New License Administration Features

Separation of Installation and Licensing for Flexible Software Deployment

In Release 2008a, the mechanism for licensing MathWorks™ software is separate from the mechanism for determining which products may be installed. Administrators no longer need to obtain Personal License Passwords (PLPs) for each user. The PLP has been replaced by the File Installation Key and an Activation Key, neither of which is required if users are logged in to their MathWorks Accounts during installation and activation. This change enables more options for deploying MathWorks software across organizations.

Redesignations (Transfers), Validation, and Deactivation

License management features available in R2008a address common compliance challenges for license administrators. The transferring of computers, users, and products on a license is referred to as redesignation. These types of changes are common as users get new computers, join or leave the organization, or move between projects with different product requirements.

There are three types of redesignation:            

• Redesignation of products from one Group Member license to another
• Redesignation of the licensed end user
• Redesignation of the computer once the maximum number of activations has been reached

Each redesignation requires that you either deactivate software to prevent use of the original configuration or update the License File with the new information.

Validation is an optional feature that automates the process of updating License Files if any redesignation has occurred. If validation is enabled, the software automatically contacts the MathWorks activation server every 30 days to ensure the authenticity of the License File. If any changes have been made since the last validation check, the license file is automatically updated. Administrators can enable or disable the validation feature. If validation is enabled on a license, the administrator can perform redesignations in the License Center without the need to first deactivate software on the local computer.