Attributes in the license file control the base number of devices that can be registered, the number of servers (typically for clustered production environments) you install, and expiry dates for both devices and servers. The mechanism that counts device licenses varies, depending on your model.
There are two licensing models you can use with Unwired Platform:
- Unserved (local) license – uses a local license file for each Unwired Platform installation.
- Served (SySAM license server) – uses a SySAM license server to support multiple Unwired Platform installations.
For both models, Unwired Server always tracks available licenses and expiry dates, and writes license errors to the Unwired Server log. Administrators can always check these limits and take appropriate action when that limit is reached.
Unserved Model
In an unserved license model, licenses are validated at several intervals:
- At start-up – if Unwired Server cannot retrieve the number of licensed servers from the license file, or if the server is not licensed, Unwired Server stops.
- At device connection – when the device user tries to connect to Unwired Server, Unwired Server checks the device ID against the data tier. If the device falls within the device license limit, the device connection continues and operations proceed normally for both replication and messaging applications. If the device falls outside the limit, Unwired Server throws a license check exception to the client. See System Administration Guide > Operations Maintenance > Platform Licenses > Device User License Limits.
- Upon license expiry – if the date in the license file matches the current date, the license expires; Unwired Server generates a license expired error. The error text varies, depending on whether the server or the client connection licenses have expired. If a server license is expired, Unwired Servers also stop.
Served Model
In a served license model, licenses are validated at these intervals:
- At start-up – if Unwired Server cannot retrieve the number of licensed servers from the license file, or if the server is not licensed, Unwired Server stops.
- With each synchronization – the procedure varies slightly depending on the synchronization model used on the client:
- Upon license expiry – if the license expires, Unwired Server generates a license expired error. The error varies, depending on whether the server or the client connection licenses have expired. When a server license expires, Unwired Servers also stop.