Kaspersky applications: licensing and activation

This section describes the features of Kaspersky Security Center related to working with the license keys of managed Kaspersky applications.

Kaspersky Security Center allows you to perform centralized distribution of license keys for Kaspersky applications on client devices, monitor their use, and renew licenses.

When adding a license key using Kaspersky Security Center, the settings of the license key are saved on the Administration Server. Based on this information, the application generates a license key usage report and notifies the administrator of license expirations and violation of license restrictions that are set in the properties of license keys. You can configure notifications of the use of license keys within the Administration Server settings.

Licensing of managed applications

The Kaspersky applications installed on managed devices must be licensed by applying a key file or activation code to each of the applications. A key file or activation code can be deployed in the following ways:

• Automatic deployment
• The installation package of a managed application
• The Add license key task for a managed application
• Manual activation of a managed application

You can add a new active or reserve license key by any of the methods listed above. A Kaspersky application uses an active key at the current moment and stores a reserve key to apply after the active key expires. The application for which you add a license key defines whether the key is active or reserve. The key definition does not depend on the method that you use to add a new license key.

Automatic deployment

If you use different managed applications and you have to deploy a specific key file or activation code to devices, opt for other ways of deploying that activation code or key file.

Kaspersky Security Center allows you to automatically deploy available license keys to devices. For example, three license keys are stored in the Administration Server repository. You have selected the Automatically distribute license key to managed devices check box for all three license keys. A Kaspersky security application—for example, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Windows—is installed on the organization's devices. A new device is discovered to which a license key must be deployed. The application determines, for instance, that two of the license keys from the repository can be deployed to the device: license key named Key_1 and license key named Key_2. One of these license keys is deployed to the device. In this case, it cannot be predicted which of the two license keys will be deployed to the device because automatic deployment of license keys does not provide for any administrator activity.

When a license key is deployed, the devices are recounted for that license key. You must make sure that the number of devices to which the license key was deployed does not exceed the license limit. If the number of devices exceeds the license limit, all devices that were not covered by the license will be assigned Critical status.

Before deployment, the key file or activation code must be added to the Administration Server repository.

How-to instructions:

• Administration Console:
  • Adding a license key to the Administration Server repository
  • Automatic distribution of a license key

  or

• Kaspersky Security Center Web Console:
  • Adding a license key to the Administration Server repository
  • Automatic distribution of a license key

Note that an automatically distributed license key may not be displayed in the virtual Administration Server repository in the following cases:

• The license key is not valid for the application.
• The virtual Administration Server does not have managed devices.
• The license key has already been used for devices managed by another virtual Administration Server and the limit on the number of devices has been reached.

Adding a key file or activation code to the installation package of a managed application

For security reasons, this option is not recommended. A key file or activation code added to an installation package may be compromised.

If you install a managed application using an installation package, you can specify an activation code or key file in this installation package or in the policy of the application. The license key will be deployed to managed devices at the next synchronization of the device with the Administration Server.

How-to instructions:

• Administration Console:
  • Creating an installation package
  • Installing applications on client devices

  or

• Kaspersky Security Center Web Console: Adding a license key to an installation package

Deployment through the Add license key task for a managed application

If you opt for using the Add license key task for a managed application, you can select the license key that must be deployed to devices and select the devices in any convenient way—for example, by selecting an administration group or a device selection.

Before deployment, the key file or activation code must be added to the Administration Server repository.

How-to instructions:

• Administration Console:
  • Adding a license key to the Administration Server repository
  • Deploying a license key to client devices

  or

• Kaspersky Security Center Web Console:
  • Adding a license key to the Administration Server repository
  • Deploying a license key to client devices

Adding an activation code or a key file manually to the devices

You can activate the installed Kaspersky application locally, by using the tools provided in the application interface. Please refer to the documentation of the installed application.

Adding a license key to the Administration Server repository

To add a license key to the Administration Server repository:

1. In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.
2. Click the Add button.
3. Choose what you want to add:
   • Add key file

     Click the Select key file button and browse to the .key file that you want to add.

   • Enter activation code

     Specify the activation code in the text field and click the Send button.

4. Click the Close button.

The license key or several license keys are added to the Administration Server repository.

Deploying a license key to client devices

Kaspersky Security Center Web Console enables you to distribute a license key to client devices automatically or through the add key task.

Before deployment, add the license key to the Administration Server repository.

To distribute a license key to client devices through the add key task:

1. In the main menu, go to DEVICES → TASKS.
2. Click Add.

   The Add Task Wizard starts. Proceed through the wizard by using the Next button.

3. In the Application drop-down list, select the application for which you want to add a license key.
4. In the Task type list, select the Add key task.
5. In the Task name field, specify the name of the new task.
6. Select the devices to which the task will be assigned.
7. At the Selecting a license key step of the wizard, click the Add key link to add the license key.
8. On the key adding pane, add the license key by using one of the following options:

   You need to add the license key only if you did not add it to the Administration Server repository prior to creating the add key task.

