Friday - The Automatic FAQ Maker
Registration of Portfolio software. There are two steps to completing this process:
You don't have to do both tasks at once. As part of installation set-to-work it is best to serialise at that point. However, if the codes haven't been received, you've 30-days demo period (unless this has already been used) you can use to get started. Once you've got all your licences, do register them - even if not all are deployed (the latter doesn’t affect your rights). ASAs are automatically added to your account as are electronically issued licences. ASA-entitled new version codes are also added to your online account. It makes sense to register!
Given the potential importance of your registration account it is worth considering - in a non-single-user setting - a specific email account as the contact address for the account that can - for instance - be forwarded to all Portfolio admins and/or our IT staff supporting Portfolio. Mailings to this email are infrequent - you won't get a deluge of marketing spam but you will get the occasional reminder about relevant issues affecting your continued use of Portfolio. Don't wait until the current admin leaves and their email address is deleted before realising you need it to correctly use you website account. Should this scenario arise, contact Technical Support to get the account details (email, password, etc.) correctly re-configured.
VARs and SIs providing Portfolio solutions should remember to note ASA inception dates and ensure reminders are sent to the client with enough time to allow for renewal before expiry (if renewal is wanted).
As of mid 2004 the website and support is set up such that without registering you will find getting online support more difficult and you will not get access to otherwise free minor updates. Part of the Extensis website 'account' created for you post registration is a list of all your current Extensis product licences (including older versions) which is useful back-up for this important information.
For the client (v5 either Desktop & Network) you must first install the program. On next starting the program you are prompted to 'personalise' the application. Enter the code and your software is personalised/registered. Now, don't forget to complete the registration by reporting your user information to Extensis or you may miss out on offers and, more pertinently, support and upgrades. You can register with them by mail fax or email. Extensis are now beginning to ask for registration info when you contact them. So don't add to delays when you have a problem by having to show you are actually a genuine paying customer!
As well as the 'client' software (for v5 Desktop or Network) see here for how to register the additional modules (NetPublish/PortWeb, Server, SQL Connect) before they can be used. You will find your registration code on stickers on the back of your paper manual or will receive them by email for an online only purchase.
If you have purchased Portfolio Server v6 or v5 you will receive a multi-user licence allowing you to personalise up to 5 clients using the same serial number. Portfolio Server v7 comes with a single client licence - effectively to ensure you have a client through which to administer and serialise the server software. Note too that Server v6 includes the client's filters, to support AutoSync catalogues and so the server can be thought of as a UI-less client as well. (See also 'Multi-user Portfolio & licences'). Note that with multi-user client licences, each client must be serialised but the licence need only be registered once.
Before you can serialise Server you must install and serialise at least one of your client licence(s); then (install and) admin the Server software. Use the client to administer the server and apply the server licence via the client's Administer Server option (on the File menu). When you first access a 'new' Server to use (administer) it you will be prompted for the serial number. This procedure is not fully explained in the various versions' manuals. If left unlicensed, server will run for 30 days in demo mode and then cease to function - unless serialised. Until v8, expired demo servers acted as 'zombies' - they'd start and could be seen from clients as running yet would not serve anything. As from v8, unserialised demo-expired servers indicate the need serialising before they will serve anything - but only if you try to admin them, they still show in the Connect to Server dialog although they won't serve anything.
For v7 or older, with Portfolio Server you receive 2 codes on the back of the manual: server and client. The server code is used for the Server application itself. In versions 5/6 the second licence is a single 5-seat multi-user licence; in v7 this changed to be a single user licence - in effect giving you a client licence with which to administer the server software. Further client and/or server licences can be bought direct from Extensis. In v8+ there is no client licence bundled with the server. Note that a number of v5 Server shrink-wrapped boxes shipped in error with manuals that only had a Server code sticker. If you receive one of these, contact Extensis support and they will issue you the serial number you require to serialise the client.
You must install the server software first; from v8.0 this is done automatically as part of the Server install - the SQLConnect licence unlocks the additional features. SQLConnect acts as a secondary licence for Portfolio Server controlling access to the SQL related features. For SQL Connect you will be asked, as with Server, to personalise the software the first time you attempt to use it. There is no demo mode for SQLConnect - you to demo it you must request a demo licence directly from Extensis.
Use a client to serialise NetPublish. Click the Administer NetPublish item on the client's File menu to set up access to the NP server and then serialise it. After 30-days, NetPublish does still run but in one-IP-per-hour demo mode (i.e. as a single user development server).
PortWeb was discontinued after v6. Versions v5 and v6 do not require registration. v4 required you to use your Network client code register PortWeb. Simply install the PortWeb software and use as instructed in the manual. In v7, PortWeb is replaced by NetPublish which does require a pay-for licence or else it runs in one-IP-per-hour demo mode.
The Browser software does not require to be registered.
See also 'Multi-user Portfolio & licences'.
Question: Serialising & Registering your software [FAQ00020.htm]
Last Update:- 21 January 2008
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