Overview of the Autopass licensing solution

PPM adopts the Autopass licensing solution. It simplifies the license generation and validation process, supports more product license types, offers flexible license installation options, and simplifies product license management.

Simplified license activation and validation process

To activate and generate an Autopass license, simply go to the Software Licenses and Downloads Portal. See Install licenses.

When installing an Autopass license key file, PPM validates the IP address of the PPM Server against that assigned in the license file. For a clustered environment, IP address assigned in the license file shall match that of the primary node in the cluster, otherwise you may receive a "0 license key(s) installed successfully" message.

Invalid licenses (expired license, or a license with IP address not matching that of the machine where you plan to install the license) will not be installed.

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More product license types

In addition to the perpetual product license (or term license), trial license and evaluation license are also available with PPM. This allows new customers to try and evaluate PPM features and functionalities.

  • Trial license

    For fresh install of PPM, a trial license is always automatically generated and activated for you right away, which allows you to try and use PPM modules for 60 days with limited number of users for different modules. Trial license has the lowest priority.

    Tip: To view the features and capacity available with a trial license, you can check the PPM Workbench License Administration window (PPM Workbench > System Admin > License).

  • Evaluation license

    An Autopass license key file that you generate from the Software Licenses and Downloads Portal with a specified start date and end date. The evaluation license allows you to use an authorized set of PPM modules for an authorized period of time. When you install an evaluation license, it overrides the system-default trial license.

  • Perpetual license (or term license)

    An Autopass license key file that you generate from the Software Licenses and Downloads Portal. The perpetual or term license allows you to use an authorized set of PPM modules for an authorized period of time. When you install a perpetual or term license, it overrides the trial license and evaluation license (if available), regardless of how long the valid period for the perpetual or term license is. For example, if your evaluation license expires in three months, but your term license expires in two months, when you install the term license, it overrides the evaluation license and the end date is displayed as that of the term license.

If your evaluation license or term license expires within 60 days of the product installation, or you remove the evaluation license or term license within 60 days of the product installation, the system-default trial license will become effective, until it expires.

The evaluation licenses and term licenses are additive. For example, if different term licenses are installed with different dates, the capacity of different licenses are added together, and the expiration dates for all current licenses are displayed the same in the License Administration window of PPM Workbench, that is, the expiration date for the license that will expire the earliest.

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More flexible license installation options

For new PPM customers, when installing PPM for the first time, you have the following options:

  • If you do not have an evaluation license or a perpetual product license, you can select the No thanks. I will install the license later. option in the Choose License page of the installation wizard. A trial license will be generated automatically and activated for you right away, which allows you to use limited features of PPM for 60 days.

    Before the trial license expires, if you wish to experience the full features of PPM, you can obtain an Autopass license file from the Software Licenses and Downloads Portal and install the license.

  • If you have an evaluation license or perpetual product license , you can install the Autopass license key file by using one of the following ways:

    • In the Choose License window during PPM Center installation process, or

    • After the installation of PPM, before the trial license expires, install the license.

For existing PPM Center customers with active support contract, you can go to the Software Licenses and Downloads Portal, select My software updates, and enter your SAID (Service Agreement ID) number to get PPM Software Updates and new license key required for the updates. After successful upgrade, to start PPM Server properly, you must install the Autopass license you received from Micro Focus.

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Simplified product license management

A new Administration Console tool (Administration Console > Administration Task > License) is added to allow you manage product license easily. Using the Administration Console tool, you can:

  • Install an Autopass license file without having to stop and restart the PPM Server.
  • View a summary of licenses installed on the PPM Server, including license capacity and expiration dates.
  • Remove an Autopass license file easily.

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No need to restart PPM server

Licenses installed are stored in the PPM database, instead of the file system. This makes it possible for the installed licenses to become effective right away after installation. There is no need to stop and restart the PPM Server.

In a clustered environment, you can install an Autopass license on any node of the cluster. The installed license becomes effective for the entire cluster right away, no need to stop and restart the node. For details, see Install licenses in a clustered environment.

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See also: