License Key Simplification Frequently Asked Questions

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
2. Click on the Licensing and Passwords link
3. Click on the Request 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.

Q: How will BMC monitor my usage?

A: BMC will not actively monitor your usage.  BMC trusts its customers to self-report their usage and notify BMC or BMC partner when licenses are added or removed so that customer billing matches usage.

Q: You mean no one from BMC will ever check on my usage?

A: BMC reserves the right to audit any customer if it appears that a misuse of licenses has occurred.  This would typically be initiated by the customer sales representative and would typically involve an interactive conversation with the customer to determine actual usage as compared to purchases.

Q: Can I still request BMC to help me with my own self-audits?

A: Yes.  BMC will still assist those customers who wish to ensure that they are in compliance with their license contracts.

Q: How will I know what I've purchased?

A: BMC can, upon request, provide a reconciliation report that documents all purchases made.  These purchases can then be compared to the usage report to determine compliance.  We hope to provide this report in the future as a self-service option through Support Central.

Q: I've written my own AR System application and want to make sure I get paid for licenses.  How will I do that if there are no keys?

A: While BMC does not require customer to submit their usage reports, partners or independent developers may make such requirements of their users.  This would enable a partner or independent developer to audit a customer's usage remotely.

Q: If I've written my own application, do I have to change anything to be able to use this new license key model on AR System 7.1.00?

A: No.  All license requests from the applications are unchanged. In other words, applications will still query the server to determine if an application is licensed and AR System will still return the answer in the same format as it currently uses. The only difference is that AR System will determine if there is a license without the need for a key.

Q: What about my existing AR System Server?  How will my licenses be converted to this new model?

A: During an upgrade, AR System 7.1.00 will automatically convert an existing .lic file to the new model. In addition, after installation, the ability to import a previously created .lic file will be available within the Administration Console.

Q: So it will update the .lic file?

A: No.  Licensing in AR System 7.1.00 is now kept within the database, not in a file. The .lic file will no longer be needed in AR System 7.1.00.

Q: What about servergroups?  How will they work if there's no .lic file anymore?

A: Servergroups will all point to a common database and thus each server in the group will have access to the same license information. It is no longer necessary to have unique licenses for floating users, for example, on each server.

Q: So can I have multiple rows of user licenses per server like I had in my .lic file?

A: There is no need for this anymore. Only one row per license type is needed and represents the maximum number of licenses for that type. For example, if you used to have rows within the .lic file that represented keys for 10, 15, and 30 users each; those rows would be collapsed into one row that had 55 user licenses defined.

Q: But each server requires a unique key so I need multiple rows for servers, right?

A: Yes.  Servers are unique rows, so you will see one row per server. However servers are the only license type that now requires multiple rows.

Q: If I don't want to use an application anymore, how do I remove the license?
A: The Administration Console still has the ability to delete any license. In addition, you can set the number of licenses for a given application to "0" to indicate that it is unlicensed.

Q: Will trial licenses be available for applications?

A: Since no keys are used for applications, the concept of "trial" no longer applies. Trial licenses will be available for the AR System server and will include an expiration date.

Q: So how can you control trial implementations?

A: BMC will monitor when software applications are downloaded from our Electronic Product Distribution (EPD) site. A BMC sales representative will be contacting any customer that downloads software that they did not purchase to assist in the trial process.

Q: This is all overwhelming. Will any specific documentation be provided on all these changes once AR System is released?

A: Yes.  There are special sections within the documentation that go into detail on all these changes to ensure BMC customers understand the new license key model and usage reports.