License Transfer and License Manager

About 10 min read

The 2WinScada license is bound to a single server. When the system is moved to another server, the license must be moved too. The transfer does not require internet access; it is done by exchanging files.

This page describes the license transfer and the desktop 2WinScada License Manager tool used on Windows servers. For the license contents, the first installation and the System Information page, see the License page.

When a transfer is needed

• When the system is moved to a new server.
• When the server the license is installed on is to be replaced.

On the same server, after major hardware or operating system changes, the license may appear invalid with the LicenseBindingMismatch code. In that case, get a new request file from the server and send it to the 2WinScada team. Do not copy a license issued for the old server to the new server.

Transfer flow

The transfer consists of three steps:

1. Release on the old server: The license is removed from the old server and a release file (2WinScada.release) is created.
2. Transfer by the 2WinScada team: Using the release file and the request file of the new server, the team issues a new revision of the license for the new server. The package, add-ons, capacity and expiry date are carried over unchanged.
3. Installation on the new server: The license file received is installed with the normal installation steps.

Prerequisites:

• The same 2WinScada version must be installed on both servers.
• Releasing from the web interface requires a SystemAdmin account on the old server. The Administrators group can install a license but cannot release it.
• The clock of the old server must be correct.

1. Getting the request file on the new server

1. Install 2WinScada on the new server.
2. On the License and Service Management card of the System Information page, click Download License Request File.
3. Keep the downloaded license.instance file.

2. Releasing the license on the old server

Irreversible operation

Releasing is permanent. Runtime stops immediately on the old server, the services start unlicensed after a restart, and the same license file can never be installed on this server again. To bring the license back to the old server, a new transfer must be requested from the 2WinScada team.

1. Sign in on the old server with a SystemAdmin account.
2. On the License and Service Management card of the System Information page, click Release License (Transfer).
3. Read the warning in the Release License window.
4. Type the 8-character short license id shown in the window in the Short license id field.
5. Click Release. The 2WinScada.release file is downloaded.
6. Restart the services with Restart Services. The services start unlicensed and the license status is shown as Released.

If the release file is lost, download it again with the Download Release File Again button on the same card. The same document is generated again.

If the release is rejected, the installed license does not change. Send the code in the error message to the 2WinScada team.

If the web interface cannot be reached, the release can also be done with License Manager; see Releasing the license.

3. Sending the files to the 2WinScada team

Send these two files to the 2WinScada team:

• The 2WinScada.release file of the old server.
• The license.instance file of the new server.

The team sends the license file for the new server.

4. Installation on the new server

1. On the new server, install the received file with Upload License File.
2. Restart the services with Restart Services.
3. Check that the status on the License Activation card is Valid.

For detailed steps, see the License page.

If the old server is not working

If the old server is faulty or cannot be reached, no release file can be created. In that case, contact the 2WinScada team; the team assesses the situation and starts the license process for the new server.

If the old server is repaired later, do not use the license on it and inform the 2WinScada team.

Points to watch during a transfer

• Do not manually delete or change the license files and the 2WinScada program data folders.
• The configuration backup does not contain the license or the license state. To move the project to the new server, see the Backup and Restore page; for the license, follow the flow on this page.
• Before releasing, make sure that the date and time of the old server are correct.

License Manager

2WinScada License Manager is the desktop tool that performs license operations on Windows servers. The tool does not need an internet connection. The tool:

• Collects the machine identity and exports the license.instance file.
• Validates and installs the received license file.
• Releases the license for a transfer.
• Stops, starts and restarts the 2WinScada services.
• Repairs the access permissions of the license files.

Opening the tool

1. Right-click the 2WinScada License Manager shortcut and select Run as administrator.
2. If needed, select the language with the language selector in the upper right.

If the tool is not running as administrator, a warning bar appears at the top. In that case, install, backup, permission repair, service and release operations are disabled; close the tool and open it again as administrator.

While an operation is running, the other operation buttons are disabled. Wait for the operation to finish.

Machine identity and request file

1. Open the Machine identity tab in the left menu.
2. The machine identity is collected automatically when the tool opens. If Collecting the machine identity... is shown, wait; if it times out, click Refresh.
3. Check that there is no critical warning on the screen.
4. Click Export license.instance and save the file in a folder where you can find it easily.