   • Select the Enter activation code option to enter an activation code, and then do the following:
     1. Specify the activation code, and then click the Send button.

        Information about the license key appears in the key adding pane.

     2. Click the Close button.

        If you want to distribute the license key to managed devices automatically, enable the Automatically distribute license key to managed devices option.

        The key adding pane closes.

   • Select the Add key file option to add a key file, and then do the following:
     1. Click the Select key file button.
     2. In the window that opens, select a key file, and then click the Open button.

        Information about the license key appears in the key adding pane.

     3. Click the Close button.

        If you want to distribute the license key to managed devices automatically, enable the Automatically distribute license key to managed devices option.

        The key adding pane closes.

9. Select the license key in the table of keys.
10. At the License information step of the wizard, clear the default Use as a reserve key check box if you want to replace the current active license key.

    For example, this is needed when the organization changes, and another organization's key is required on the device; or if the key was reissued, and a new license expires earlier than the current license. To avoid errors, you have to clear the Use as a reserve key check box.

    If you want to find out more information about the issues that may occur when adding a license key to Kaspersky Security Center and the ways to resolve them, refer to the Kaspersky Security Center Knowledge Base.

11. At the Finish task creation step of the wizard, enable the Open task details when creation is complete option to modify the default task settings.

    If you do not enable this option, the task will be created with the default settings. You can modify the default settings later.

12. Click the Finish button.

    The wizard creates the task. If you enabled the Open task details when creation is complete option, the task properties window automatically opens. In this window, you can specify the general task settings and, if required, change the settings specified during task creation.

    You can also open the task properties window by clicking the name of the created task in the list of tasks.

    The task is created, configured, and displayed in the list of tasks.

13. To run the task, select it in the task list, and then click the Start button.

    You can also set a task start schedule on the Schedule tab of the task properties window.

    For a detailed description of scheduled start settings, refer to the general task settings.

After the task is completed, the license key is deployed to the selected devices.

Automatic distribution of a license key

Kaspersky Security Center allows automatic distribution of license keys to managed devices if they are located in the license keys repository on the Administration Server.

To distribute a license key to managed devices automatically:

1. In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.
2. Click the name of the license key that you want to distribute to devices automatically.
3. In the license key properties window that opens, select the Automatically distribute license key to managed devices check box.
4. Click the Save button.

The license key is automatically distributed to all compatible devices.

License key distribution is performed by means of Network Agent. No license key distribution tasks are created for the application.

During automatic distribution of a license key, the licensing limit on the number of devices is taken into account. The licensing limit is set in the properties of the license key. If the licensing limit is reached, distribution of this license key on devices ceases automatically.

Note that an automatically distributed license key may not be displayed in the virtual Administration Server repository in the following cases:

• The license key is not valid for the application.
• The virtual Administration Server does not have managed devices.
• The license key has already been used for devices managed by another virtual Administration Server and the limit on the number of devices has been reached.

The virtual Administration Server automatically distributes license keys from its repository and from the repository of the Administration Server. We recommend that you:

• Use the Add license key task to select the license key that must be deployed to devices.
• Avoid disabling the Allow automatic deployment of license keys from this virtual Administration Server to its devices option in the virtual Administration Server settings. Otherwise, the virtual Administration Server will not distribute license keys to devices, including the license keys from the Administration Server repository.

If you select the Automatically distribute license key to managed devices check box in the license key properties window, a license key is distributed on your network immediately. If you do not select this option, you can use a task to distribute a license key later.

Automatic distribution of license keys configured on the primary Administration Server does not extend to devices managed by non-virtual secondary Administration Servers.

Viewing information about license keys in use

To view the list of the license keys added to the Administration Server repository:

In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.

The displayed list contains the key files and activation codes added to the Administration Server repository.

To view detailed information about a license key:

1. In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.
2. Click the name of the required license key.

In the license key properties window that opens, you can view:

• On the General tab—The main information about the license key
• On the Devices tab—The list of client devices where the license key was used for activation of the installed Kaspersky application

To view which license keys are deployed to a specific client device:

1. In the main menu, go to DEVICES → MANAGED DEVICES.
2. Click the name of the required device.
3. In the device properties window that opens, select the Applications tab.
4. Click the name of the application for which you want to view the information about the license key.
5. In the application properties window that opens, select the General tab, and then open the License section.

The main information about the active and reserve license keys is displayed.

To define the up-to-date settings of virtual Administration Server license keys, the Administration Server sends a request to Kaspersky activation servers at least once per day.

Deleting a license key from the repository

When you delete the active license key for an additional feature of Administration Server, for example Vulnerability and Patch Management or Mobile Device Management, the corresponding feature becomes unavailable. If a reserve license key has been added, the reserve license key automatically becomes the active license key after the former active license key is deleted.

When you delete the active license key deployed to a managed device, the application will continue working on the managed device.

