FAQ: Licensing and product activation
Do I need to activate the license keys on all my computers?
Yes, you need to activate the license keys on all computers that run the FotoWare software for which the license is valid.
How do I renew an existing license key?
Existing license keys do not change on renewal. You need to renew existing license keys on all computers by using the Renew option in the FotoWare License Tool.
Note: If you upgrade a server product to a new edition (for example, from Professional to Enterprise), you must activate the new license keys.
Can I activate my license keys in an offline environment?
Yes, for more information, see Offline activation.
Will my older keys continue to work?
The system has a grace period of one month to allow you to renew the licenses before they expire and the software stops working. Once you receive your extended license keys by email, you must renew them using the Renew option in the FotoWare License Tool.
Why are some of my keys rejected during activation?
Keys starting with EE or EF cannot be activated online and require license files and a license server. Contact FotoWare support and specify the Activation Key and MAC-address of your license server to get license files issued.
See also How to select a license server | How to find the MAC address
What is an overdraft license and do I need one?
An Overdraft license makes license management easier for volume customers by having a soft limit on the number of computers that can be activated. You no longer need to contact us to get an overdraft license - we automatically create overdraft licenses.
Remember that FotoStation is licensed per named user and that each person accessing the software needs a license.
What is a redundancy license?
With Redundancy licenses you can run a backup system in an offsite data center or on servers connected via High Availability (HA)-appliances, for example, that can take over if your primary system fails. When setting up the redundancy system, reset the production license and activate it on the redundancy system as well so that users can be redirected to the backup servers automatically (but may not use the system as long as the primary system is operational or for load-balancing purposes). Redundancy licenses are time-limited, and you must activate new keys within one month of your agreement anniversary to avoid service interruptions. Simply activate the license – you don’t need to remove the old license or restart any services – the new license will be used automatically when the old one expires.
What is a staging license?
With Staging licenses you can operate a copy of your FotoWare system for testing and learning purposes. You can test configuration changes, new versions, and operating system patches without any risk to your production environment. Staging licenses may not be used in production, for backup, or for load-balancing purposes.