Managing SELECTserver Activation Keys in SES


As SELECTserver is entering a sunsetting phase, the SELECTserver activation keys will continue to work without further configuration changes on the end user machines.  However, there are some incompatibilities between SELECTserver and the Subscription Entitlement Services (SES) that require organization administrators to do some configuration of the entitlements available to activation keys if those keys are configured with product restrictions in the Custom Activation Groups or Temporary Access Keys interface. As the SELECTserver Administrator interface will be disabled as part of this process, it is suggested that administrators complete these configurations before that occurs to ensure that there is no lapse in availability to end users configured to use those keys. 

What entitlements are available to an activation key in SES?

In SELECTserver, the list of entitlements available to an activation key was determined by the license site that the key was associated to.  In SES, all activation keys are associated to an Entitlement country.  Each Entitlement country has a list of available entitlements based on the contracts that are active in that country.

When a SELECTserver-licensed product version transmits usage, that activation key's entitlement to the product will be determined based on the availability of the entitlement in that key's Entitlement country and the administrator's access control settings on the product in that country or defined list of Allowed Applications in the Entitlement group that the Activation key is mapped to.

How can I configure an activation key to restrict entitlements to a certain set of products?

Entitlement groups in SES allow an administrator to define an Allowed Applications list that users associated to that group have access to.  Administrators can also map an activation key to one Entitlement group.  When an Activation key is used to activate a product, the Entitlement system will look to see the activation key is mapped to an Entitlement group and use that group's list of Allowed Applications to determine the entitlement. If the product is in the Allowed Applications list, the product will be activated.  If the product is missing from the list, the product will not be activated.

Note: For administrators that are managing activation key entitlements in Entitlement Management, please note that the list of Allowed Applications will need to be configured manually.  There is no capability to pull a previously configured list of Restricted Applications that existed in SELECTserver over in to the Subscription Entitlement Service.

To learn more about how to configure an Entitlement Group with an Allowed Application list, please see Entitlement Groups - Managing Access

Can I import the list of product restrictions that were previously configured in SELECTserver?

Note: As of December 15th, 2021, the import from SELECTserver functionality has been disabled.

Yes. Product restrictions configured on Custom Activation Groups and Temporary Keys in SELECTserver can be imported using the Configure Activation Key Restrictions tool on the Activation Key Mapping page.  This tool will create a new Entitlement group with the same name as the Key Name, map the key to that new group and, import product restrictions from SELECTserver, if any exist. To see more about how that tool works please see Activation Key Mappings.

Note: The capability to import the list of product restrictions from SELECTserver will only be available for a short amount of time to facilitate the transition during the SELECTserver sunsetting.  The date of deprecation of this import capability will be announced in advance.

How can I map an activation key to an Entitlement group?

Mapping an activation key to an Entitlement group can be done in the Entitlement Group interface in the Entitlement Management.

To map an activation key to an Entitlement Group:

  1. Navigate to Entitlement Management.
  2. In left navigation menu under Users and Groups icon select Entitlement Group
  3. Click on the Entitlement group name that you wish to map the key to.
  4. Click on the SELECTserver Keys tab.
  5. Click on the Map to Existing Key button to launch the Search for Existing Key form. 
  6. Enter the activation key into the SELECT field or click on the area on the right side of the field to see the list of available activation keys.
  7. Select the key to map.
  8. Once chosen in the Search for Existing Key form, the key will be mapped to the Entitlement group.

If you don't see your key listed in the Search for Existing Key form, that may mean it's already mapped to another group.  Activation keys can only be mapped to one Entitlement Group at a time.

How can I un-map an activation key to an Entitlement group?

Un-mapping an activation key from an Entitlement group will remove the association between the activation key and the group so that that Allowed Application list will no longer be applied to that key. It does not result in the key being deleted.  The un-mapped key will continue to be able to activate applications based on the entitlements and access controls configured for the activation key's Entitlement country.

To un-map an activation key from an Entitlement group:

  1. Navigate to Entitlement Management.
  2. In left navigation menu under Users and Groups icon select Entitlement Group
  3. Click on the Entitlement group name that you wish to map the key to.
  4. Click on the SELECTserver Keys tab.
  5. Select the key and then click x button or select three dots and then Remove from group

 

How can I see all of the activation keys mapped to an Entitlement group?

  1. Navigate to Subscription Analytics 
  2. Go to Activation Key Mappings report from a tile or left navigation menu
  3. Search for a certain Activation Key
  4. Check what Entitlement Group it is assigned to.

This Activation Key Mappings page may also be a convenient way to map or un-map an activation key.

How do I disable a key so it will no longer activate any products?

Background

Not being a real-time licensing model (Workstations do not maintain a real-time connection to the license server) applications using SELECTserver based licensing do not seek permission from a license server before they will run. Under SELECTserver based licensing, usage has always been reported usage if a valid activation key was present (even when applications run in Trial, Offline, or Disabled). See Product Activation Modes of Behavior

• After being disabled, the key may no longer be used to activate NEW application installs.
• Existing installs previously activated against the activation key will still generate usage, but the usage transmitted for a disabled activation key will not show up in Subscription Analytics. 

Mapped activation keys can be disabled so they will no longer activate any products. Disabled keys can later be re-enabled.

Process

To disable an Activation Key:

  1. Navigate to Entitlement Management 
  2. In left navigation menu under Users and Groups icon select Entitlement Groups
  3. Click on a previously created Entitlement group name and select SELECTServer Keys tab
  4. Change Activation Key Status from Enabled to Disabled.

Disabling can be reverted by selecting Enabled.

How do I manage new custom activation keys?

In the SELECTserver Keys tab of the Entitlement Group, you can create and delete Custom keys as you would have been able to do in SELECTserver.

Standard Site keys cannot be created or deleted through this interface. Standard site keys cannot be managed other than disabling. Standard keys are no longer applicable except for Managed Services accounts. If you need the standard key removed from your account, please contact your Bentley Account Manager for contract adjustment discussion or Bentley Support for further information.

To create a new key, after you have created an Entitlement Group. See How to create a new Entitlement Group

  1. Navigate to Entitlement Management 
  2. In left navigation menu under Users and Groups icon select Entitlement Groups
  3. Click on a the Entitlement group name and select SELECTServer Keys tab
  4. Click on the Create New Key button ( ) and give the new key a name.

The new Custom key will be added to the table and highlighted. This new Custom activation key is associated to the Entitlement group and will be able to activate the list of products defined in the Allowed Applications list.

If you want the key to work until a specific date, similar to SELECTserver's Temporary Keys, you can give the Custom key an expiration date.

To delete a Custom key

  1. Navigate to Entitlement Management 
  2. In left navigation menu under Users and Groups icon select Entitlement Groups
  3. Click on a the Entitlement group name and select SELECTServer Keys tab
  4. Find the key you want to delete and click on the ellipsis button at the end of the row.
  5. Choose Delete Permanently and confirm.

Alternatively, you can choose multiple keys by choosing the checkboxes next to the keys and use the Delete Permanently button ( ) to delete them all at once.

Caution is suggested with this option as it will delete the key rather than simply disassociating it from the group.  User's with this activation key will no longer be able to successfully activate their Bentley products.

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