License Control

Introduction

Learn about keyed and unkeyed license control and how to create a keyed or unkeyed license control.

Keyed and Unkeyed License Control

All transactions between clients and KeyServer can be logged, so in addition to KeyServer's real-time control of current software usage, you can create usage reports based on the logged data. Although you may find that software usage reports alone suffice to document license compliance, you may want to also use KeyServer's ability to actually control usage.

Keyed Programs - Control with security
For secure license metering and piracy prevention, use KeyConfigure to extract a "key" from a program. The key is held by the KeyServer and it is served back to the "keyed" program at launch time, but only if there is a license available. KeyConfigure automatically creates a license Control item for the keyed program and this is where you configure the proper usage limit and other license options.

Unkeyed Programs - Control without security
KeyServer can be configured to control an unkeyed program in almost exactly the same way it controls a keyed program, but the Control item is not created automatically. If you want usage control, you must explicitly create a Control item for the unkeyed program and then configure it in the same way that you configure the Control for a keyed program.

Since a keyed program will not run without getting its key from the KeyServer, it can be freely distributed and copied without risk of piracy. KeyServer cannot protect an unkeyed program from piracy even if KeyServer is set to control its usage. KeyServer makes no attempt to lock down files or to prevent copying; users can copy keyed and unkeyed programs alike and transfer them to other computers or take them offsite. But the keyed programs will not run offsite without permission from KeyServer, while the unkeyed programs will.

Creating a Control - Unkeyed

From the Controls menu, select "Show Unkeyed Actions".

The following dialog will display:

Every time KeyConfigure is launched this window is automatically updated, but unlike the Active Controls and Users windows, there is no scheduled refresh. You must initiate further updates explicitly.

Highlight a red program name in the list and then confirm the ignored action by clicking on the green Set Action button at the top right of the window. The red type will change to black to show that you have explicitly configured this unkeyed program action.

In this example, we select ResEdit and click on the blue Set Action button to create a Control. The following dialog will display:

Click OK. Then a new line labeled "ResEdit 2.1.3 Control" will appear in the Active Controls window. The blue square icon indicates that it is a Control for an unkeyed program.

If you launch a copy of this newly controlled program on one of your client computers. You will see the default "post launch message" that confirms KeyServer control. If you double click on the Control for this program in KeyConfigureÕs Active Controls window, or hold down the option key while double clicking on the program name in the Unkeyed Actions window. You can customize or delete the post-launch message under the General tab. Customize the license limit under the Licenses tab.

Creating a Control - Keyed

KeyConfigure extracts a small "key" from the program file and this is transferred to KeyServer for storage in the Active Controls file on Windows. The key is tagged internally with the complete program signature, version, and creation date so it is sure to match the exact keyed program version.

The resulting keyed program gets a new name formed by appending the ¤ symbol to the original name. The original unkeyed program is untouched.

A new Control is automatically created as you key a program. When you launch the new keyed program copy you will see the default post-launch message which confirms that the program is under KeyServer control. Use Configure to customize or delete the message and to set up licensing options as above.

Unlike unkeyed programs, deleting the Control for a keyed program from the Active Controls window does not revert the program to its previous state. The only way to revert is to throw away the keyed program and use a backup copy Ð this is why the keying process begins by making a duplicate. Also, updating software will not work properly on a "keyed version" of the application only on the unkeyed backup.

If for any reason the Control for a particular keyed program is removed from the Active Controls file, all keyed copies of that particular keyed program will become useless. To regain functionality for the keyed program copies, you can either re-key an original unkeyed program (so your KeyServer once again has a key) or use a backup copy of the Active Controls file to restore the original key and Control.

A single Macintosh program may exist in three different executable file formats: 68000 only, PowerPC only, and "Fat" (which runs on either processor). The PowerPC only case usually includes a 68000 "stub" to gracefully inform a user that the program wonÕt run when launched on a 68000 machine. KeyConfigure must extract a key from both the 68000 and PowerPC sides of a Fat application (unless the 68000 side is merely a stub). KeyConfigure automatically groups the corresponding Controls together under a single "Suite Control" (see below) so all program versions are managed by a shared usage limit.

To create a Control for an application, select "Install Key..." from the Controls menu.

The following dialog will prompt you to select the application.

Zero Footprint
A Zero Footprint install is available to take care of a few Macintosh programs that check themselves for modifications before running. Always test a program after you key it. If it complains about being modified and will not run, drag the useless keyed program in the trash, and delete its Control (see the Clear command above). Reinstall with the Use "Zero Footprint" Patch option checked.

After you click the Install button, the tabbed Control Details dialog box appears. With this dialog box, you can tailor the Control to your requirements. Change any details that require modification and click OK.