License Activation and Management

Activation and management of DigitalPersona licenses is provided through a series of intuitive wizards for activating, deactivating and refreshing DigitalPersona licenses.

These actions may also be initiated through a Command Line Interface, by executing the file DPLicActivator.exe. Help for the parameters and flags, as well as a short description of the activation process, is available by executing DPLicActivator.exe help.

There are three ways that DigitalPersona software is licensed:

Perpetual - allows use of purchased DigitalPersona software for a specified number of users, indefinitely, and includes the first year of support and maintenance.
Subscription - allows use of purchased DigitalPersona software for a specific period and for a specified number of users, and includes support and maintenance.
Evaluation - is automatically activated upon installation and allows use of DigitalPersona software for a limited period of time for up to 10 users.

Your DigitalPersona solution comes with a 30-day Evaluation License for 10 users. Upon product activation with a purchased license, the evaluation license is hidden. If all licenses are deactivated, the Evaluation license will redisplay.

Important:

Any activation of DigitalPersona licenses (from the Licenses GPO on the DigitalPersona AD Server or when using a License Transfer file for remote license management), requires access to https://solo.digitalpersona.com.
This URL is also accessed when verifying licenses from the link in the Active Directory Group Policy Management Editor License Properties dialog for the DigitalPersona AD Server.
For air-gapped environments, when initially launching the License Manager, it is critical that the computer is connected to the internet, but does NOT have access to a DigitalPersona Server. After a Request Transfer file has been generated, the License Manager should be run again on the DigitalPersona Server to be licensed. See Activate a License Remotely from Another Computer.

Product Options

The following Licensed product options are available for the HID DigitalPersona AD solution.

DigitalPersona Premium Employee License - Permits the enrollment of user credentials, and subsequent use by a specified number of users with Active Directory accounts.
Face authentication - Permits enrollment and use of the Face credential by licensed users.

DigitalPersona License Group Policy Object

The DigitalPersona License Group Policy Object is installed automatically as part of the DigitalPersona Administration Tools. It provides an Active Directory-based means of activating and managing your DigitalPersona licenses, as well as providing detailed information about the licenses and their use.

If the DigitalPersona Server was installed on a member server (i.e. not a domain controller), you may need to add the Group Policy Management feature in order to see or edit DigitalPersona group policies.

In order to view and edit DigitalPersona group policies, you will need to install the DigitalPersona Administration Tools.

After installation of the DigitalPersona Administration Tools, the DigitalPersona Server object can be accessed through the Group Policy Management Editor and used to activate, deactivate and refresh licenses for the DigitalPersona solution.

Activating Licenses

The DigitalPersona user license is issued with a unique License ID and password. The license may be activated, deactivated or refreshed through various wizards launched through the Active Directory Group Policy Management Editor on the computer where the DigitalPersona Server is installed.

In most cases, you will activate your DigitalPersona Servers over the internet through Active Directory and the DigitalPersona Activation wizard.

Prerequisites:

To keep license management workflow simple, you should generally perform it from a computer which has both an internet connection and a domain network connection.
Avoid using the more complicated License activation remotely from another computer procedure whenever possible.
If your Domain Controller is isolated from the internet, you should install the DigitalPersona Administration Tools on an administrative workstation with internet access and use that computer for license management.

If a proxy server is used for internet access, the computer which will contact the Licensing Server may need additional configuration:
1. Open the Windows Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHNE\Software\DigitalPersona\Application\Licensing registry key.
3. Create a Proxy string value, with the value in the form of "hostname:port".

Activate a Standard License

Important: Any activation, deactivation or refreshing of DigitalPersona licenses involves contacting https://solo.digitalpersona.com URL.

Note: If you need to activate a license for a DigitalPersona Server that is in an air-gapped domain, see Activate a License Remotely from Another Computer.

To activate a DigitalPersona user license:

In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Software Settings, DigitalPersona Server, Licenses.
Right-click on Licenses and select Activate license.
When the DigitalPersona Activation Wizard displays, click Next.
Enter the license information provided during the purchase of your DigitalPersona software.
If the license information is valid and the wizard is able to contact the activation server, the license will be activated.

Activate a License Remotely from Another Computer

If your DigitalPersona Server does not have access to the internet because it is an air-gapped domain, you can activate it remotely through the use of any computer that has internet access.

If your domain is air-gapped (that is, not a single computer inside the domain has access to the internet), you can still activate the license using a computer not joined to any domain and able to access the internet.

Important:

Avoid using a computer joined to one DigitalPersona Server domain for the purpose of remote activation of licenses for another DigitalPersona Server domain, as it may create a confusion about your intent. It is preferable to use a simple Workgroup computer not joined to any domain, or a computer in a domain with no DigitalPersona Server.

If any of domain computers can have internet access, then your domain is not air-gapped, and you should not use the workflow described below. Instead, use an internet-connected domain workstation for license management tasks and follow the procedure previously described under Standard license activation.

Prerequisites: Installation of the Group Management Console and the DigitalPersona Administration Tools are required on the computer used for remote activation.

