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Product Registration: All you wanted to know but were afraid to ask

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What??? Connectivity Kits and Visual DataFlex combined in one serial number? How can I use it? What about the web server? Can I use the same registration program to enter all my licenses? Which license should be active? And what does being active mean anyway?

If those questions have crossed your mind but you never really asked them, just carry on reading; this is your chance to get them all answered.

The Pieces: Types of Licenses

  • How does Data Access license its products?

Data Access products are licensed per server (web applications) or per user (Windows applications and Connectivity Kits) and you may have both types combined in a certain environment.

How can you be sure you have what you need and, at the same time, you are complying with Data Access license agreements? Just keep on reading!

  • What are the different licenses we can use with Visual DataFlex?


Basically we have four different kinds of licenses: Studio license, Client license, Web Server license and Connectivity Kit license.
  • The Studio license is needed in a development environment, to use the Studio to write Windows and Web applications, and compile and test those applications.
  • The Client license needs to be installed with your deployed Windows application along with the Visual DataFlex runtime and other deployment files.
  • The Web Server license must be present on a Web Application server in order to run Visual DataFlex Web applications.
  • The Connectivity Kit license is needed if your application – Windows or Web – runs against a non-native database (i.e. does not use DataFlex databases).

For more details on the variations within each type of license, please refer to the Visual DataFlex license agreement document installed with your Visual DataFlex product.

  • What types of licenses are available for Connectivity Kits?


The Connectivity Kit licenses offered are Connectivity-Kit-enabled, Connectivity-Kit internet and Connectivity-Kit regular licenses.
  • The Connectivity-Kit-enabled license is a Visual DataFlex license (Studio, Web Server or Client) that includes a Connectivity-Kit license in the same serial number.
  • The Connectivity-Kit internet license is a separate license/serial number that enables your Web environment to use one of the Connectivity Kits.
  • The Connectivity-Kit regular license is also a separate license/serial number that enables your runtime (i.e. development, or client) environment to use one of the Connectivity Kits.

  • Can all types of licenses be combined?

All licenses can be installed in the same environment, but some restrictions apply:

  • Connectivity-Kit-enabled licenses cannot be combined with other types of licenses
  • Evaluation licenses cannot be combined with any other license
  • Multiple serial numbers can only be applied to Client licenses (the total number of users will be the sum of all Client licenses combined) and Connectivity-Kit-enabled licenses (the total number of CK users will be the total entered for a Web Server Connectivity-Kit-enabled license and a Windows Connectivity-Kit-enabled license).
Starting from the beginning: Fundamentals

  • How do I check what licenses are part of my environment? Where do I enter/remove licenses for the products I have installed?

Visual DataFlex and the database Connectivity Kits for Windows all use the same Product Registration Program, Register.exe. That is the utility you will need to use to manage the licensed used in your environment. Register.exe is installed in the runtime (Bin) folder and you will find a link to it in the Programs menu.

This utility indicates at the bottom of its panel the locations used to read the information that is displayed: “Product Information read from”, that shows where the product files are checked, and “License Information read from”, that displays where the license information listed is found.

  • Can Web Application Server licenses be entered using the same registration program, Register.exe?

Yes, Register.exe is the program to be used to add and remove all licenses for Visual DataFlex and the database Connectivity Kits for Windows. If you use any other method to add a Web Application Server license, you may end up with errors when trying to run your web applications.

  • Where can I find more information on the Product Registration Program?

You can find out more in the Visual DataFlex Help under Development Tools | Product Registration.

  • Which products will be displayed in the Product Registration Program?

The products that may be displayed are the database Connectivity Kits (to connect to: DB2, Microsoft SQL Server, ODBC and Pervasive), Visual DataFlex (license types: Studio, Client and Server) and Electos, but only the products found in the directory indicated by “Product Information read from” will be listed as that is the only directory checked by the registration program.

  • In the Product Registration Program, why are some serial numbers bolded in the list and others are not?

