Transferring an internet-based conzept 16 license to another server is quick and easy. Unlike the procedures used by other software vendors, there is no need to uninstall, reactivate, or re-register the license beforehand. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure the transfer goes smoothly.
From a technical standpoint, the license to be transferred consists of the license number in the form of an IDN file (License Identity File). However, this file is not static; its content is typically updated once a day. Therefore, the IDN file must be handled in the same way as the database during a migration: at a defined point in time, both the database and the license are transferred from the old system to the new one. When reinstalling the conzept 16 database server, the IDN file should initially not be installed.
The internet-based license prevents simultaneous operation on more than one system using a rating system; the result is the so-called reputation, divided into two values for the license and the computer on which it is installed. Before migration, you must check the license’s reputation. Reputation is not a static value; rather, it decreases when the system configuration of the host machine changes. To enable migration to another system, the total reputation value must be greater than 15; otherwise, operation on the new server is not possible.
To check a license’s reputation, you can use the program c16_licinfo.exe or the Control Center. Another option is the Customer Center. In the Licenses section under Details, you can view the current rating.
In addition to a sufficient license reputation, the new server must have an Internet connection at the time of the license transfer, as a change in the computer configuration requires an update of the data in the IDN file; otherwise, the license cannot be used.
After migrating the database and license, the IDN file should be deleted from the old system, and the conzept 16 database server should be uninstalled.
The internet-based license for conzept 16 checks in with the vectorsoft license servers once a day. During this process, the server grants the license an extension of its validity. If you forget to delete the .idn file on the ‘old’ system, two systems with the same license ID will now check in with the server. In this case, the license server detects this, and the entry ‘Old License Key used’ is created in the log file of the manager process (c16_serv_mgr.lgb). If two systems with the same license identity file report to the license servers, the system on which the license was originally installed will, without exception, receive a validity extension. Because the ‘old’ machine reports regularly to the license server, it receives the extension, while the validity of the ‘new’ system is not extended. With each report from the ‘new’ server, the license reputation decreases. In the foreseeable future, this will result in the ‘new’ server no longer being usable.
Entry in the log fileMultiple entries of the message “Old License Key used” in the log file indicate that the license is being used multiple times. Since this log entry is classified as a “warning,” a notification is sent via email. It is therefore important that the /Blog/2013/07/Automatic-Email-Notification feature of the conzept 16 server is set up.
Another measure for the early detection of multiple use is the regular review of the license rating. This information can be retrieved via the web service. The “reputation” element contains the ‘license’ and “host” elements, which describe the license’s reputation. If the rating deteriorates noticeably for no apparent reason, this may be an indication of multiple use.
Measures can also be taken on the part of the conzept 16 application. The function DbaLicense(_DbaLicenseIdnValidThru) can be used to determine the validity of an internet-based license. The result returns the date and time when the license identity file expires. For example, a message can appear within the application or an email can be sent if the validity period is less than five days.
If a license can no longer be used due to its poor reputation, our support team can resolve the issue by resetting the license reputation. However, if this occurs in the evening or on the weekend, vectorsoft support is unavailable. For these cases, vectorsoft provides our software partners with so-called emergency codes. With an emergency code, it is possible to reset the license rating.