To remotely activate your DigitalPersona license:

On your DigitalPersona Server, in the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Software Settings, DigitalPersona Server, Licenses.
Right-click on Licenses and select Activate license.
When the DigitalPersona License Activation Wizard displays, click Next.
On the Create or complete Activation Request page, select Create a License Activation Request file.
On the License Information page, enter the license information provided during your purchase.
On the Generate License Activation Request file page, enter a name for the file to be generated.
By default, the file will be saved in the Users folder of the logged on user. You can also enter a full path and file name or use Browse to navigate to the location where you want to save the file.
Copy the resulting License Activation Request (.dplix) file to a shared directory or device that can be accessed from a computer with an internet connection and the DigitalPersona Administrative Tools installed.

You can leave this wizard open until you have the License Activation Response file, or rerun the wizard later.
On an internet-enabled computer:
1. Install DigitalPersona Administrative Tools (if not previously installed).
2. Navigate to, and double-click the License Activation Request file generated above.
3. The DigitalPersona License Activation Wizard will launch. Click Next.
4. Enter a name for the License Activation Response file to be generated.
5. By default, the file will be saved in the Users folder of the logged on user. You can also enter a full path and file name or use Browse to navigate to the location where you want to save the file.
6. Click Next and then click Finish to close the wizard.
Copy the response file back to the DigitalPersona Server machine.
On the DigitalPersona Server:
1. If you have left the wizard open, click Next.
2. On the Complete Activation page, enter the path and file name of the License Activation Response file to complete activation of your DigitalPersona product. Or select Browse to locate the file.
3. Enter the path to, or Browse to, the location of the License Activation Response file (specified above). Click Next.
4. Upon successful activation, the final page of the wizard displays. Click Finish to close the wizard.

Check for License Updates

To check for updates to your licenses:

In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Software Settings, DigitalPersona Server, Licenses.
Right-click on a license and select Check for license updates.
When the DigitalPersona License Refresh Wizard displays, click Next.
On the License Information page, check to make sure that the License ID identifies the license that you are refreshing.
Once the license has been successfully refreshed, click Finish to close the wizard.

Display License Properties

To display a summary of license information for all DigitalPersona licenses installed on this machine, right click anywhere on the Licensed product option line and select Properties.
To display detailed information for a specific license, right-click on the license and select Properties.
To display advanced information for a specific license, right-click on the license and select Properties. Then select the Advanced tab.

Deactivating Licenses

Deactivate a License

Your DigitalPersona license may be deactivated through the DigitalPersona Deactivation Wizard, launched through the Active Directory Group Policy Management Editor on the computer where the DigitalPersona Server is installed.

In most cases, you will deactivate your DigitalPersona Server license over the internet through Active Directory and the DigitalPersona Deactivation wizard.

Note: If your DigitalPersona Server is not connected to the internet, see Deactivate a License Remotely from Another Computer.

To deactivate a DigitalPersona license:

In MMC, navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Software Settings, DigitalPersona Server, Licenses.
Right-click on Licenses and select Deactivate license.
In the License Deactivation Wizard, click Next.
On the License Information page, check to make sure that the License ID identifies the license that you intend to deactivate.
Once the license has been successfully refreshed, click Finish to close the wizard.

Deactivate a License Remotely from Another Computer

If your DigitalPersona Server does not have access to the internet, you can deactivate it remotely through the use of any computer that has internet access.

Prerequisites: Installation of the Group Management Console and the DigitalPersona Administration Tools are required on the machine.

To remotely deactivate your DigitalPersona license:

On your DigitalPersona Server, in the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration, Policies, Software Settings, DigitalPersona Server, Licenses.
Right-click on Licenses and select Deactivate license.
When the DigitalPersona License Deactivation Wizard displays, click Next.
On the Create or complete Deactivation Request page, select Create a License Deactivation Request file.
On the License Information page, verify that the License ID identifies the license that you want to deactivate.
On the Generate License Deactivation Request File page, enter a name for the License Request file to be generated.
By default, the file will be saved in the Users folder of the logged on user. You can also enter a full path and file name or use Browse to navigate to the location where you want to save the file.
Copy the resulting License Deactivation Request (.dplix) file to a shared directory or device that can be accessed from a computer with an internet connection and the DigitalPersona Administrative Tools installed.

You can leave this wizard open until you have the License Deactivation Response file, or rerun the wizard later.
On an internet-enabled computer:
1. Install DigitalPersona Administrative Tools (if not previously installed).
2. Navigate to, and double-click, the License Deactivation Request file generated above.
3. The DigitalPersona License Deactivation Wizard will launch. Click Next.
4. Enter a name for the file to be generated and click Next.
5. By default, the file will be saved in the Users folder of the logged on user. You can also enter a full path and file name or use Browse to navigate to the location where you want to save the file.
On the DigitalPersona Server:
1. If you have left the wizard open, click Next.
2. On the Complete Deactivation page, enter the path and file name of the License Deactivation Response file to complete deactivation of your DigitalPersona license. Or select Browse to locate the file.
3. Click Next.
4. Upon successful deactivation, the final page of the wizard displays. Click Finish to close the wizard.

Releasing User Licenses

You can release the DigitalPersona license associated with a specific user back to the license pool through the Delete License command in the DigitalPersona ADUC Snap-in.