on the license portal. The Software Activation
Wizard receives this file in response to the
creation of the new account, and the file is
automatically imported onto the user’s local
system. Next, the user enters a ticket; in
response, the requested licenses are imported
into the CmCloudContainer and immediately
made available for the user. From the user’s
point of view, all that needs to be entered is
a user name (typically an email address), a
new password, and the ticket. All of the rest
happens automatically and transparently, but
in the background.
New computer – Same
CmCloudContainer
One of the inherent advantages of a CmCloud-
Container is its location in the cloud, which
enables users to access it on the go. The
process is also easy when users install soft-
ware on a new computer. Upon launch, the
software will see that there is no license on
the new system, and the Software Activa-
tion Wizard springs into action. Alongside the
option of creating a new account, the wizard
can also use an existing account if the user
enters their username and password. The Soft-
ware Activation Wizard logs onto the license
portal with this information and retrieves
the credential file to be imported onto the
local computer. All activated licenses are now
immediately available on that device as well,
as the system has accessed the CmCloudCon-
tainer again.
When using a CmCloudContainer, the tem-
plate contains the access details for each user,
requiring one template per user – the so-
called credential file. Typically, this file is created
automatically for the user when a license is
first activated; otherwise, credential files can
be created and sent to their intended users
manually.
The standard workflow begins with the user
launching their software for the first time on
their computer. The software recognizes that
no license is yet available on the device and
starts the Software Activation Wizard. The
wizard allows the user to create an account in
the license portal, an extension of CodeMeter
WebDepot that is either hosted by Wibu-Sys-
tems on behalf of the software developer or
run on the developer’s own server. In the
background, the license portal then connects
with the CodeMeter Cloud Server operated
by Wibu-Systems, where a credential file is
created for the user in question and placed
There is no need to worry about licenses being
used more than they are meant to be: Even
a CmCloudContainer does not allow users
to use more licenses than they paid for. They
can import the CmCloudContainer they own
to any number of devices, but the license in
the container can only ever be used one at
a time. The system resembles network servers
using floating licenses. Users that own two
licenses can use them either concurrently on
one computer or separately on two computers.
This works because the licenses are not
accessed on the local computer, but in the
cloud – which is why users need to be online
when using a CmCloudContainer.
them. Licenses can be bound to the CmCon-
tainer already upon creation in CodeMeter
License Central, if the target CmContainer
is known at that point. When the software
is launched, the Software Activation Wizard
can check with CodeMeter License Central
whether any license updates are waiting
for this CmContainer and activate them
automatically if there are any. This process
works with all types of CmContainers, but
CmCloudContainers even allow software
developers to activate licenses immediately
with an auto-update trigger and without the
Software Activation Wizard coming into the
picture.
Dealing with lost passwords or
credential files
What happens when things go awry? The
license portal includes a set of standard options
for resetting a lost password, which require the
user’s email address.
A lost credential file can be replaced by
downloading it again from the license portal
or Software Activation Wizard. If the lost
credential file “turns up again” with another
user, that “user” would be able to access
the licensed software, instead of the rightful
owner. In such a scenario, the original owner
would have to request a new credential file
from the license portal, which would invalida-
te the previous file and prevent the “finder
from accessing the licenses, giving exclusive
access back to their true owner. If that user
works with several devices, they would have
to replace the credential file on all affected
devices. All of this happens automatically
without any manual intervention required
from the software vendor.
Adding more licenses
Adding more licenses to an existing CmCloud-
Container is easy and the same as the process
used with CmActLicenses and CmDongles:
The users enter their tickets and pick their
CmCloudContainer.
Since CmCloudContainers are always online by
nature, software developers can pre-activate
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