The bold serial numbers indicate the product that is active in the list, the serial numbers that are in use.

  • What does being “active” mean?

Active means “by the rules of” this license. For example, if a Web Server license is made active, I will not be able to compile applications even if there is a Studio license present because Server licenses do not permit compiling programs. If, instead of the Web Server license, the Studio license is made active, the Web Server will run, but will have the (session) limitations of a Studio (test) web server.

Notice that the commands get_Licensed_Max_Users and get_Current_User_Count will return information on the current active license, the same one used to run the program executing these commands.

  • What types of licenses can be active?

Only Visual DataFlex licenses, i.e. Studio, Web Server and Client.

  • If Connectivity Kit licenses cannot be active, why are their serial numbers bolded?

The serial numbers in bold indicate the licenses that are in use. The serial number displayed for the Connectivity Kits will always be bold because you can only use one serial number per Connectivity Kit at a time.

The only time you will see multiple serial numbers per Connectivity Kit is when you use multiple Connectivity-Kit-enabled licenses.

  • Will I have one serial number per product?

Prior to Visual DataFlex 12.1 each product would have its own serial number.

Starting with Visual DataFlex 12.1, we offer you the option of installing a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license that combines Visual DataFlex and Connectivity Kits licenses in the same serial number.

  • What does Connectivity-Kit-enabled mean?

Connectivity-Kit-enabled licenses are combined licenses that enable your Visual DataFlex applications to use any of the database Connectivity Kits with no extra license or registration.

In that case, you will have the same serial number and the same number of licensed users for Visual DataFlex and database Connectivity Kits. Therefore, when you enter the registration information for one serial number, you register both Visual DataFlex and Connectivity Kits at the same time.

If the active license uses a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license, the Visual DataFlex product and theConnectivity Kits, i.e. all products using the same serial number, will be bold.

  • What are the advantages of a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license?

A Connectivity-Kit-enabled license offer simpler registration process (you only need to enter one registration code), it gives you more flexibility in using the Connectivity Kits (you are licensed to use any Connectivity Kit), and it is more cost-effective than buying each of the licenses separately.

  • How can I identify that my license is Connectivity-Kit-enabled?

A Connectivity-Kit-enabled license will share the same serial number across products, i.e. Visual DataFlex and theConnectivity Kits will all have the same serial number.

  • Are there any other types of Connectivity-Kit licenses?

Yes, Connectivity Kits can be licensed using a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license, an internet license and a regular Connectivity Kit license.
Going deeper: Applying the Fundamentals

  • When should I use a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license?

You should purchase a Connectivity-Kit-enabled license whenever you need to use a database Connectivity Kit and the version of the database Connectivity Kit is 5 and above.

  • When would I use a Connectivity Kit internet license?

You should use an internet code if you already have a Web Server license and would like to add database connectivity capabilities. If using Connectivity Kit version 5 and above, you may also convert your Web Server license into a Web Server Connectivity-Kit-enabled license (recommended).

  • When would I use a regular Connectivity Kit license?

You should use a regular code if you already have a Visual DataFlex Client license and would like to add connectivity capabilities. If using Connectivity Kit version 5 and above, you may also convert your Client license into a Client Connectivity-Kit-enabled license (recommended).

  • How many serial numbers can I have for the Connectivity Kits?

You can only have one serial number at a time per Connectivity Kit. If you enter multiple licenses for the same Connectivity Kit, only the last one will be kept.

If you enter two or more Connectivity-Kit-enabled licenses, all their serial numbers will be listed for the Connectivity Kits in the registration program and the one in bold will be the one part of the active license.

  • Can the Connectivty Kit licenses part of a revision of the Visual DataFlex be used in a different revision of the Studio?

No. The Connectivity Kits licenses that are part of one Studio revision must be used in that Studio environment. A Connectivity Kit license is needed for any other environment other than the one that originally installed the Connectivity Kits.
Taking a closer look: Scenarios

  • If my machine will be the server for both my Windows and Web applications, what licenses should I have on that server? Which one should be active?

