License Mode

You can configure the License Mode in the Configurator under the Common Platform tab.

Note: License mode changes do not take effect until the computer is restarted.

Important information about configuring a license mode

Product capabilities and behaviors: Selecting a license mode enables product capabilities and directs the behavior of specific products, but does not select or activate a specific license. Installing and setting up licenses are separate from the license mode. Refer to individual product documentation for information about installing and setting up licenses for that product.

Products affected by license mode configuration: Product behaviors directed by the selection of a license mode may not be applicable to all installed products. The Configurator is a common framework and license mode selection might not apply to an installed product you want to configure.

For information on Operations Control connected experience implementation, see Operations Control with the connected experience - product co-existence.

For example, System Platform can operate under different licensing modes. The selected modes influence the product behaviour on a node in terms of licensing, entitlements, and user access.

The three primary licensing modes are:

• Perpetual

• Flex

• AVEVA Operations Control

AVEVA Operations Control can be deployed in either of the following configurations:

• Operations Control without connected experience

• Operations Control with connected experience

Perpetual

Perpetual licensing is the traditional licensing model in which software is licensed based on the installed product capacity, such as servers, I/O points, or client sessions.

With this model, licenses are purchased for specific products or capacity levels and can be used for an unlimited period of time. Licensing is typically determined by factors such as I/O count, server or runtime capacity, and client or session usage, depending on the product and license type.

This licensing approach is most commonly used in legacy or existing System Platform deployments.

Flex

Flex is a subscription-based, component-based licensing model that allows you to license the specific products or components required for your system.

Instead of purchasing traditional perpetual licenses, you use Flex entitlements or credits to license the products you need. Flex remains a component-based licensing model, meaning you license the individual System Platform components that support your architecture, such as Application Server, App Engines, Workstations, Supervisory Servers, and Supervisory Clients.

Although Flex is a subscription model, it differs from AVEVA Operations Control because it is still based on selecting and licensing specific product components. In contrast, Operations Control uses a named-user package model rather than a component-based licensing approach.

AVEVA Operations Control

Operations Control is a named-user subscription model that provides broader usage rights across the products included in your purchased package.

Operations Control is based on the number of named users and the Operations Control package you have purchased instead of licensing the system primarily by product component, server, I/O count, or client count.

A key advantage of Operations Control is the architectural flexibility it provides within the scope of your licensed package. For example, you may not need to size your deployment using the traditional server, client, or I/O-based licensing approach.

However, Operations Control still requires a valid subscription and appropriate user assignments. Selecting Operations Control in Configurator does not automatically enable all features or products.

You must have a valid Operations Control subscription, and all users must be covered under that subscription. In addition, the installed products must still be properly configured to ensure correct operation and licensing compliance.

Operations Control without connected experience

Operations Control without connected experience provides the benefits of the Operations Control licensing model while continuing to use local license activation.

In this configuration, your deployment is still governed by your Operations Control commercial model and the defined named users covered under that subscription. However, the system does not use CONNECT-based sign-in, single sign-on (SSO), or real-time entitlement verification through CONNECT during runtime.

Since connected experience is not enabled by default, you must continue to follow the standard local licensing process. Licenses need to be downloaded, installed, and activated as required.

Operations Control without connected experience still requires license activation. You receive the usage rights associated with Operations Control, while the installed products continue to rely on local license activation instead of the CONNECT-based entitlement and authentication workflow.

Operations Control with connected experience

Operations Control with connected experience uses CONNECT for user authentication, single sign-on (SSO), user management, and entitlement verification.

When connected experience is enabled, you sign in using your CONNECT account. The system can then verify whether the signed-in user is entitled to access and use the applicable Operations Control products based on the assigned subscription and user permissions.

Connected experience provides:

• CONNECT-based sign-in

• Single sign-on across supported Operations Control products

• Centralized user management in CONNECT

• CONNECT-based entitlement checks

• Audit visibility for user access and product usage

Connected experience also introduces changes to the security model. In a connected experience environment, CONNECT-based authorization becomes the required security framework for managing user access and permissions.

To ensure proper operation, connected experience should be enabled consistently across all nodes in the system. If some nodes are configured to use connected experience while others are not, application configurations may need to be modified to maintain compatibility and ensure correct system behaviour.

The following table summarizes the key differences between the license mode options:

License mode options

Configurator determines the licensing behaviour of the node. It is used to select the licensing mode for the local computer.

Selecting a licensing mode determines how the installed product on the node operates from a licensing and entitlement perspective. However, selecting a mode does not:

• purchase a license or activate a license on its own

• assign a user

• replace the license activation-subscription assignment, or entitlement configuration process