Q: Do I still need a key for AR System server? A: Yes. You will still need to obtain a key from BMC for each AR System Server. To expedite this process, we've already created a place where you can get a temporary license key while you are waiting for your permanent key to be sent to you.
You will need the following information to request a temporary license key for trial usage or while the processing of your permanent key is performed: 1. Login to Support Central at <http://www.bmc.com/support> http://www.bmc.com/support 2. Click on the <http://www.bmc.com/info_center_support/overview/0,3252,19097_61032733,0 0.html> Licensing and Passwords link 3. Click on the Request <http://www.bmc.com/support/hou_Support_Secure/0,,19097_61032733_7798071 5,00.html> a Trial/Temporary License link 4. Agree to the End User License Agreement 5. Choose your product and enter the requested information 6. Click the Request License button 7. Your temporary license key will be sent via Email NOTE: The keys generated on this page are 30 day trial keys. Remember to return to the Licensing page to obtain your permanent keys when you are notified they are ready. Q: So if I want to increase the number of AR System Fixed or Floating Users on my licensed AR System server, do I need a key? A: No. You do not need a key. To increase the number of users, you will only need to go into the Administration Console and increase the number of licenses. You will then need to notify BMC or a BMC partner that you have increased the number and wish to purchase the amount to which you've increased. Q: If I upgrade AR System Server to 7.1.00, but not my ITSM application (e.g. Change Management), will I still need keys for my ITSM application? A: No. License management is done by the server - so if you upgrade your AR System server to 7.1.00, the applications will no longer require a key to be licensed. Q: So you're getting rid of licensing? A: No. We are removing the need for keys to license AR System based applications, users, and add-ons. A license is still required. Licenses will still need to be purchased and entered into the AR System Administration Console. The big difference is that a key is no longer required to enter that license. Q: Does this change any licensing restrictions? A: No. Licenses behave just as they do in AR System today. The difference is that a key is no longer required to enter that license. Q: How is license usage kept on the server? A: To gather information about license usage, each AR System server scans the system approximately every 45 minutes and writes the results to a file named LicenseReport.txt. This file contains a running log of license usage for each license type. Q: LicenseReport.txt - that's a text file? A: Yes - and it is human readable. It could also be used by developers for other purposes such as long term trending of license usage. Q: How will BMC ensure that the log file is not tampered with? A: By moving to this license key model, BMC is extending its trust in customers. We expect that this file will not be tampered with beyond expected maintenance actions - for example, backing the file up after a billing period. The file does contain an internal checksum that could be used by BMC in extreme cases of misuse. Q: How can I monitor my usage to ensure I'm not using more licenses than I can afford? A: To make sure that you are in compliance with your purchased licenses, you can periodically generate a license usage report for each of your AR System servers (including each server in a server group). The report contains the following information: - For AR System and application user floating licenses, the greatest number of licenses in use at the same time during the period covered by the report. - For AR System and application user fixed licenses, the greatest number of licenses assigned at the same time during the period covered by the report. - For applications or add-ons, whether the application or add-on has been licensed. Q: How do I generate that license usage report? A: You can generate it from the Administration Console or through a command line on the AR System server. The report is written to a file named ReportResult.csv. If the report was generated from the console, the csv file will be automatically transferred back to the client for viewing in any .csv capable viewer (e.g. Excel). Q: Can that report be run against a specific date range? A: Yes, assuming that date range is captured in the LicenseReport.txt log file. Q: ReportResult.csv - that's another text file? Couldn't that be tampered with as well? A: By moving to this license key model, BMC is extending its trust in customers. We expect that this file will not be tampered with if presented to a BMC representative. However, this file too has an internal checksum that could be used by BMC in extreme cases of misuse. Q: Can I see who is using a given license using this new license key model? A: That capability has not been enhanced beyond existing features found in today's AR System. We hope to be able to expand on these capabilities in a future release. Q: I don't want an unlimited number of users logging into my system. Can I control that in some way? A: Yes. When you add AR System or application user licenses to a server, you specify the number of such licenses. This number is the maximum number of licenses available for use. This is equivalent to the number of users that were defined within a key previously - but now they are defined by the Administrator. Q: So I have to enter the number of licenses I purchased? A: No. You can make any number of user licenses available on your server regardless of the number you purchased. For example, if you purchased 10 AR User Fixed licenses but need to use 15, you can immediately update the Number of Licenses field-you do not have to wait for BMC to give you a key. You are expected to report this increase in usage to BMC and will be charged accordingly. If, during an audit, BMC finds that your usage exceeded your purchased license count, you will be billed for the additional use. Q: Can I set the number lower than the number of licenses I purchased? A: Yes. We expect that some customers will choose this option to ensure that they do not exceed the number of licenses that they have purchased, but have a "soft cap" that can be raised if they begin to run out of licenses. Q: Can I set the number higher than the number of licenses I purchased? A: Yes. If you set the number higher than the number of licenses you purchased but find that your usage never exceeds the number of licenses you purchased, you will remain in compliance. However, if your usage report shows that you have exceeded your number of purchased licenses, you will then need to notify BMC or a BMC partner that you have exceeded your purchased total and wish to purchase the amount to which you've increased. David J. Easter Product Line Manager <http://www.bmc.com/> BMC Software AR System - BMC Service Management Business Unit _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where the Answers Are"
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