Hardware (USB) licence key

Basic information about USB keys (PROMOTIC licence carriers):

PROMOTIC SCADA software uses SENTINEL licence keys manufactured by the Thales company.

The hardware (USB) key is used for providing licences to the PROMOTIC SCADA system and for the protection of the SCADA application "know how". Complete information regarding the purchased licence is burned into the key. The hardware key is the most commonly used PROMOTIC licence carrier.

Each PROMOTIC licence key is marked with a 4-digit or 5-digit number, that uniquely identifies it (licence number). This number is found on a sticker on the USB key.

Information about the licence components contained in the connected USB key can be obtained in the PmManager program (Licence tab) or in the INFO system of the running application - "/SYSTEM/Licence" tab.

For licencing the PROMOTIC system, you can choose from the following key types:

Types of USB keys (PROMOTIC licence carriers):

USB key of the standard size (PmUSBstd):
This type of key is available in the HASP or Driverless variant.
Sentinel Standard

USB key of the reduced size (PmUSBmini):
This type of key is available in the HASP or Driverless variant.
Sentinel mini

USB key for connection to the computer's motherboard (PmUSBboard):
This type of key is only available in the Driverless variant
Sentinel Standard

Compatibility of the USB keys (PROMOTIC licence carriers):

USB key variant:

- HASP USB keys
○ older type of USB keys
○ require drivers to be installed in Windows to function

- Driverless USB keys
○ more modern type of USB keys
○ do not require drivers to be installed in Windows to function

USB key type	USB key variant (HASP/Driverless)	Compatible version of PROMOTIC SCADA software
PmUSBstd	HASP	from versin 6 (SP14f) higher
PmUSBstd	Driverless	from version 8.3.8 higher
PmUSBmini	HASP	from version 8.2.14 higher
PmUSBmini	Driverless	from version 8.3.8 higher
PmUSBboard	Driverless	from version 8.3.8 higher

PROMOTIC keys according to the licence content:

According to the licence content we distinguish 2 basic types of PROMOTIC licence keys:

- Development licence keys: Contain development licences (PmDevProf). They are required for using the PROMOTIC development environment - for developing, testing, and debugging PROMOTIC SCADA applications.

- Runtime licence keys: Contain PROMOTIC runtime licences. Runtime licences are required for time-unlimited operation of PROMOTIC SCADA applications.

Adding licence components to PROMOTIC licence keys:

It is possible to add additional licence components from the PROMOTIC SCADA software price list to the USB keys. Adding licence components to USB keys can be done by the following methods:

- by e-mailing an extension licence file (see Licence file SWK extending the content of licence key)

- by remote modification of the licence in the key (see Remote modification of the hardware key content)

- by directly burning the licence into the USB key (i.e. the USB key needs to be transported to MICROSYS)

Licence components of the PROMOTIC SCADA software can not be removed/deleted from the licence keys.

Upgrade HwKey

The licences contained in the hardware key can later be extended easily by:

- Licence file SWK extending the content of licence key or

- Remote modification of the hardware key content

hinstall.exe - Hardware key driver

For the correct behavior of the hardware key it is necessary to set parameters that can be changed by the hinstall.exe program (it can be launched from the command line) that is located in the \Promotic\Tools\HwKey folder.
The PROMOTIC installation program sets these parameters automatically but in special cases it is possible to change the parameters by the user.
Caution in Windows OS Vista, 7, Server 2008 it is necessary to run as Administrator

The basic commands of the program:

>\Promotic\Tools\HwKey\hinstall -i .. Install hardware key driver

>\Promotic\Tools\HwKey\hinstall -r .. Removes hardware key driver

>\Promotic\Tools\HwKey\hinstall -h .. Displays next possible commands

>\Promotic\Tools\HwKey\hinstall -info .. Statement of the installation state (version, priority for searching the key, etc.)

Known problems during the installation of the hardware key driver

- Problem connected with running the PROMOTIC application on Windows OS servers and virtual machines.
Although it seems the installation of the driver on this OS is completed successfully, the application cannot be lauched due to the inaccessibility of the licence. See:

- PROMOTIC system and Windows remote desktop (RDP)

- PROMOTIC system and virtual computers

- PmLicServer

- PmRtManager - Manager of running applications

- In the terminal service client process (remote desktop) it is not possible to access the hardware key driver.
The reason is insufficient permissions of the logged-in user client for computer hardware access. This also concerns the driver that is used for hardware key access.
The PROMOTIC system cannot be installed in this mode.

Compatibility table Windows OS and PROMOTIC version

The following overview indicates the compatibility of PROMOTIC version with Windows OS version. Installation of the hardware key drivers is a part of the PROMOTIC system installation. This way the application can access the content of the hardware key via the driver. There may be problems if an older PROMOTIC version is installed on a new Windows OS that was not known at the time the PROMOTIC version was released.

PROMOTIC	98, ME	XP	XP embed	Vista, Server 2003	7, 7 embed	10, 11	Server 2008 - 2022
	32/64-bit Windows OS
version <= 6(SP14f)	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-
version <= 7.3.8	Yes	Yes	Yes	-	-	-	-
version >= 7.3.9	-	Yes	Yes	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)
version <= 8.0.13	-	Yes	Yes (**)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)
version <= 8.1.13	-	Yes	Yes (**)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)	Yes (*)
version <= 8.2.23	-	Yes	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)
version <= 8.3.25	-	Yes (^)	Yes (^)(**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)
version >= 8.3.25	-	Yes (***)	Yes (***)	Yes (***)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)
version >= 9.0.0	-	-	-	(***)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)	Yes (**)

(*) = only with new hardware key driver - Driver HASP
(**) = Windows OS may require newer version of the hardware key driver - Driver HASP
(***) = Installed PROMOTIC version contains the installer of the hardware key driver that is not compatible with this version of the Windows OS. It is necessary to (manually) install an older version of the driver. - Driver HASP
(^) = The installation may require higher version of Windows installer - Windows Installer

Recommendation:
If the older version of the PROMOTIC system is installed on newer Windows OS and the hardware key driver provided with PROMOTIC is not functional, then:

- Abort the current installation by closing the error window.

- Download installation file of current driver Driver HASP and follow the installation steps indicated in the manual.

The version of installed driver can be identified by running the hardware key driver installer with the -info parameter. For example: hinstall.exe -info.
Running the installer of the hardware key driver with the -? parameter, for example: hinstall.exe -? will indicate the version of the driver that is contained in such installer.