License Model for PacDrive Software Packages
The PacDriveTM software has the following licensing concept. If the user wants to use software subject to license, he buys no licenses. Instead, he orders a certain number of license points that are distributed as needed to the various software products (such as libraries) as the system is running. The license points are tied to the memory key of the PacDrive controller.
This model guarantees an especially simple and flexible handling of licenses for software products. There is no need complex management of various license keys for different software products. This reduces the complexity for OEM and end users in machine development and in managing PacDrive controllers in the warehouse.
The memory key basically is a dongle that saves the license points. A license server in the firmware distributes the points to the various software products (such as libraries). The software subject to license requires that the PacDrive controller verifies that there are sufficient license points on the memory key for the software subject to license. The points are the prerequisite for the module subject to license to execute its function correctly.
Because the license points are tied to the memory key, defective hardware can be replaced easily without losing licenses in the process. The user can continue to use the licensed memory key in a replacement device and keep the licenses intact. However, licenses cannot be transferred from one memory key to another.
In this documentation, the necessary steps are presented that you must perform when you want to use modules subject to license and cost. Because licenses are distributed only for individual modules of libraries and not for the entire library, the following discusses only modules subject to license.
If you attempt to open a module subject to license in a firmware that is incompatible with the point-license model, an error of class 2 is triggered and a note is output to the message logger. The function of the module subject to license is not executed.
There are various, easy-to-understand operating conditions for handling licenses in the new point model.
Evaluation mode enables you to use non-free software products for a limited amount of time on the shareware principle, even if the necessary license points are not available on the controller.
If the PacDriveTM system does not have any or an inadequate number of licenses, it is still possible to use POUs subject to license for evaluating or for system development for six hours.
If you use a module that requires license points from the system without the sufficient number of points an error that can be acknowledged is triggered so that you are notified that the remaining system runtime is only six more hours. More information on the object type and the instance is displayed in the message logger. After, this period of time runs out a high-priority error is triggered that cannot be acknowledged. After about five minutes, the Sercos real-time bus is shut down, making any further use of the affected controller impossible. You can only reset this state by resetting the system. Then it is possible to work for another six hours.
The evaluation mode guarantees that development and evaluation work can be performed while always enabling problem-free operation for service requests.
There are two options available for ordering the necessary license points for machine development:
oOrdering a PacDriveTM controller with the required license points already preinstalled.
oReorder license points that can be put on a controller that has already been delivered by using a release code.
The necessary activities for both options to purchase points are described in detail under “Purchasing license Points”.
One strength of the flexible point system is the simple service handling.
There are two possible cases when servicing is required:
oDamage to a controller
oDefective memory key
The experience until today has shown that the susceptibility to detected faults of memory key is very low and that therefore the failure detection of such a memory key is highly improbable when used correctly.
In the event of a defect on one of the controllers, the memory key used here can be removed from the controller first and then inserted into a replacement device. As the existing license points are only tied to the memory key, they can be used to their full extent after replacing the controller.
The rare case of a defective memory key can be handled in many ways:
oProvide a replacement memory key promptly with the corresponding number of points.
oReordering a memory key with the required points and operation of the controller in evaluation mode until the is delivered.
oExchange the defective memory key for a new memory key and release the necessary points by ordering an authorization key.
The necessary activities are described in detail under Purchasing License Points.
Point System of the Licensing Model
During a license query, the module subject to license returns its point value. This is defined in the price list. Please refer to the price list as well for the number of points for a module subject to license. After a request by a module, these points are crossed off the list of available points and are transferred to a blocked account based on the runtime given. If the user wants to use software subject to license, he buys no licenses. Instead, he orders some license points.