You will need a Web Server license and a client license for each user expected to run the Windows application. The Web Server should be the active license.

  • What if my Windows and Web applications both use Connectivity Kits, what licenses should I have?

You will need a Web Server Connectivity-Kit-enabled license and a Client Connectivity-Kit-enabled license – as many clients as you expect to be the number of users running the Windows application concurrently.

  • If I already have a Connectivity Kit internet license and need to add a regular license (to be used by my Windows application) what should I get?

Upgrade your internet license to an ‘internet plus’ license – an internet license plus the number of users for the Windows application. In this case, your serial number should remain the same and the registration code re-issued to correspond to the number of users added.

  • When I have a Web Server Connectivity-Kit-enabled license and a Client Connectivity-Kit-enabled license for 20 users, how many CK users will be allowed to run my Windows application? Does it matter which license is active?

The total number of users allowed to use Connectivity Kit in your environment is displayed in the registration program in the Users column – on the top line, where the name of the product is. In your case, that number will be 21. The Web Server should be the active license.

  • If I enter a (regular, non-Connectivity-Kit) Web Server license, a Connectivity Kit license and a Client license, will both the Web and Windows applications be able to use the Connectivity Kit?

Yes, but you will need to have the number of users for the Connectivity Kit set high enough to accommodate both the Windows and Web applications.

Keep in mind that web applications use one client license and the administrative tools (i.e. tools written in Visual Dataflex that are installed with the product – e.g. Database Builder, Database Explorer, etc.) use another.

  • I have a Connectivity-Kit-enabled Client license installed. If I want to add a Web Server license, what do I need?

You will need a Web Server Connectivity-Kit-enabled license. You cannot combine CK-enabled and non-CK-enabled licenses in the same environment.

  • Can I have other licenses when using Studio Personal Edition?

No. When using Personal Edition you should only have the Studio license in that environment.

  • Does the Studio Personal Edition enable me to create web applications and use the Connectivity Kits?

Visual DataFlex Studio Personal Edition is the same as any regular fully-functional Studio, so yes, you can create web application and, yes, you can use the Connectivity Kits with your personal license.

  • Can I have the same Studio license installed on my laptop and my desktop?

Each machine where the Studio is running needs its own Visual DataFlex Development license. Developers may have the same license installed on multiple machines they own and are the primary user of (e.g. laptop and desktop), as long as they work on one machine at a time. Multiple virtual machines (VMs) running on the same machine can use the same Studio license.

  • I estimate 50 users will be running Visual DataFlex applications at one site. How many Client licenses should I get?

Visual DataFlex application users are responsible to ensure that regardless of the underlying technology (standard operating system or virtual machines) all the end-users are adequately licensed, i.e. no more than the total licensed number of end-users concurrently use any Visual DataFlex application.
Important!
All Data Access products have to be licensed and registered according to the license agreement issued by Data Access. The file “Visual DataFlex License” containing the full license agreement is installed with your product, in the root folder where the product was installed (e.g. C:\Program Files\Visual DataFlex 14.1).



Further licensing information:

If you still have questions, please contact your local vendor or one of our Sales Representatives (sales@dataaccess.com).
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Updated 29-Jun-2016 at 05:04 PM by Marcia Booth

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Comments

  1. Paulo's Avatar
    What a great helpful article.
    It is concise and complete - now I just need to find a similar article re a "rough guide to pricing"
    Sometimes we "hide" pricing because we want a salesperson to "handle that - so we do not miss a sales opportunity"
    yet we all miss many sales because we were afraid to give a "rough idea on pricing".

    I will keep searching until I get lucky
    but if not lucky I will phone (but I am relectant to phone ... because I know you are busy people)
    and my need for the moment "is just doing research" and not yet "have to know the price".
    I do believe your products are ALWAYS VALUE FOR MONEY and maybe more sales would occur
    "if the pricing was more clearly stated ... especially for first time lookers (who might only look once).
    Anyway keep up the good work you are doing with all your products.