4.1 License sources

4.2 Business code

• An installation can be extended only with keys that use the same business code as the Edition.

• An EDU Edition can be extended with compatible EDU keys but not with an SLS key as an add-on.

• An SLS Edition can be extended with compatible SLS keys but not with EDU keys.

• An SLS Edition may replace the Edition on an installation activated under another business code, but this is an Edition replacement, not an extension. The replacement shall be planned and approved before activation.

• The full key shall not be placed in general documentation, screenshots or unprotected messages. Use a masked identifier when recording or discussing a key.

4.3 Activation-key composition and order

1. Activate the Edition key or the key that contains the Edition.

2. Verify the active Edition, C4 version, server count and business code.

3. Activate additional Plugin and extension keys with the same business code.

4. Assign addressable Plugin licenses to devices and complete verification.

6.1 Required inputs

• Accepted commercial order, training entitlement or approved test request.

• Customer name, installation name, environment and responsible owner.

• Target C4 version and Edition.

• Server topology, licensed server count and stable MAC address or addresses.

• Required Plugin types, license metrics and quantities.

• Activation key or keys, with verified business code, contents and validity.

• Registered Portal Services account with access to the target installation.

• Decision whether activation will be performed online or offline.

• Approved change window, administrator access and operational backup or recovery point.

• Location for storing the activation record and handover evidence.

6.2 Technical and administrative prerequisites

• The C4 System is successfully installed on the final target environment.

• C4 registration is complete. Registration is the final step in concluding the License Agreement and is required for subsequent license management.

• The correct installation is visible in Portal Services and the administrator is authorized to manage it.

• The server identities and topology match the ordered Edition. No planned infrastructure change will alter the licensed MAC address immediately after activation.

• The current Edition business code, if any, is known and compatible with all additional keys.

• A backup or documented recovery point exists before a material activation, Edition replacement or Upgrade.

• The full activation key is available only to authorized personnel and has not been exposed in public tickets or shared storage.

6.3 Pre-activation validation

6.4 Activation completion criteria

• The expected Edition and all approved extensions are visible in C4 Client.

• Portal Services and C4 Client show consistent installation and license data, subject to normal synchronization time.

• All required addressable Plugin licenses are assigned to the intended devices.

• No production device that requires a license remains unintentionally unlicensed.

• Expiration dates and warnings are reviewed, and each time-limited license has an owner and exit plan.

• The activation and assignment evidence is recorded and handed over to the license owner or project owner.

8.1 Choosing the activation mode

8.2 Online activation through C4 Client

1. Open the Licenses panel. In C4 Client, open the license-management area and select Activate Key.

2. Start the Key Activation Process. Because the target is online, select Login and authenticate to Portal Services with an authorized account.

3. Enter the activation key. Enter the full key only in the authorized activation interface.

4. Review the activation overview. Confirm the Edition, Plugin modules, quantities and expiration dates shown by the key. If anything differs from the order, cancel and resolve the discrepancy.

5. Confirm activation. Select Activate and acknowledge that the key will be permanently used and that the action is irreversible.

6. Verify the result. Confirm that the new license rows appear in C4 Client and that the data is synchronized with Portal Services.

7. Repeat for compatible extension keys. If additional keys are supplied, activate them only after the Edition and only when the business code matches.

8.3 Offline activation through Portal Services

1. Open Portal Services. On an Internet-connected computer, open the Licenses section at https://my.c4portal.com/licenses and select the correct registered installation.

2. Select Activate Key. Enter the activation key and continue to the entitlement overview.

3. Review the key contents. Confirm the Edition, Plugin modules, quantities and expiration dates before activation.

4. Activate and download. Confirm the activation, then select Download license to obtain the license package for the target installation.

5. Transfer securely. Move the package to the target environment using an approved secure method, such as controlled removable media. Protect the package against alteration and unauthorized access.

6. Import in C4 Client. In the Licenses panel, select Activate Key, then Import License Package, and select the package downloaded for the same installation.

7. Verify and clean up. Confirm the new license data, record evidence and remove temporary copies from unsecured transfer locations.

8.4 Post-activation verification

9.1 Extending an existing installation

• The Edition is already active.

• The additional key uses the same business code as the Edition.

• The Plugin type, licensed object, quantity, validity and target customer match the approved change.

• The administrator records the additional activation and assigns addressable licenses to devices.

• The post-activation totals are reconciled with the order and device inventory.

9.2 Edition replacement and business-code change

9.3 Upgrade to a newer C4 version

• Confirm that the Upgrade covers the intended Edition and installation.

• Verify compatibility of all Drivers, Connectors, Panels and other Plugins with the target C4 version.

