The SAP Licensing Procedure

Use

To use the R/3 System, you require a license key. This key prevents unauthorized use of the R/3 software. The SAP license is dependent on your R/3 message server.

When you install your R/3 System, a temporary license is installed. This temporary license is valid for four weeks, starting from the date of installation. Before the temporary license expires, you must have obtained a license key. For your own convenience, we recommend that you apply for your permanent license key as soon as possible after installing or upgrading your R/3 System.

To do so, you have to:

• 
  
locate your customer key
• 
  
request a license key

You will need to provide the following information:

• Installation number

You will find this 10-figure number on your delivery note.

• SAP System ID (for example, C11)
• System type (for example, production)
• Name of a contact person
• Telephone and fax number
• Customer key

This is the 11-position hardware number determined with saplicense -get (AS/400: saplicense '-get').

You can then install the key using the SAPLICENSE program. For instructions, see Installing an SAP License.

If you buy or lease the R/3 System, your license key has unlimited validity. If you are using the R/3 System for test or demonstration purposes, the license key will be valid for the test or demonstration period only. After this time has expired, you will need to apply for a new license key.

If your old license key expires or if you change your hardware, you can continue to operate the R/3 System with a temporary license key for a period of four weeks. For instructions, see Installing a Temporary SAP License.

After that time, the R/3 System will operate only with a new license key. The expiry date for the license is displayed both on the copyright screen and the system status screen.

SAP The SAPLICENSE Program

The SAPLICENSE program is used to install, check and maintain SAP licenses in your R/3 System. It resides in the directory /usr/sap//SYS/exe/run . (In the case of AS/400, the program resides in the kernel library.)

Windows NT:

Replace the slash (/) with a backslash (\) in all path names.

If you start saplicense without any options at operating system level, all the options are displayed.

Prerequisites

• As of Release 4.5A the database interface library is linked dynamically. To allow SAPLICENSE to locate this library, the following variables must be set in the environment of the user calling SAPLICENSE:

• dbms_type
= (for example, ora, inf, ada, mss, db2, db4, db6)
• DIR_LIBRARY
= (for example, /usr/sap/SID/SYS/exe/run)

• User for SAPLICENSE:

NT and UNIX

You must be logged on as user adm . This ensures that all the required environment variables are set correctly.

AS/400

• You must be logged on as user
OFR.
• The executables library
R3OPT must be included in your library list.

Features

AS/400 only:

For AS/400 the option string must be enclosed in single quotation marks, for example '-help', '-get', '-temp'.

saplicense provides the following options:

-delete

Delete an installed license.

-get

Output the customer key (hardware key).

-help [option]

Display help information for the specified option (that is, get , install , temp , show or test ).

-install [ifile=]

Install a license key. Optional parameter ifile= (or IFILE= ) causes the license data to be read from the installation file.

-number

Get the installation number.

-show

Display all installed licenses.

-temp

Install a temporary license.

-test

Test whether a valid SAP license exists. (R/3 must have been started.)

-version

Display the version of SAPLICENSE .

SAP Locating Your Customer Key

Procedure

1. Find out the host on which the message server is running by looking at parameter
rdisp/mshost in profile /usr/sap//SYS/profile/DEFAULT.PFL. This parameter specifies the host on which the message server is started.

rdisp/mshost =hs0011

In this example, the message server is started on host hs0011.

Log on to the host on which the message server is running at operating system level as user

adm (AS/400: user OFR).

Using command

saplicense -get (AS/400: saplicense '-get'), determine the 11-position customer key of the host.

The next step is to

Request an SAP License Key.

SAP Requesting an SAP License Key

You should use the Online Service System (OSS) to request an SAP License Key.

Procedure

1. Log on to OSS.
2. Choose Registration ® Registration R/3 System ® License key.

To see detailed information about the procedure for requesting a license key, select 6 . .

3. Double click on the plus sign (+) to the left of the installation for which you wish to request a new license key. This displays all licensed systems for that installation.
4. Position your cursor on the line beginning NEW Request new system.
5. To request a new key, select New key.
6. Check that the data displayed is correct and supplement as required.
7. Select Request key.
8. To see the current status of your license request, look in the Comments column.

You will receive a fax from SAP providing information about your new license key, which is also available via OSS. Your system landscape will be updated automatically in OSS.

Once the new license key has been assigned, you can display it by selecting Display license key. A pop-up window is displayed containing the license key and all the license data for your system.