The export writes only to the location you select. The Download License Request File button in the web interface uses the same machine identity.

The request file contains no passwords or user account information.

Virtual machines

On virtual machines, tell the 2WinScada team before sending the license request file.

Validating and installing the license

1. Open the Install License tab in the left menu.
2. With Browse..., select the .license file sent by the 2WinScada team. Validation starts automatically; if needed, repeat it with Verify Selected License.
3. Check the result:
   • Green: The license is valid and can be installed.
   • Yellow: The license was read, but there is a warning or an obstacle for installation.
   • Red: The license could not be validated; do not install it.
4. Check that the status is Valid, that Can install is yes and that Binding matches shows a match. Check that the package, expiry date and limits match the purchased license.
5. Click Install Selected License. If the customer password is asked, enter it.

The Installation progress list shows these steps:

1. The license is validated for this machine.
2. If needed, the 2WinScada services are stopped.
3. The current license is backed up and the new license is installed. If the current license cannot be backed up, the new license is not installed.
4. The license file permissions are checked.
5. If Restart services after install is selected (default), the services are restarted in order: Notification, RecordDevice, MQTT Publisher and finally the main service. The archive database (QuestDB) and MCP are not stopped.

If the bar The installed license is loaded only after the SCADA services restart. is shown at the top of the window, the new license has not yet been loaded into the running services. Click Restart SCADA services on the bar or on the Services tab.

Check the result on the Dashboard tab: the installed license must be valid, Policy permissions must be OK and Service restart must be Not required.

Repairing permissions

If the warning SCADA services cannot read the license policy state. appears on the Dashboard tab, the services cannot read the license. Repair the permissions with the steps below.

1. Click the Repair permissions button below the warning and enter the customer password if needed.
2. Check that the Policy permissions field is OK.
3. Use Restart SCADA services so that the services read the license again.

The repair only fixes the access permissions; it does not change the license itself.

Releasing the license

1. Go to the Release license for transfer section on the Install License tab.
2. Type the number of the installed license in the requested field. If the typed value does not match, nothing changes.
3. Click Release license, enter the customer password and save the .release file.
4. The tool removes the license and restarts the services in order. The services run unlicensed on this server.
5. If the file could not be saved, save it again with Save release file again.

This operation cannot be undone either. For the next steps, see the Transfer flow section.

Services

1. Open the Services tab and get the states with Refresh. The states are not queried automatically.
2. For all services, use the Restart SCADA services button. The order is: Notification, RecordDevice, MQTT Publisher, and finally the main service.
3. For a single service, select its row and use the available operation: Start Selected, Stop Selected or Restart Selected. QuestDB can be started only if it has stopped; for MCP only the state is shown.

A service that is not installed is shown as Not found (NotFound).

Customer password, History and Settings

• Customer password: Defined with the user icon in the upper right. License and service operations are protected with this password. If the password is forgotten, contact your system integrator.
• History: Lists validation, installation, backup, permission repair, release and service operations from newest to oldest. Secret values are not written to the history.
• Settings: Do not change them in normal use; use them only as directed by the 2WinScada team.

File locations

Do not manually delete or change the license files and the 2WinScada program data folders. The file locations are described in the help installed with the product.

Error codes

Code	Meaning	What to do
BindingMismatch	The license was issued for another machine or an old machine identity.	Send the current license.instance file again.
LegacyLicenseDisabled	The selected file is an old-type license and is not accepted.	Ask for a new license with the current request file.
MachineIdentityPending	The machine identity has not been collected yet.	Wait on the Machine identity tab or click Refresh.
LicenseReleased	The license on this machine was released for a transfer.	A new license file is needed.
BackupFailed	The current license could not be backed up.	Check the permissions of the backup folder and the free disk space.
Access denied	The tool was not opened as administrator or the folder cannot be accessed.	Open the tool again with Run as administrator.

If you see a code that is not in the table, send the code and the error message to the 2WinScada team.

Information to send with a support request

When there is a problem, send the following to the 2WinScada team:

• The validation code and the error message on the screen.
• The license number and revision.
• The warnings shown in the License Manager.
• The Policy permissions and the restart state on the Dashboard tab.
• The License Manager version (in the window title) and the approximate time of the operation.
• If needed, the current license.instance file.

Do not send passwords, settings files or screenshots that show them.