For registration, Apteryx products can utilize token, subscription, or legacy licensing models.
Token Registration
The newest version of product licensing. It is used by all new (and most existing) Apteryx\XVCapture customers. With this model, 1 registration code is generated and added to our Azure registration site (https://xvreg.azurewebsites.net/License). We then associate “tokens” with that one registration number. The token count coincides with the number of computers in that organization that will be running the software that the reg code is for (ie. XVCapture, Data Grabber, etc). The registration code is also added to a file called “ApteryxINI.ini” inside the software installation folder. When a user launches the software from a computer, the software reaches out to our Azure registration server, grabs a token (if one is available) and then opens for the user (Tokens are held by PCs for a 24 hour period). If there are no tokens available, the user will receive a message informing them that all tokens are in use.
Pros: Easier to deploy (thanks to the single INI file required), track and control than the legacy registration method.
Cons: It does require that the systems in use can communicate via the web with our registration server, and in some customer cases (the DoD as an example) that is difficult/impossible.
Legacy Registration Numbers
With the legacy registration method, different registration numbers are generated for each installation of the software. A single registration code can contain more than one license, but those are specific to the use of that installation. (Ex. An office has a server and 5 acquisition computers. They would get a single, 5-user registration number). Licenses are only used by PCs that run the software. There is no licensing requirement for a server that just acts as a file share if that machine is not used to run the software. When a server is replaced, or the software is moved to a different machine, the legacy registration number must be reset so that the user can utilize it again to register the software in its new location.
Pros: Does not have to actively communicate with our registration server after the initial activation.
Cons: Moving software requires us to reset codes. Different codes are required for different install instances which becomes difficult when large organizations must track codes specific to various sites and computers.
Subscription Registration
Subscription License Codes are largely the same as legacy registration codes. The only difference is that we can set a subscription timeframe for the codes to be active. Once that timeframe elapses, the software will no longer open unless the subscription period is extended out. We are currently using this model for new Data Grabber installations.
Pros: Gives us more control to stop services when necessary.
Cons: Codes still need to be added and reset in the same fashion as legacy codes. Also requires that the systems in use can communicate via the web with our registration server which can sometimes be problematic on certain networks.