on the device. The technician would then only
have to use a browser to call that webserver.
License
Central
Firewall
Device
Device
Device
Bridges and Ferries
Whenever a device cannot or must not create
an outbound connection with the Internet, a
separate computer can often be used as a
bridge. That computer is located on the in-
ternal network and can therefore access the
target device. At the same time, the computer
can make the connection with CodeMeter
License Central on the Internet. A service
technician would initiate the update, which
would then be transferred automatically
without any further manual intervention by
the technician.
This can be implemented in two ways: The first
option is to include the entire technology in
a webserver that is usually already available
License
Central
Firewall
The second option is a customized Software
Activation Wizard on the technician’s com-
puter. The wizard uses the gateway API to
communicate with CodeMeter License Central
and a proprietary protocol to speak with the
target device, which is usually already made
available by the device’s maker. Typically, only
three new types of transactions need to
be added: Listing CmContainers, receiving
the context file of CmContainers, and using
update files for CmContainers.
Using a software activation wizard offers
another great advantage: If it is not possible
to create a simultaneous connection with the
device and with the Internet, the context and
update files can be ‘parked’ and the process
broken down into three separate steps. The
third and final step is optional, as it only
handles the receipts. This approach could be
visualized as a ferry service that moves from
riverbank to riverbank.
License Transfer (Move)
In this scenario, any number of licenses can
be transferred onto a CmDongle (the transfer
dongle). The target device that these licenses
are intended for does not have to be known
at this point. A service technician would use
the transfer dongle and connect his laptop
with the target device, resembling the bridge
with CodeMeter License Central. The license is
again transferred as in the case of the bridge:
A special lean Software Activation Wizard
uses the proprietary protocol to transfer the li-
censes, and the mentioned three transactions
again handle the process.
is known to CodeMeter License Central, a
context file of the CmContainer on the user’s
device will be available in CodeMeter License
Central, and the update file can be created
for the target device. No data from the
device, except the serial number of the used
CmContainer, is needed to create the license
update. The assignment between license and
CmContainer can already be made when cre-
ating the license in CodeMeter License Central
or later by the technician on site, when they
download the license update.
The update file can be imported onto the de-
vice via a memory stick, requiring only one
new transaction “Using update files”. All
of this can happen locally on the target
device without any additional computer or
proprietary protocol, or the bridge approach
can be replicated by importing the file via a
webserver and browser on the technician’s
computer.
It is not a problem if an update is missed in
this case. If CodeMeter License Central did
not receive a confirmation that the license
has arrived at the target device, it will include
all older updates in the next update. This is
transparent for the user, as the updates are all
packaged up in one combo-file.
This resembles the ferry scenario, with the only
difference that the selection of a CmContainer
in CodeMeter License Central or WebDepot is
replaced by the creation of the context file. This
can be done beforehand without technicians
needing physical access to the target device
The magic happens offline in this case, which is
a blessing and a curse. No Internet connection
is required, but that also
means that CodeMeter
License Central has no up-
to-date information about
the licenses’ current state,
which limits the ability
to update licenses. The
approach is particularly
good for rolling out indi-
vidual additional licens-
es (as separate Product
Items), but not for upda-
ting licenses.
Push It
Device
Device
Device
Let us return to the push
approach: Once a device
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