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New Sofware Licensing Library release
We are proud to annouce that a new 1.4 release of our cross-platform software licensing library solution for Windows, Linux and MacOS is available for download.
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The Software Licensing Library is a cross-platform flexible solution for your company licensing needs. The goal of the library is to provide high-end protection for applications, allow to create diverse marketing offerings, and cause as little trouble to the end user as possible. The library supports Windows, Linux and MacOS operating systems as well as many development platforms.
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With Software Licensing Library you gain total control over what features of your software can be used on what machine for how long. The library uses license keys, which are copy and paste-able text strings. Each license key is issued for specific machine and allows it to run client application with specific features until expiration time.
The key may be obtained from seller's website, via email, or direct connection to the server. Licenses can also be stored on central machine in organization (LicenseServer). This allows to optimize license utilization - available keys are granted only for running instances.
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The library also offers evaluation time-limited mode in which only selected features of the application are available. Thus, library can be used for protecting applications targeted at individual users as well as software used in large corporations. Moreover, the library offers a high degree of security with RSA cipher, different licensing schemes and cross-platform portability (runs on Linux, Windows and MacOS).
Along with the library you will receive a set of tools for licence management: License generator for creating new licenses, libraries for CGI integration as well as sample scripts allowing to automate the license grant process.
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| The most important features of the product are: |
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Strong 1024-bit RSA encryption of licenses
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Each license contains application identifier, host id and expiration time
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Licenses can securely carry additional licensing information
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Portable object-oriented C++ API for client applications
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Automatic host identifier generation based on network adapter MAC and other hardware components. Possibility to provide custom host ids.
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Possibility to limit the number of instances of running application
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Interface in Python and C for automatic license generation, e.g. from a web page or a script.
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Cross-platform License Server application that allows corporation to centralize license management by usage of remote licenses.
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The application code compiled to native assembly code and important data are obfuscated to protect from reverse engineering.
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This package may also work in extra-high security mode with appropriate server and client software
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Multiple license instances in one file
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Operating systems supported: Windows, Linux, MacOS
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License request protocol from client application to a web or mail server that allows it to securely transport user name and password (RSA encrypted).
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The licensing model was designed to be extremely simple for end users of the licensed application. In most cases simple two-step procedure of registering software is required, that may be conducted trough web interface, email or even directly in application interface. Larger organizations may use LicenseServer application that allows to reduce the operations needed to start using the software to entering a license server address (e.g. licenses.organization.com). This enables end users to start using new applications right away and not wasting time on getting familiar with registration procedure and renewing or upgrading the licenses.
As the registration takes place usually during the very first contact with your application, this experience has big influence on users opinion about the application and its quality. It is important that they see that every aspect of the software was taken care of with sense when they make the decision if to purchase it.
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The library supports three popular licensing models: node-locked licenses, hardware-locked licenses and remote (floating) licensing. Moreover, it also allows to develop custom models. The node-locked license can be used to activate the software running on a specific machine identified by its hardware components. This is a high security solution in comparison to standard serial number-based protection.
The hardware-locked model allows for even more secure licensing – the license is tied to a hardware device (usually a hardware dongle, connected to the host via USB port). To use the software, user has to connect the hardware bundled to the application and obtain appropriate license.
And finally, the floating scheme used mainly in larger organizations uses a one central repository for licenses. This enables optimal license usage (only currently running software requires a license) and allows to easily add new licenses as the company is expanding.
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Follow up here to see detailed license schemes discussion with illustrations
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Application registration dialog connecting to license server.
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License server listing registered licenses.
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License server showing available and granted licenses.
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License server configuration and service control.
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The client application has to meet one of following requirements:
Operating system: Windows NT/2000/XP, Linux 2.6, MacOS 10.4
C/C++bindings:
Java bindings:
Python bindings:
The machine used to run the License Server has to meet following requirements:
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The product is distributed as a SDK (Software Development Kit) containing compiled C++ library and headers, License Generator application for issuing licenses and License Server application. The package also contains sample applications demonstrating the use of
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licensing API and description of process of generating licenses and using it.
If you are interested in evaluating our product, please contact our sales department at sales@nglogic.com for receiving a demonstration SDK.
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Package Contents
The Licensing Software library contains the following files:
A statically linked library built with Microsoft C++ tool-chain (Windows)/GCC (Linux)
A set of C++ header files for inclusion in the licensed software
LicenceGenerator application for generation of license keys
LicenceServer application for management of remote licences
Sample license file
Sample VisualStudio C++ solution featuring:
· Example demonstrating usage of local licenses
· Example demonstrating usage of remote licenses
· Compiled executable files coming from above examples
Developer's Guide
We also provide the LicenseServer software for deploying in corporations as a separate package with convenient installer. The resident part of the application installs itself as a system service under Windows NT/2000/XP systems and as a daemon on the Linux systems.
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