Setup Custom Activation Groups to restrict gINT product use

Overview

Custom Activation Groups are site activation keys that allow your organization to provide users with valid licensing information without releasing your organization’s primary site activation key. Custom Activation Groups can be created for specific products with specific expiration dates within the product and date constraints of your license pool and SELECT agreement.

Utilising a Custom Activation Group allows for the sub-division of your site’s license pool for distribution to various designated groups while also allowing for usage tracking. Application usage for Custom Activation Groups is recorded against the main site to which the key is created, and there are multiple reports available in the SELECTserver interface which can be used to view the usage data.

For information about Custom Activation Group please refer to:

http://communities.bentley.com/products/licensing/w/licensing__wiki/6467.custom-activation-groups

and

http://communities.bentley.com/products/licensing/w/licensing__wiki/17392.how-to-migrate-users-to-a-custom-activation-group

It is recommended that you restrict the primary group to only allow check-ins from IP address of 9.9.9.9, which would mean that no one else would be able to check in data.  An alternative would be to generate a new key.

Set up a custom activation group for only gINT Logs, or only gINT Pro, or gINT Pro Plus, and distribute that new site activation key to the appropriate users of each product.

How do I automate the delivery of gINT licenses onto desktops?

  • Use Active Directory Group Policies - Read this PDF, and download this.

Or

  • Logon Script - Must be using gINT version 8.2.904 or later:
    1. Adding registry file (*.reg)
    2. Using the command line interface to LicenseToolCmd.exe in a batch/shortcut
    3. Example start-up batch job: 
      "%ProgramFiles%\Bentley\gINT\bin\LicenseToolCmd.exe" /nowin configure -setting:SelectServer -value:selectserver.bentley.com 
      "%ProgramFiles%\Bentley\gINT\bin\LicenseToolCmd.exe" /nowin configure -setting:ActivationKey -value:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
      "%ProgramFiles%\Bentley\gINT\bin\LicenseToolCmd.exe" /nowin configure -setting:Country -value:AU

Step-by-step guide

Part 1 - Custom Activation Group

1. Select Site Configuration > Custom Activation Groups

2.  Click on 'Add New Group'

3. Modify Custom Activation Group (A new activation key will be creating for gINT Usage)

a) Fill in 'Group Name'.

b) Tick 'Restrict the applications available to this group. If no restrictions are configured, then all of the site's applications will be available for use.'

c) Select products which you would like to restrict usage too.  For example, if the user has:

i) gINT Logs select:

  • Bentley View
  • gINT AGS Toolkit
  • gINT Logs

ii) gINT Professional select:

  • Bentley View
  • gINT AGS Toolkit
  • gINT Civil Tools Professional
  • gINT Professional

iii) gINT Professional Plus select:

  • Bentley View
  • gINT AGS Toolkit
  • gINT Civil Tools Professional Plus
  • gINT Professional Plus

d) Save Changes.

Part 2 - Client Access Restrictions

In this section, we will disable the primary site activation key

1. Select Site Configuration > Client Access Restrictions

2. Select 'Access Restrictions Enabled: Only computers that are selected in the access list will be granted access. Note: you must define and enable at least one access restriction rule or access will be granted to all machines.'

3. Create Client Access Restriction

a) Select Add a New Restriction

b) Fill in 'Stop All' into 'Display Name'

c) Select 'Single Computer - By IP Address', fill in 'IP Address" with '9.9.9.9'

d) Click OK

4. Enable Restriction, change 'Disabled' (red cross) to 'Enable' (green tick)

Part 3 - Distribute new site activation key

Return to the SSA Home page, and note the new site activation key for gINT Pro, and distribute this to your users.  Users will need to select Help > Activation Wizard in gINT, and replace the key.  The old primary site activation key will no longer work.  A similar CAG can be made for gINT Logs and gINT Pro Plus, or multiple products in one CAG if that suite your company license configuration.

Part 4 - Set each PC to immediately expire disconnected and trial licenses

Even with the CAG set, a product can be run in trial or disconnected mode, and the usage is logged and billed as a QTL.  To avoid this each PC must be configured to make products that you do not wish to use expire immediately when in disconnected and trial license mode.  Without this, a user could use the unlicensed product for 7 days with gINT 10 or 30 days gINT 8.

  1. Download this ExpireLicensegINTLicense.zip
  2. Extract it
  3. Run the bat file for the product(s) you do not wish to use.  Do this on all PCs running gINT, and run it as Administrator.  For example, if you have gINT Logs, run the file ExpireLicense-gINTPro-gINTProPlus.bat.


IMPORTANT: Please email gintadmin@datgel.com with the SELECT Administrator username and password so that we may:
• Set up scheduled gINT usage reports, to help you and us track usage
• Allow us to view Quarterly Term (QTL) invoices
• set up Custom Activation Groups to restrict the Bentley products used to those you have perpetual licenses for, to avoid QTLs
• There is nothing private or sensitive on the select server website, and allowing us to help you with this will save your company money and time

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