To delete a key file or activation code from the Administration Server repository:

1. In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.
2. Select the key file or activation code that you want to delete from the repository.
3. Click the Delete button.
4. Confirm the operation by clicking the OK button.

The selected key file or activation code is deleted from the repository.

You can add a deleted license key again or add a new license key.

Revoking consent with an End User License Agreement

If you decide to stop protecting some of your client devices, you can revoke the End User License Agreement (EULA) for any managed Kaspersky application. You must uninstall the selected application before revoking its EULA.

The EULAs that were accepted on a virtual Administration Server can be revoked on the virtual Administration Server or on the primary Administration Server. The EULAs that were accepted on a primary Administration Server can be revoked only on the primary Administration Server.

To revoke a EULA for managed Kaspersky applications:

1. Open the Administration Server properties window and on the General tab select the End User License Agreements section.

   A list of EULAs—accepted upon creation of installation packages, at the seamless installation of updates, or upon deployment of Kaspersky Security for Mobile—is displayed.

2. In the list, select the EULA that you want to revoke.

   You can view the following properties of the EULA:

   • Date when the EULA was accepted
   • Name of the user who accepted the EULA
3. Click the acceptance date of any EULA to open its properties window that displays the following data:
   • Name of the user who accepted the EULA
   • Date when the EULA was accepted
   • Unique identifier (UID) of the EULA
   • Full text of the EULA
   • List of objects (installation packages, seamless updates, mobile apps) linked to the EULA, and their respective names and types
4. In the lower part of the EULA properties window, click the Revoke License Agreement button.

   If there exist any objects (installation packages and their respective tasks) that prevent the EULA from being revoked, the corresponding notification is displayed. You cannot proceed with revocation until you delete these objects.

   In the window that opens, you are informed that you must first uninstall the Kaspersky application corresponding to the EULA.

5. Click the button to confirm revocation.

The EULA is revoked. It is no longer displayed in the list of License Agreements in the End User License Agreements section. The EULA properties window closes; the application is no longer installed.

Renewing licenses for Kaspersky applications

You can renew a Kaspersky application license that has expired or is about to expire (in less than 30 days).

To renew an expired license or a license that is about to expire:

1. Do either of the following:
   • In the main menu, go to OPERATIONS → LICENSING → KASPERSKY LICENSES.
   • In the main menu, go to MONITORING & REPORTING → DASHBOARD, and then click the View expiring licenses link next to a notification.

   The KASPERSKY LICENSES window opens, where you can view and renew licenses.

2. Click the Renew license link next to the required license.

   By clicking a license renewal link, you agree to transfer to Kaspersky the following information about Kaspersky Security Center: its version, the localization you are using, the software license ID (that is, the ID of the license you are renewing), and whether you purchased the license via a partner company or not.

3. In the window of the license renewal service that opens follow the instructions to renew a license.

   The license is renewed.

In Kaspersky Security Center Web Console, the notifications are displayed when a license is about to expire, according to the following schedule:

• 30 days before the expiration
• 7 days before the expiration
• 3 days before the expiration
• 24 hours before the expiration
• When a license has expired

Using Kaspersky Marketplace to choose Kaspersky business solutions

MARKETPLACE is a section in the main menu that enables you to view the entire range of Kaspersky business solutions, select the ones you need, and proceed to the purchase at the Kaspersky website. You can use filters to view only those solutions that fit your organization and the requirements for your information security system. When you select a solution, Kaspersky Security Center redirects you to the related webpage at the Kaspersky website to learn more about that solution. Each webpage enables you to proceed to the purchase or contains instructions on the purchase process.

In the MARKETPLACE section, you can filter Kaspersky solutions by using the following criteria:

• Number of devices (endpoints, servers, and other types of assets) that you want to protect:
  • 50–250
  • 250–1000
  • More than 1000
• Maturity level of your organization's information security team:
  • Foundations

    This level is typical for enterprises that only have an IT team. The maximum possible number of threats is blocked automatically.

  • Optimum

    This level is typical for enterprises that have a specific IT security function within the IT team. At this level, companies require solutions that enable them to counter commodity threats and threats that circumvent existing preventive mechanisms.

  • Expert

    This level is typical for enterprises with complex and distributed IT environments. The IT security team is mature or the company has an SOC (Security Operations Center) team. The required solutions enable the companies to counter complex threats and targeted attacks.

• Types of assets that you want to protect:
  • Endpoints: workstations of employees, physical and virtual machines, embedded systems
  • Servers: physical and virtual servers
  • Cloud: public, private, or hybrid cloud environments; cloud services
  • Network: local area network, IT infrastructure
  • Service: security-related services provided by Kaspersky

To find and purchase a Kaspersky business solution:

1. In the main menu, go to MARKETPLACE.

   By default, the section displays all available Kaspersky business solutions.

2. To view only those solutions that suit your organization, select the required values in the filters.
3. Click the solution that you want to purchase or you want to learn more about.

You will be redirected to the solution webpage. You can follow the on-screen instructions to proceed to the purchase.