To avoid having to type this license data in by hand (and risk mistyping something), select Export script. This function allows you to import the R/3 license key file into your system. Alternatively, you can copy the information into your system via cut and paste.

Requesting a License Key by Fax

If you do not have access to OSS, you can use the Request Fax License Key form to request a license key. The form is part of your software delivery package. Alternatively, you can download the form from SAPNet.

Fill out the form completely and send it to the fax number given on the form.

Provided you specify all the necessary information in your fax, SAP will send you the 24-position license key by fax within 3 working days.

Keep this fax in a safe place. If you should ever accidentally delete a license, you will need the license key in order to install the license again.

SAP Installing an SAP License

Prerequisites

The 24-position license key, which you receive from SAP by fax.

Procedure

1. Log on to the host on which the central SAP instance is running at operating system level as user
adm (UNIX and NT) or OFR (AS/400).
2. Call
saplicense -install [ifile=] (AS/400: saplicense '-install [ifile=]'). If you are using an R/3 license key file, enter it as the . This file is created in OSS when your license key is assigned. If you are unable to download the installation file to your system, you can copy the contents of the file with cut and paste.

Example of an R/3 license key file:

#
SAPSYSTEM=C11
CUSTOMER-KEY=A0123456789
INSTNO=0123456789
EXPIRATION=99991231
LKEY=012345678901234567891234
#

If you are entering the data manually (that is, you are leaving out the optional parameter), make sure that you enter the key correctly, for example, that you distinguish between the number 0 and the uppercase letter O.

Example for entering the license data manually

Specify your sap system name:
SAP SYSTEM NAME = PRD

Specify your customer key:
CUSTOMER KEY = D1889390344

Specify your installation number:
INSTALLATION NO = 0005500021

Specify your expiration date:
EXPIRATION_DATE [YYYYMMDD] = 99991231

Specify your license key:
LICENSE_KEY 1...5....0....5....0...4
LICENSE_KEY = 9KJDYITLVLPRZS9WXVS8SNTN

saplicense: License successfully installed

The license is now installed and activated.

3. Check whether you can log on to the R/3 System.

After logging on, choose System ® Status.

Check whether the following SAP system data agrees with the data just entered:

• Installation number
• License expiration

If you can log on and the data is correct, the license was correctly installed.

Troubleshooting

• If you get the following message when installing the license:

saplicense: License not installed, *** Wrong license data specified

you probably mistyped one of the values. Please make sure that you use the correct uppercase/lowercase in the entries.

Also note that the Backspace (delete character) key is not set correctly on some terminals. You should therefore avoid using this key.

• It is not necessary to start/stop the R/3 System in order to install the license. The installed license becomes active immediately.

If you experience any problems installing the license key, enter a problem message in OSS specifying component XX-SER-SWFL-LIC.

SAP Installing a Temporary SAP License

In the following cases, it could be necessary to use a temporary license to bridge the time until the SAP license has arrived by fax:

• If the hardware configuration of the host on which the message server is running changes, the customer key of the host can also change.

• If the message server is moved to another host.

• If the license has expired. The expiry date can be extended by 3 weeks with the temporary license.

Procedure

1. Log on to the host on which the central SAP instance is running as user
adm (UNIX and NT) or OFR (AS/400) at operating system level.
2. Enter saplicense -temp (AS/400: saplicense '-temp').

Enter the SAP System ID when it is requested.

The following message shows that the program has terminated successfully:

saplicense: Temporary license successfully installed

Rejection of a Temporary License

SAPLICENSE rejects installation of a temporary license in certain cases:

• A temporary license can only be installed if a valid license existed and has been used recently (within the last 3 weeks).

The following message tells you that a temporary license cannot be granted because the date of the last successful license check was more than 3 weeks ago:

saplicense: Temporary license NOT installed, *** Old license older than 3 weeks

• If the R/3 System is set up from a copy of an existing R/3 System, it is not possible to install a temporary license for the first time.

Apply for a license before you want to work with an R/3 System that has been copied.

SAP Deleting an SAP License

You have to delete a license, for example, if the R/3 System was set up from a copy of an existing R/3 System.

Procedure

1. Log on to the host on which the central SAP instance is running at operating system level as user
adm (UNIX and NT) or OFR (AS/400).
2. Display the licenses that are installed.

To do this, enter saplicense -show (AS/400: saplicense '-show' ).

SAPLICENSE lists all the licenses and their statuses.

