This tutorial demonstrates how to deploy the USB LicenseKey
Maker tool to a third party or distributor, in the local master license
mode. In this mode, the master license used to make the USB
License Key (dongle) is embedded into the USB LicenseKey
Maker tool. Therefore, the tool has a fixed and static master license.
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.
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.
Note that, in the local master license mode, you can define the master license
in the step of creating the USB LicenseKey Maker
tool.
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 None.
7.
From the Main
tab of the Key Properties
pane, click the Generate
button. The Master License is shown in the License Key
field.
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.
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. In the local master license mode, Key Properties you specify in USB LicenseKey Manager will be used as the master license to be
embedded into the USB LicenseKey Maker tool.
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.
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 an
implementation and set the appropriate licensing properties as you want.
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.
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.
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