Ebase Licensing Procedure

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Step 1: Determine the Host ID string for the server system

Step 2: Obtain the licence file

Step 3: Install the licence file

Step 4: Start the Ebase Application Server

Starting from Ebase V3.2, every Ebase system requires a licence file in order to operate. This document describes the procedure to obtain and install the licence file. The licence file is installed on the system running the Ebase Server it is not required on Ebase Client Designer systems.

You will need to follow this procedure in any of the following circumstances:

• A new installation of the Ebase Application Server on a server system
• An upgrade of an existing system from a release earlier than V3.2 to V3.2 or higher
• An upgrade of an existing system at release V3.2.x to V3.3 or higher
• An upgrade to the server system hardware which results in a change to the MAC Address, e.g. replacement of the network card

In this document, $UFS_HOME refers to the directory where the Ebase Server has been installed.

Step 1: Determine the Host Id string for the server system

Perform this procedure on the system where the Ebase Application Server is to run:

Windows systems

1. Install the Ebase Application Server if not already done.
2. Open a DOS Command Window and cd to the $UFS_HOME\UfsServer\admin\licence
3. Enter command: licencecheck

The system will respond with “Ebase licence string: …………”

Windows systems important notes:

The Ebase licensing process uses hardware information associated with an installed network adaptor. If the system has more than one network adaptor installed and enabled, a list of adaptors and their associated IP addresses is displayed and a choice must be made from this list. It is very important that the network adaptor selected at this point is also available each time the Ebase Server is subsequently started. For this reason, it is recommended that wireless cards and other similar 'temporary' network adaptors are not chosen. Failure to follow this advice can lead to licensing failures starting the Ebase Server.

Linux and Unix systems

1. Install the Ebase Server if not already done.
2. cd to directory $UFS_HOME/UfsServer/admin/licence
3. Enter command: licencecheck.sh

The system will respond with “Ebase licence string: …………”

Linux and Unix systems important notes: 

The licencecheck command runs a standalone Java program that requires Java 1.4 or higher to run. If a lower level of Java is used, it will fail with message:

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: 

com/ebasetech/ufs/licence/GetHostId (Unsupported major.minor version 48.0)

The licencecheck procedure issues operating system commands, and these can fail if access to these commands is restricted. In Linux and Unix systems this can be overcome by running licencecheck as root. However, the same checking procedure is also used by the Ebase Server during its startup checks, therefore access to the operating system commands will also be needed at this point.

Note that for application servers where Ebase is supplied as a .war or an .ear file, the admin directory will need to be copied separately to the target server system. In addition, the licencecheck.bat or licencecheck.sh scripts may need to be adjusted to set JAVA_HOME.

Step 2: Obtain the licence file

Email or fax a licence application request to Ebase Technology. The licence file will be sent to you via email within a maximum of 8 working hours. Contact details are:

Email: licensing@ebasetech.com

Fax: +44 (0)1767 651357

When emailing, please give your email the title “Licence request for <customer name>”, e.g. “XYZ County Council”.

Include the following information:

Your Name:
Your Phone Number:
Your Email Address:	Only necessary if applying by fax
Customer Name:
Ebase Version:	Which version of Ebase do you require the licence file for?
Host Id:	Ebase licence string obtained from step 1 above
System Type:	Development, Test or Production (see below)
System Id:	A unique id for this instance (this is optional)
Workflow included ?	If you have purchased Ebase Workflow.
Integration Server included ?	If you have purchased the Ebase Integration Server.

The system types have the following characteristics:

Development:	Allows unrestricted use of designer and runtime.
Test:	Creation of new elements or copying existing elements in the Ebase Designer is not allowed. When running forms, all HTML pages contain an additional header: * T E S T * T E S T * T E S T * T E S T * T E S T * T E S T *
Production:	Creation of new elements or copying existing elements in the Ebase Designer is not allowed

A sample fax form is supplied in $UFS_HOME/UfsServer/admin/licence/licenceform.doc

Step 3: Install the licence file

Copy the supplied licence file ebaselicence.properties to WEB-INF/classes within the Ebase web application. For Tomcat and Jboss/Tomcat systems this will normally be $UFS_HOME/UfsServer/tomcat/webapps/ufs/WEB-INF/classes.

Note that the licence file must not be renamed or modified in any way. Also licence files cannot be copied between server systems.

Step 4: Start the Ebase Application Server

This concludes the licence installation procedure.

Additional Notes:

1. For any queries regarding outstanding licence application requests or on the licensing procedure, please send an email to licensing@ebasetech.com or call +44 (0)1767 654987.

2. If you are an existing customer and you have an emergency, e.g. a server is down and you need to start the Ebase Application Server on another system, please call +44 (0)1767 654987. An emergency licence can be supplied immediately that will allow the system to operate.