Sentinel type Network Softkey
Description
This KB article describes the functionality, installation procedure, license updating, and license rehosting capabilities of a Sentinel type Network Softkey license. The following behaviors apply when using FRED on a client PC whose authorization is controlled through the use of a network Sentinel softkey:
- One session of FRED on the client PC consumes one license from the connected Sentinel key.
- The license server and client PC must reside on the same network, except in the case of detached licenses.
- The Sentinel Runtime Environment must be installed on the client PC.
- The Sentinel Runtime Environment must be installed on the server PC.
- Network softkeys allow individual seats to be "detached" and temporarily assigned to a recipient computer.
Loss Disclaimer
Installing a network type Sentinel Softkey
Preparing the License Server
The Sentinel Runtime Environment is required on the license server to enable the use of a Sentinel network softkey. The following steps should be taken on the Sentinel network license server to prepare it for hosting a network softkey:
1. Install the Sentinel Runtime Environment with administrative privileges. The installer package can be accessed in one of the following ways:
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2. Open the Windows services list and check that the Sentinel LDK License Manager service is present and that its status is Running. ![]() |
3. Open a web browser and navigate to http://localhost:1947 to check that the Sentinel Admin Control Center (ACC) is accessible. |
At this point, the server computer is prepared to host a network softkey license. If a new network softkey license is being generated for the first time, please refer to the Generating a New Softkey License instructions below. If an existing network softkey license is being transferred to this server computer, please see the Softkey Rehosting and Detachment instructions.
Generating a New Softkey License
Generation of a new network softkey license requires a coordinated file exchange with Photon Engineering. The customer will send Photon Engineering a customer-to-vendor (.c2v) "fingerprint" file that contains identification information about the PC to which the network softkey is being issued. Photon Engineering generates and returns to the customer a vendor-to-customer (.v2c) file that, when applied by the customer, creates the softkey license.
If an existing network softkey is being moved to the license server, please refer to Softkey Rehosting and Detachment.
When generating a new network softkey license, the following steps should be taken on the network license server when requested by Photon Engineering:
1. Install FRED on the license server. During installation, none of the optional components need to be selected for installation (assuming that the Sentinel RunTime Environment was installed as described in the license server preparation section above). |
2. Start FRED. If the License Search Strategy dialog does not automatically open, Navigate to Help > License Search Strategy. Press the "Sentinel Dialog" button. |
3. In the License Registration Actions section of the dialog, select the "Fingerprint (.c2v)" option. |
4. Use the "..." button in the Create Fingerprint (.c2v) row to designate a custom output file name and location. If left unmodified, FRED will write a .c2v file to the Desktop. |
5. Press the Do Action button and check the Action Status message area at the bottom of the dialog to confirm that the operation was successful. |
6. Provide the .c2v file generated in step 5 above to Photon Engineering at fredsupport@photonengr.com. |
7. FRED is no longer required on the license server computer and you may remove it from the license server if desired. The Sentinel Runtime Environment must remain installed and running on the server computer. |
The following steps should be taken after receiving a .v2c file from Photon Engineering |
8. In a web browser, navigate to http://localhost:1947 to access the Sentinel Admin Control Center running on the license server computer. Note: this must be the same computer that generated the fingerprint .c2v file in steps 1-7 above. |
9. Click on the Update/Attach link in the Options section on the left hand side of the ACC. |
10. Press the Choose File button and then select the .v2c file received from Photon Engineering. |
11. Press the Apply File button. The web interface will present a message indicating success or failure of the operation. |
12. Click on the Sentinel Keys link in the Options section on the left hand side of the ACC. Check that the new softkey is now listed. The Features button in the Actions column can be used to view the available features, seat limits and any restrictions associated with the new license. |
Preparing the Client computer
The following steps should be taken on a client PC desired to access the network license:
1. Install FRED, making sure to install the Sentinel RunTime Environment component during installation. The runtime environment will allow the client PC to communicate with the server hosting the network softkey. |
2. Open the Windows services list and check that the Sentinel LDK License Manager service is present and that its status is Running. ![]() |
3. Start FRED on the client PC. |
4. If, upon starting FRED, the License Search Strategy dialog is presented automatically, then FRED has failed to acquire a license. There are two common problems in this case:
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5. Navigate to Help > License Authorization to open the licensing dialog for the connected FRED license. Confirm that:
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6. Navigate to Help > License Search Strategy. Reconfigure the search strategy to specifically connect to the desired Sentinel license. Restart FRED and repeat step 4 to confirm that the desired key is connected. |
Sentinel License Authorization Update
Refer to KB article, Sentinel License Authorization Update.
Moving (rehosting) a Sentinel Softkey
Refer to KB article, Moving (rehosting) a Sentinel Softkey.