Distributor Licensing - Remote Master License

This tutorial demonstrates how to deploy the USB LicenseKey Maker tool to a third party or distributor, in the remote master license mode. In this mode, the USB LicenseKey Maker tool does not contain the master license used to make the USB License Key (dongle). It must connect to the Activation Server to obtain the master license from the distributor account. Therefore, this mode is more flexible since you can update the master license in the Activation Server.

 

Since the USB LicenseKey Maker tool must connect to the Activation Server for authentication and authorization before each use, you must deploy the Activation Server first before you can deploy the USB LicenseKey Maker tool to a distributor. Please see Activation Server Deployment for details.

Setting up Activation Server

To set up the Activation Server for deploying the USB LicenseKey Maker tool, you must first create a product (e.g. My Distributor USB LicenseKey Maker) in the Products table. You can then specify the maximum number of USB License Keys allowed to be made, as well as the Master ID and Master License generated by LicenseKey Manager. In the remote master license mode, the Master ID and Master License encode Key Properties that will be used as the master license for the USB LicenseKey Maker tool.

To Generate Master ID and Master License

1.       Run LicenseKey Manager.

2.       From the Tools menu, select Generate Master ID.

3.       In the Generate Master ID dialog box, from the Program ID drop-down list, select Program ID of the application for which the USB LicenseKey Maker tool will make the USB License Key. Then, check the appropriate checkboxes of the flags, and click the Generate button. A Master ID is generated. Then, select the appropriate checkboxes of the flags, and click the Generate button. A Master ID is generated.

4.       Copy the Master ID. Then, go to the Main tab of the Key Properties pane. Paste the Master ID in the Registration ID field, and click the Check button.

5.       The Identification field shows the Key ID, Program ID, and flag decoded from the Master ID.

6.       From the Implementation drop-down list, select an implementation and set the appropriate licensing properties as you want.

7.       From the Main tab of the Key Properties pane, click the Generate button. The Master License is shown in the License Key field.

To Add a Product

1.       Log in to Activation Manager, and click the Products menu.

2.       Click the Insert New Product button. A new record is created.

3.       On the new record, click the Edit button.

4.       In the ProductName edit box, enter a name for the USB LicenseKey Maker tool.

5.       In the ProgramID edit box, enter Program ID of the application for which the USB LicenseKey Maker tool will make the USB License Key.

6.       In the MasterID and MasterLicense edit boxes, enter the Master ID and Master License generated by LicenseKey Manager.

7.       In the MaxActivation edit box, enter the maximum number of USB License Keys allowed to be made, or enter -1 for unlimited.

8.       In the ProductTitle edit box, enter the title of the application for which the USB LicenseKey Maker tool will make the USB License Key. The title will be shown in the Status box of the USB LicenseKey Maker tool.

9.       Click the Update button.

Deploying USB LicenseKey Maker

The steps of deploying the USB LicenseKey Maker tool are as follows. First, create a distributor account in the Activation Server. Second, use USB LicenseKey Manager to create the USB LicenseKey Maker tool. Note that, in the remote master license mode, you can define the master license in the step of creating a product in the Activation Server.

To Add an Account

1.       Log in to Activation Manager, and click the Accounts menu.

2.       Below the menu bar, under New Account, select a distributor product you have created from a drop-down list. Then, click the Insert New Account button. A new record is created.

3.       On the new record, click the Edit button.

4.       You can enter the distributor information in the provided fields such as FirstName, LastName, Company, Email, etc.

5.       Click the Update button.

To Create USB LicenseKey Maker

1.       Run USB LicenseKey Manager.

2.       In the Main tab of the Key Properties pane, from the Program ID drop-down list, select Program ID of the application for which the USB LicenseKey Maker tool will make the USB License Key.

3.       From the Implementation drop-down list, select None.

4.       Optionally, from the File menu, you can click Set Key Value to generate 10 random key-value pairs to be stored in the Key. The Key Value can be accessible if you protect your application using the KeyCheck API.

5.       Optionally, from the File menu, you can click Set Content Files to specify the folder that contains the content files of the application. All files will be copied to the USB License Key automatically during the making.

6.       From the File menu, click Create Distributor Tool.

7.       In the Create USB LicenseKey Maker for Distributor dialog box, under the Title box, enter the title of the USB LicenseKey Maker tool.

8.       Under the Web Service URL box, enter the web service URL of the Activation Server that authenticates and authorizes the USB LicenseKey Maker tool (e.g. https://demo.eleckey.net/service.asmx).

9.       Under the Security Options box, enable the Enable node-locked license checkbox if you want to protect the USB LicenseKey Maker tool with a node-locked license. You must specify the System Image file (.SIF) generated by ElecKey Integrator, which contains the protection settings.

10.    Enable the Embed distributor account checkbox if you want to create the USB LicenseKey Maker tool for a specific distributor account only. You must enter the User ID of the distributor account in the Activation Server.

11.    Click the Create button. Then, enter a file name for the USB LicenseKey Maker tool, and click the Save button. The USB LicenseKey Maker tool is created.

 

To deploy the USB LicenseKey Maker tool to a third party or distributor, simply deliver the executable program file of the USB LicenseKey Maker tool along with the Activation Key of the distributor account.

 

You can monitor the distributor account by logging in to Activation Manager. In the Accounts table, the ActivationCount field shows the number of USB License Keys used up. In the Control page, the Activation Logs pane displays log entries of all USB License Keys that were made.

Using USB LicenseKey Maker

An authorized third party or distributor can use the USB LicenseKey Maker tool to turn a USB drive into a USB License Key to license (or unlock) the protected application. Since the USB LicenseKey Maker tool must connect to the Activation Server before each use, please ensure that the computer has an Internet connection. When connected, the distributor account will be verified and the number of USB License Keys allowed to be made will be updated.

To Make USB License Keys

1.       Run USB LicenseKey Maker.

2.       Enter the Activation Key in the Activation Key field. Then, click the Connect button.

3.       When connected to the server, the Status box will display the product title and the number of USB License Keys allowed to be made.

4.       Click the Make Key button. The Make Key dialog box appears.

5.       Attach one or several blank USB drives (via a USB hub) to your computer.

6.       In the Make Key dialog box, select the checkboxes of the drives you want to make the USB License Key. Then, click the Make button.

See Also

·         USB LicenseKey Maker