• Review server topology, backups, database and rollback arrangements according to the applicable upgrade procedure.

• Confirm whether a new activation step or updated license package is required for the target version.

• Record the previous and new version, Upgrade entitlement and completion evidence.

9.4 Hardware, MAC address and virtualization changes

• Identify every server identity covered by the Edition and the planned change.

• Contact the authorized business partner or support channel to determine the required replacement or exception process.

• Do not assume that copying a license package, restoring a VM image or changing a MAC address transfers the entitlement.

• Use stable virtual MAC addresses and prevent automated infrastructure processes from silently regenerating them.

• Record the old and new identities, approval, date, reason and resulting license state.

9.5 Migration, disaster recovery and restoration

9.6 Decommissioning

• Stop C4 use on the decommissioned installation and preserve the final activation record.

• Remove activation keys and offline packages from unsecured work folders, email, removable media and shared locations.

• Do not attempt to reuse the activated key on a replacement installation.

• Coordinate any replacement entitlement through the authorized supplier or support process.

10.1 License status indicators

10.2 Manual assignment - Manage

1. In the relevant license row, select Manage.

2. Review the eligible devices and the available, licensed and unlicensed counts.

3. Select the device or devices that shall receive the license.

4. Confirm the selection with Apply.

5. Verify that Used and Non Licensed Devices changed as expected and record any remaining gap.

10.3 Automatic assignment - Resolve Automatically

1. Select Resolve Automatically in the Licenses panel.

2. Review the assignment proposed by C4 before applying it.

3. Confirm the assignment with Apply.

4. Verify the resulting Used and Non Licensed Devices counts and manually correct any assignment that does not match the operational intent.

10.4 Assignment rules

• A license can be assigned only to an eligible device of the licensed type defined by the Plugin developer.

• Assignment cannot exceed the activated quantity. Where devices exceed licenses, some devices remain unlicensed.

• Automatic assignment does not remove the administrator responsibility to review the result.

• A lifetime license and a time-limited license of the same type shall be assigned deliberately. Critical production operation should not depend on a temporary test license unless the license owner has approved the risk and exit plan.

• When a device is removed, replaced or repurposed, review the license assignment and records so that available capacity is not unintentionally stranded.

10.5 Mixed validity periods and expiry

• Identify every time-limited license, its assigned device, owner and expiration date.

• Before expiry, purchase or issue a replacement entitlement, reassign an appropriate license, remove the device from service or conclude the approved test.

• After any change, confirm that every required production device has a valid assigned license.

11.1 Mandatory controls for time-limited licenses

• Record the purpose, customer or individual, installation, scope, issue date, expiration date and responsible owner.

• Keep the entitlement separate from production licensing unless the approved test specifically occurs on the production installation.

• Do not use a training, demo, test or SDK license to avoid or delay a required commercial purchase.

• Monitor expiry and agree the test exit: purchase, replacement, reassignment, removal or test closure.

• Do not promise production continuity, support coverage or SLA performance that depends on a temporary entitlement beyond its validity.

• At test completion, review assignments and remove temporary access material from customer and engineer systems.

11.2 Obtaining an end-customer test license

12.1 Monitoring

• Edition, version, business code and server count.

• Plugin quantities, Used counts and Non Licensed Devices.

• All time-limited expiration dates and red attention indicators.

• Consistency among the accepted order, activation record, Portal Services and C4 Client.

• Upcoming infrastructure changes that could alter a licensed server identity.

12.2 Activation-key and package security

• Treat activation keys and offline license packages as confidential entitlement material.

• Limit access to authorized commercial, project and technical personnel.

• Use approved secure channels for delivery. Do not place a full key in general documents, public tickets, chat rooms or screenshots.

• Record a masked key identifier, for example SLS-XXXX-XXXX-1234, unless the protected system of record is explicitly approved to store the full value.

• Protect Portal Services credentials and do not share personal accounts.

• For offline activation, control removable media, verify that the package belongs to the same installation and remove temporary copies after successful import.

• Do not alter an activation key, license package or license-management data.

12.3 Minimum activation record

12.4 Audit and reconciliation

12.5 Prohibited use

• Reusing an activated key on another installation.

• Copying or cloning an activated environment to create an additional operational installation without entitlement.

• Using more servers, Plugins, devices, functions or time than authorized.

• Using EDU, demo, test or SDK licenses for unapproved commercial production.

• Sharing Portal Services credentials or activation material with unauthorized persons.

• Changing a server identity to evade license controls or attempting to alter the activation package.

• Continuing operation after a known license breach without notifying the license owner and initiating remediation.