Activating the core server

Ivanti® Software uses a central licensing server to help you manage your core server's product and node licenses. To use Ivanti products, you must obtain from Ivanti a user name and password that will activate the core server with an authorized certificate. Activation is required on each core server before you can use Ivanti products on that server. You can activate each core server either automatically by the Internet or manually by e-mail. You may need to reactivate a core server in the event that you significantly modify its hardware configuration.

On a periodic basis, the activation component on each core server will generate data regarding:

  • The precise number of nodes you're using
  • The non-personal encrypted hardware configuration
  • The specific Ivanti Software programs you're using (collectively, the "node count data")
  • General feature usage statistics

No other data is collected or generated by the activation. The hardware key code is generated on the core server using non-personal hardware configuration factors, such as the size of the hard drive, the processing speed of the computer, and so on. The hardware key code is sent to Ivanti in an encrypted format, and the private key for the encryption resides only on the core server. The hardware key code is then used by Ivanti to create a portion of the authorized certificate.

After installing a core server, use the Core Server Activation utility (Start > All Programs > Ivanti > Core Server Activation) to either activate it with a Ivanti account associated with the licenses you've purchased or with a 45-day evaluation license. The 45-day evaluation license is valid for 100 nodes. The 45-day evaluation period begins when you first activate a product on the core server. If you install other Ivanti products for evaluation on the core server later in the 45-day period, that doesn't extend the initial 45-day evaluation period. All Ivanti products on a single core server share the same evaluation license and the same 45-day evaluation period.

You can install additional Ivanti products under your 45-day evaluation license by using the installation media's autorun program. From the autorun install the product you want, and during setup choose the Modify option. You will then be able to add or remove Ivanti products on your core server.

You can switch from a 45-day evaluation to a paid license at any time by running the Core Server Activation utility and entering your Ivanti username and password.

There are two types of licenses, client and server. Any time you install Endpoint Manager agents on a server operating system, such as Windows 2012 Server or Windows 2008 Server, that installation consumes a Endpoint Manager license for a server. Rollup core servers don't need to be activated.

Each time the node count data is generated by the activation software on a core server, you need to send the node count data to Ivanti, either automatically by the Internet or manually by e-mail. If you fail to provide node count data within a 30-day grace period after the initial node count verification attempt, the core server may become inoperative until you provide Ivanti with the node count data. Once you send the node count data, Ivanti will provide you with an authorized certificate that will allow the core server to work normally once again.

Once you've activated a core server, use the Endpoint Manager console's Configure > Product Licensing dialog to view the products and the number of authorized nodes purchased for the account the core server authenticates with. You can also see the date the core server will verify node count data with the central licensing server. The core server doesn't limit you to the number of authorized nodes you purchased.

Participating in the Ivanti Customer Experience Improvement program

Ivanti is committed to using Customer Experience Improvement Program data to improve Ivanti software for its customers. You may participate in the Ivanti Customer Experience Improvement Program to contribute your individual experience to the overall feedback affecting the development of Ivanti software products. Participation in the Customer Experience Improvement Program is strictly voluntary.

For more information on this program, see the following PDF document:

The participation option is in the activation utility. You can change your participation status from there, even if you've already activated your product.

To change your participation status
  1. Launch the activation utility by clicking Start > Ivanti > Core Server Activation.
  2. On the Activation tab, select or clear Participate in the Ivanti Customer Experience Improvement Program.
  3. Click Activate. It may take a few minutes for the activation process to complete.