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Licensing
Details on the licensing solution of PLA 3.0, the available licensing options, and the activation and management of licenses.
Activate your license
To activate your PLA 3.0 license, you install a software key on the computer or license server that should hold the PLA 3.0 license. Activating the PLA 3.0 license automatically activates the license keys for your add-ons.

Get started
Explore PLA 3.0, its key features and ongoing enhancements. Learn how it fits into your environment, and how to log in and register.
User interface
PLA 3.0 supports you in your daily work by providing a set of graphical and textual user interface elements. Learn about the different elements and how to use them efficiently.
Key concepts
Details on documents and templates, the data editors and the Content editor of PLA 3.0.
Data analysis
Data analysis add-ons offer a wide range of capabilities, ranging from analytical methods over comprehensive analysis to statistical process control. PLA 3.0 also provides a set of add-ons that support and supplement data analysis add-ons.
Data import
Use data acquisition and data import add-ons to import external response values and observation data into PLA 3.0 for further processing and evaluation.
Installation
Details on the deployment and installation of licensed PLA 3.0 versions.
Licensing
Details on the licensing solution of PLA 3.0, the available licensing options, and the activation and management of licenses.
- Licensing options
  The licensing option determines the number of users who can access PLA 3.0 at the same time. It also determines the number of computers on which you can install PLA 3.0.
- Information packages
  Information packages play a central role in the installation and licensing process. They contain key data required to get PLA 3.0 up and running in your environment.
- Activate your license
  To activate your PLA 3.0 license, you install a software key on the computer or license server that should hold the PLA 3.0 license. Activating the PLA 3.0 license automatically activates the license keys for your add-ons.
  - Collect status information
    Create a Customer-to-Vendor (.c2v) file to collect information about the computer or license server on which you want to install the PLA 3.0 license.
  - Apply the license file
    Apply the Vendor-to-Customer (.v2c) file to the computer or license server that you want to license.
  - Set up the Sentinel license server
    Set up the Sentinel license server such that the computers running PLA 3.0 can access it.
- Transfer your license
  PLA 3.0 licenses are tied to the computer to which you apply the vendor-to-customer (.v2c) file. Before you change the hardware or operating system of this computer, you have to temporarily transfer the license to a different computer.
- Manage existing licenses
  Learn how to increase the number of concurrent users, replace a hardware key with a software key, or cross-upgrade from a Seat license to a Concurrent use license.
- Licenses on a license server
  By default, clients can access all Sentinel license servers running in the same subnet. If you operate several subnets or want to restrict the access of clients to a license server, you have to control the access accordingly.
- Legacy protection keys
  We recommend software keys for license activation. However, we also support legacy protection keys, namely hardware-based Sentinel protection keys and hardlock keys.
Administration
Details on system administration tasks such as setup and maintenance of databases and add-ons, user accounts, access rights, and migration and update procedures.
Regulatory compliance
PLA 3.0 supports you in achieving compliance with regulations such as ISPE GAMP^® 5 and 21 CFR Part 11. It also provides options to validate PLA 3.0 in your environment.
PDF downloads
Download PDF guides of current and previous framework and add-on versions.
Sample lab
Meet the team of Stegmann Labs Inc. and use our sample laboratory to explore core features and functions of PLA 3.0.
Glossary
Find definitions of terms.

Activate your license

To activate your PLA 3.0 license, you install a software key on the computer or license server that should hold the PLA 3.0 license. Activating the PLA 3.0 license automatically activates the license keys for your add-ons.

Note: We recommend software keys for license activation. For details on legacy hardware keys, see the Legacy protection keys topic.

About this task

To install the software key, you use the PLA License Key Manager, one of the applications provided by the PLA License System. In the PLA License Key Manager, you work with the following files:

Customer-to-Vendor (.c2v) file: You create this file to collect status information about the computer or license server you want to license.
Vendor-to-Customer file (.v2c) file: Once we receive your .c2v file, we create the .v2c file for you. This file contains the actual license information.

In the following example, the license is applied to a license server:

License activation using .c2v and .v2c files — Figure 1. License activation using .c2v and .v2c files

Procedure

To activate your license, complete the following steps:

Steps for activating a license using a software key — Figure 2. Steps for activating a license using a software key

How-to video

The following video shows how you activate a PLA 3.0 license step-by-step: