Preparing Licenses for System Changes or Upgrades

This article is part of the Licensing for Keysight Test & Measurement series of articles. It discusses how to make licensing easier when major changes are planned for computers or instruments.

Preparing Licenses for System Changes or Upgrades

This article is part of the Licensing for Keysight Test & Measurement series of articles. It discusses how to make licensing easier when major changes are planned for computers or instruments.

 

The Situation

Sometimes systems change. Some examples are

• Windows upgrades- Window 10 to Windows 11
• Windows recovery
• Hard drive / SSD replacement

 

In these situations, the underlying Host ID may change (typically impacts node locked licenses), or licenses files may be lost or erased (all types), rendering software unusable. Depending on your specific case, recovery might be as easy as downloading the license files from Keysight Software Manager, or Keysight may need to rehost a license for you. In either situation, a little preparation can make everything easier.

Even if you are not planning on a system change, it is wise to follow these steps in case of unexpected changes, e.g. system crashes.

 

Preparation

There are three (3) key areas of consideration:

1. Knowing a device’s Host ID
2. Knowing which licenses a device should have
3. Which license type you have

 

Host IDs

What to do

Write down what every computers’ and instruments’ Host ID currently is. Keep track of it. Attach it right to the computer or instrument with a label maker.

 

Why?

When you need a license rehosted, or need to download the files, it makes it much faster to find the licenses in question.

 

How to find Host IDs

Read this: All About Host IDs

 

Which licenses?

Simply put, it’s good to know what licenses you should have. Keysight can always find them, but frequently it is much faster when we know what we are looking for.

 

You may also wish to archive them electronically. If you do this, do not edit the contents of the license files. If you edit the license file contents or the Host ID on the license, it will no longer work.

 

Considerations for Different Type of Licenses

Different types of licenses have different preparations you can take.

Keysight License Types Explained

 

Transportable licenses

Windows upgrades, windows recovery, and disk drive swaps cause many transportable license Host IDs to change – specifically the ones that start with “PCSERNO”.

These licenses can easily be stored (banked) at Keysight Software Manager, and retrieved later. If you know a system will have changes, it easiest to move them off the system in question, into Keysight Software Manager, and retrieve them later.

How to Move a Transportable License in Pathwave License Manager

How to Move a Transportable License in Keysight License Manager

 

Server Licenses

If the license recipient (client) will suffer changes, simply return the license to the server first.

For the server itself:

• If the server host ID won’t change, such as for a Windows upgrade, just install a copy of the files, from your own archives, or get a copy from Keysight Software Manager.
• If the server Host ID will change, then the licenses need to be rehosted by Keysight. Please log a technical support case if you think a rehost may be applicable.

 

USB Portable Licenses

The USB Key Host ID never changes. But the license files on a given computer could be lost, for example. Just install a copy of the files, from your own archives, or get a copy from Keysight Software Manager. You may need to set up the license software environment again.

How to Set Up a USB Portable License (detailed)

 

Node Locked Licenses

These licenses are not movable. The best thing to do is to take note of the Host IDs and which licenses you have. Keysight can rehost these license in an appropriate situation, such as a supported Windows upgrade. Please log a technical support case if you think a rehost may be applicable.