LICENSE system: TST customer key: TEMPLICENSE
expiration_date: 19960202
installation no:... key:...
product ID: R3_ORA
*** license useable ***

LICENSE system: TST customer key: D1889390344
expiration_date: 99991231
installation no:... key:...
product ID: R3_ORA
*** license useable ***

LICENSE system: PRD customer key: TEMPLICENSE
expiration_date: 19960131
installation no:... key:...
product ID: R3_ORA
*** license useable ***

LICENSE system: PRD customer key: D9566626666
expiration_date: 99991231
installation no:... key:...
product ID: R3_ORA
*** license useable ***

The above example shows you that 4 licenses are installed (2 licenses have been applied for and 2 are temporary licenses). You can see from the R/3 System names that 2 licenses are installed for system TST, and 2 licenses for system PRD. This could be the case if the R/3 System TST was copied to the name PRD and then a license, which was applied for, was installed for the copied system PRD. The old licenses for system TST, however, still exist.

These old licenses can no longer be used in the new system and can be deleted.

3. Delete the licenses with
saplicense -delete (AS/400: saplicense '-delete')as follows:

First enter the SAP System IDs. SAPLICENSE then asks for the customer key (11-position hardware key).

Enter the customer key or TEMPLICENSE .

saplicense then asks for the product ID, which is a name starting with "R3_" indicating the database type (for example, R3_ORA).

Enter the product ID appropriate for your R/3 System.

The licenses are deleted.

This is confirmed by the following message:

saplicense: license deleted

Remarks

The status of a license is not checked when a license is deleted. In particular, there is no check to establish whether you are deleting a license that was in use. If a valid license that was in use is deleted, it is no longer possible to log on to R/3, but users who are already logged on can continue working.

If you accidentally deleted a valid license that was in use, you can install this license again at any time with saplicense -install (AS/400: saplicense '-install' ) if you still have the fax containing the license key.

• The existence of old, unused licenses has no effect on R/3 System operation. Nevertheless, it is advisable to delete licenses that are no longer used (performance optimization during the license check).

Deleting temporary licenses

(CUSTOMER KEY = TEMPLICENSE) does not mean that you can install further temporary licenses (see also the section "Installing a Temporary SAP License ").

SAP Testing a License

If you cannot log onto the R/3 System, SAPLICENSE provides the option -test pf= (AS/400: '-test pf=' ) for troubleshooting.

When you call the program with this option, SAPLICENSE determines the customer key of the message server, simulates an R/3 System logon and carries out the required license check. You can follow the individual steps on the screen.

1. Log on to the host on which the central SAP instance is running at operating system level as user
adm (UNIX and NT) or OFR (AS/400).
2. UNIX and AS/400: Start the R/3 System and the database with startsap.

NT: Start the R/3 System and the database with the SAP Service Manager.

3. Start SAPLICENSE as follows:

UNIX and NT: saplicense -test pf=
AS/400: saplicense '-test pf='

It is mandatory that you specify the profile file. Enter the profile file (with complete path) of the R/3 System to be checked.

You would enter the following for an R/3 System with the name PRD, where the instance number is 00:

UNIX and NT: saplicense -test pf=/usr/sap/PRD/SYS/profile/PRD_DVEBMGS00
AS/400: saplicense '-test pf=/usr/sap/PRD/SYS/profile/PRD_DVEBMGS00'

The following message shows that the test was terminated successfully:

test result: license test ok

The subsequent message tells which license was used for the check:

LICENSE system: PRD customer key: D1889390344

expiration_date: 99991231

installation no: 0005500021 key: 9KJDYITLVLPRZS9WXVS8SNTN

productid: R3_ORA

If you get an error message when the license is checked, you can use the program output to find out where the error occurred (creation of the message server link, connection to the database, etc.). Depending on the message, now check whether the message server is running, whether the database has been started, etc.

To carry out more detailed error analysis, use additional option TRACE=2. The command syntax is as follows:

saplicense -test pf= TRACE=2

SAPLICENSE then creates a file dev_slic in the current directory. This file contains more detailed error messages.

SAP High-Availability Configurations

The licensing procedure allows you to install more than one license. This is necessary, for example, for the following configurations:

• Oracle Parallel Server mode

• Cluster environment of hosts with standby hosts to switch over to if an error occurs ("High Availability" strategy)

If standby hosts are defined for the message server (or the R/3 System) in High Availability configurations, a license must be installed for each standby host. You can find out the customer key of the standby host by calling saplicense -get (AS/400: saplicense '-get' ) on the standby host.