The License Key Manager provides an intuitive, simple-to-use interface for SQL Safe license key management. You can:
- View the instances licensed with your current license.
- Select which instances you want SQL Safe to take into account for your license key instance count.
- See how many available instances you can still license for backup operations.
- Edit your license key.
- Save your license information to a file.
The Management Service manages your SQL Safe license and receives requests from the respective Backup Agents to license your instances.
How do you manage your licenses?
You may need to edit your current license if you exhaust your trial license, or if you need to replace it with one that allows you to license more instances.
To access these options, on the Tools menu, click License Key Manager . You can also click the key icon located on the task bar to access the same option.
What information can you see on the License Key Manager window?
On the License Key Manager window you can find:
- Instances licensed for backup operations.
- Your license keys.
On the Instances tab you can find:
- A list of the instances licensed for backup operations and all available registered instances.
- An option to license All or None of them.
- An option for automatically licensing instances for scripted agent deployments.
- An option to save this information to a file.
On the License Keys tab you can find:
- Your current licences keys, type, the number of instances allowed for each key, and the expiration date.
- Options for removing and adding license keys.
- The number of used licenses.
- An option for automatically licensing instances for scripted agent deployments.
- An option to save this information to a file.
To upgrade a trial license to a permanent license:
- On the License Key Manager window, on the License Keys tab, click Add.
- Enter the respective license key.
- Click OK . The license key will be displayed in the License Key Manager window.
- If you want to save the list to a file, click Save to a File and save the file to your desired location.
What is a multi-instance license key?
A multi-instance license key allows you to centralize the license management with the SQL Safe Management Service. SQL Safe Backup Agents configured to this Management Service will use this licensing management method and enable you to enter a license key through the Management Console and support the licensing of a certain number of instances.
Please take into account that a multi-instance key will replace any single instance keys previously installed and the user will be prompted to switch to centralized license management.
Standalone SQL Safe Backup Agents not configured to a SQL Safe Management Service will be treated as standalone installations and therefore use the old licensing model.
How can you license your instances for backup operations?
On the License Key Manager window, you can see the list of all your registered instances under the Instances tab. Check or uncheck those instances that you want SQL Safe to license to perform backup operations.The number of available licenses will be updated according to your choices.Then click OK.
What are the terms of the trial license?
By default, SQL Safe installs with a limited 14-day time, unlimited instances trial license key. After you install the SQL Safe components using the Typical or Custom setups, the Management Console lists your trial license in the License Key Manager. This license key is stored in the SQL Safe Management Server.
What are the terms of the production license?
SQL Safe licenses are issued per SQL Server instance and for a specific time period. You can manage this license with the License Key Manager. The SQL Safe production license gives you full access to the Backup Agent through the Management Console, including operation status information.
What is the SQL Safe Lite license?
When you have different versions of SQL Safe deployed in your environment, one or more registered SQL Server instances may be running SQL Safe Lite.
SQL Safe Lite does not support backup and restore operations through the Management Console. For example, you cannot create a backup policy for a SQL Server instance running SQL Safe Lite.
If you want to manage all registered SQL Server instances through the Management Console, you can upgrade the SQL Safe Lite Backup Agents to the enterprise version of SQL Safe.
How do you upgrade the SQL Safe Lite license?
You can temporarily upgrade a SQL Safe Lite license to an enterprise edition license by installing a SQL Safe trial license. Note that, when the trial period has expired, your license will revert back to SQL Safe Lite.
You can then permanently upgrade a SQL Safe Lite license to an enterprise edition by purchasing a production license key and entering it in the License Key Manager.
To upgrade a SQL Safe Lite license:
- In the Servers tree, expand the SQL Server Instances node, and then select the instance that is running the SQL Safe Freeware Edition Backup Agent.
- Click Enable Trial License in the Backup/Restore Operation Status pane.
How do you upgrade the SQL Safe Freeware Edition?
You can upgrade SQL Safe Freeware Edition to SQL Safe enterprise edition by upgrading the Backup Agent on the corresponding SQL Server computer.
This installs the SQL Safe enterprise edition trial license. You can then permanently upgrade a SQL Safe Lite license to an enterprise edition by purchasing a production license key and entering it in the License Key Manager.
To upgrade a SQL Safe Freeware Edition Backup Agent:
- Navigate to the SQL Safe Agents view.
- Right-click the target SQL Server computer, and then select Install SQL Safe Backup Agent on the context menu.
How do you save the license keys to a file?
- On the Tools menu, click License Key Manager .
- Click Save to File , and browse to the location to which you want to save the file.
- Enter the file name, and click Save.