Concurrent Network License provides a specific number of Named User Activations, which is the maximum number of computers on which a named user can activate the application (i.e., make it available for operation). Out of that pool of Named User Activations, only a certain number can use the software at the same time. The number of Concurrent Access Licenses (CALs) determines how many computers can access the software simultaneously.

A Named User Activation can be in one of three states:

• Available
• Activated: A user has installed the application on a computer and registered the combination of his/her name and the computer's machine PIN.
• Assigned: An administrator has associated the user with the application, thereby reserving a Named User Activation for that user without the user currently having the product activated on a computer.

A CAL can be in one of three states:

• Available
• In use: A user currently has the application open on a computer.
• Checked out: A user has temporarily reserved the CAL for his/her exclusive use, until the CAL is checked in or until the checkout expires. The application may or may not currently be open.

How Do Floating Licenses Work?

The Floating License is assigned to an organization with multiple regular and occasional users on a single network of computers at one or more specified Locations, depending on the type of Floating License obtained.

There is no restriction on how many users can install the application; however, the number of Floating Licenses under license indicates the maximum number of computers that can concurrently access the application at any given time. As an example, for a Floating License with ten (10) seats, the application can be installed on as many computers as you deem necessary, with only ten (10) of those computers being able to access the application at the same time. If a user attempts to access the application from an eleventh (11th) computer, the user must wait until one of the other ten users ends their session and releases a seat.

Users are allowed to check out or borrow a Floating License from the license server for a specified period of time. This reduces the number of seats available to other users until the licenses are returned.

Signing Into the LAC

The LAC can be accessed at http://validate.ReliaSoft.org/usermanagement/Login.aspx. To sign into the LAC, enter the e-mail address that you have on file with ReliaSoft and the password that you have been assigned, then click Sign in. You can select the Remember my e-mail when I return check box to pre-populate your e-mail address on future visits to the LAC.

If you cannot remember your password, click the Forgot your password? link to have a new password generated for you and sent to your e-mail address.

Using the LAC

You can view details for any of the Concurrent Network License keys for which you are the administrator. The area at the top of the LAC allows you to specify the license that you want to work with in the other two sections.

Products Associated with the Selected Product License Key

The middle section of the LAC provides information about each of the products associated with the selected license.

This section serves a number of purposes. You can:

• Monitor usage levels for the selected license. This can help you decide whether the current limits are adequate or if you might want to consider purchasing more.
• Determine who is using the Named User Activations and the CALs. This information allows you to determine whom to contact if limits on either quantity are exceeded. To view this information, click the number (which is a link if the number is greater than 0) in the Activated/Assigned column or in the In Use or Checked Out column. The Current Usage Report will appear.
  • For Named User Activations, the report shows each Named User Activation that is not available, either because it has been activated or because it has been assigned.
  • For CALs, the report shows each CAL that is unavailable to the general user pool, either because it is in use or because it has been checked out.

• Specify which products you want to manage. If you select a product's check box in the Include column, then users associated with that product (either by activation or by assignment) will be shown in the bottom section of the LAC.

Users Associated with the Selected Product License Key

The bottom section of the LAC allows you to view and manage the users that are associated with products via the selected Product License Key. The products included in this section are determined by your selections in the Include column in the table above.

You can use this section to:

• View license usage for a particular user. Click the user's name in the Included Users list to display relevant information in the table on the right. In the default view, if a CAL is marked with >> in the Current CAL column, then the CAL is checked out. 
  
  If desired, you can select the History: Show option above the table to display additional columns that provide historical information on activation and CAL use. Note that the Last CAL Granted column shows the date/time the most recent CAL was granted. This CAL may or may not be current; CALs marked with ** are current. If the CAL is current, then the Last CAL Returned column refers to the previous CAL, if any. If a CAL is checked out, the expiration date/time for the checkout is shown in the Checked Out Thru column. If a checkout expires and the CAL cannot be taken back because the computer is not connected to the ReliaSoft License Server, it will be shown as overdue in this column. Once the computer is reconnected to the ReliaSoft License Server, the checked out CAL will be taken back and a new CAL granted if necessary.

• Deactivate a product. If a user is unable to access a product in order to deactivate it on his/her computer, you can deactivate it from within the LAC. The Deactivate button is available only if the user does not currently have a CAL in use or checked out. If the user has activated the product on only one computer, then you will need to choose whether to keep the product assigned to the user, thereby reserving a Named User Activation for the user, or to remove the assignment. If the user has activated the product on multiple computers, the deactivation will be performed only on the selected computer.

• Manage user information and assigned products. You can reserve a Named User Activation by assigning the product to the user via the LAC. If the user is not already associated with the Product License Key, click Associate a new user with this license key. If the user is associated with the Product License Key (i.e., already has at least one product activated or assigned), choose the name in theIncluded Users list and click Modify this user's name and assigned products. The User Information and Product Assignment window will appear.

• Remove a user and any assigned products. Click the user's name in the Included Users list and then click Remove user and assigned products. In the Remove User window, make sure the user you wish to remove is selected, then click OK to remove the user, along with any product activations or assignments, from the Product License Key. Additionally, if the user is not associated with any other Product License Keys and is not a license administrator, the user will be removed from association with the institution, and will no longer appear in any list. Note that you cannot remove a user from the Product License Key if the user currently has a CAL in use or checked out.

• Send a password recovery e-mail to a user. A user can also request this from within the software and it will be sent automatically, without input from an administrator.