With the upcoming Aura 2.0 release, a transition to concurrent user licensing will be required. This will involve the following changes:
What are the benefits?
What are the benefits of moving to Concurrent User Licensing?
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Greater Flexibility: Process data at any time, from any location, on any compatible machine. No hardware dongle is required. Any authorized user can log in and process data, regardless of the Hovermap’s location. Processing can occur across multiple machines without being tied to a hardware dongle collocated with the Hovermap or restricted to a fixed location.
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Faster Deployment: There is no need to plug in a license dongle. As long as the user is logged in, data can be processed immediately.
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Reduced Downtime: Removes the risk of lost or damaged dongles. No need to wait for a replacement dongle to be shipped.
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Streamlined License Management: License changes are applied automatically, eliminating the need to exchange C2V/V2C files with the Emesent licensing support team.
Licensing Changes and Transition Process
How is user access managed under Concurrent User Licensing?
Access to Aura 2.0 is managed through concurrent processing seats. Each organization is allocated seats based on their existing entitlements. Each seat can be shared by up to 10 registered users, with one user able to process at a time per seat.
For example:
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An organization with 2 seats can register up to 20 users, with 2 users able to process at the same time.
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An organization with 1 seat can register up to 10 users, with 1 user able to process at a time.
All registered users within an organization have shared access to the available seats. If all seats are in use, additional users will need to wait for a seat to become available.
What happens to existing licenses and dongles during the transition?
Hardware dongles will continue to function with Aura versions prior to 2.0 and remain valid until their expiry date. With the release of Aura 2.0, each active dongle will be replicated into one concurrent processing seat. All existing feature entitlements and expiry dates will be retained. Each seat supports up to 10 registered users, with access shared based on availability.
How will access to Aura change in version 2.0?
Access to process in Aura 2.0 and later will be managed through individual user logins. Hardware dongles will no longer be required or supported.
How will users log in to Aura?
Each user will access Aura using a unique email address and password, with access to the organization's available processing seats.
When will Concurrent User Licensing take effect?
Concurrent User Licensing will take effect with the release of Aura 2.0, expected in the coming months.
Will business plans change when adopting Concurrent User Licensing?
No. Existing business plans and modules will remain the same.
Can more than 10 users be nominated in advance of the Aura 2.0 release?
Not at this stage. Only the organization's nominated licensing contact (transition contact) can be pre-registered. Once Aura 2.0 is released and that contact receives the account setup email, up to 9 additional users can be invited.
Can a list of users be sent to Emesent for setup?
Emesent will set up the initial Transition Contact, who will be responsible for managing user access within the organization. Internal users will not be set up by Emesent. All access requests should be directed to the nominated Transition Contact.
Requirements and Compatibility
Can hardware dongles still be used with Aura?
Aura 2.0 introduces support for Concurrent User Licensing. Existing hardware dongles will continue to work up to their expiry date with versions prior to 2.0, but are not supported in Aura 2.0 or future releases.
What subscription or support plan is required for Concurrent User Licensing?
An active Emesent Subscription or Support Plan is required to transition to Aura 2.0 and use Concurrent User Licensing. Concurrent licensing will be available across all subscription and support plan types, excluding those limited to Hovermap 100 systems. Organizations without an active plan can contact their sales representative to renew the subscription or support plan.
Will internet access be required to process data?
Internet access is required to activate Concurrent User Licensing and to sign in to Aura for the first time. Once signed in, a processing seat is automatically checked out when connected to the internet and returned when processing is complete. For offline use, a seat can be manually checked out for a period of 1 to 14 days, allowing data to be processed without internet access.
All processing is performed locally on the user’s machine. Internet connectivity is required only for license activation and seat management, not for data processing itself.
What licensing will new Hovermap purchases use during and after the Aura 2.0 rollout?
During the initial launch and transition period, new Hovermap purchases may be issued with a temporary hardware dongle. These customers will then be invited to migrate to Concurrent User Licensing. After the transition phase, all new purchases will be provisioned exclusively under Concurrent User Licensing.
Are hardware dongles still an option for new purchases?
No. As outlined above, all new purchases will be provisioned under Concurrent User Licensing. Temporary dongles may be provided during the transition period to support Aura versions prior to 2.0, but this is only a short-term measure. Hardware dongles will not be supported with Aura 2.0 or later. For further guidance, contact a sales representative.
Is Aura 2.0 available for Hovermap 100 systems?
Aura 2.0 and Concurrent User Licensing are not available for Hovermap 100 licenses. Only Hovermap ST and ST-X systems are eligible for the transition.
Terminology
What is Aura 2.0?
Aura 2.0 is the latest release of Emesent’s processing software, introducing concurrent user licensing to replace hardware dongles with account-based access.
What is a hardware dongle?
A hardware dongle is a USB device that provides access to licensed software. Previous versions of Aura required a dongle to enable processing.
What is a license?
A license is the right to process data in Aura. It defines access to features and is now managed through user accounts in Aura 2.0, rather than being stored on a hardware dongle.
What is a processing seat?
A processing seat allows one user at a time to process data in Aura. Each seat can be shared by up to 10 registered users. Organizations with multiple seats can register more users accordingly. All users share access to available seats, with access granted based on availability.
Future Capabilities
Can customers use their own SSO (single sign-on)?
Not yet. This will be supported in a future release.