Sentinel LDK Software Package

The software described in this section is hosted on Thales servers or is provided in the Sentinel LDK installation package (except where noted).

Sentinel LDK-EMS—Entitlement Management System

Sentinel LDK-EMS is a back-office server application that enables you to define, produce and update Sentinel protection keys and to define and process entitlements (customer orders).

Sentinel LDK-EMS supports the Sentinel LDK method of enforcement. The Sentinel LDK-EMS database contains all the licensing and entitlement information for you customers. Sentinel LDK-EMS Web Services enable you to integrate the entitlement and production functionality of Sentinel LDK-EMS in your own back-office management software. For details, see https://docs.sentinel.thalesgroup.com/ldk/home.htm.

Sentinel LDK-EMS is set up in one of the following manners:

>Sentinel LDK-EMS (Thales-hosted): You can subscribe to Sentinel LDK-EMS as a service from Thales. In this case, Thales installs Sentinel LDK-EMS and sets up the Sentinel LDK-EMS database on its own servers.

>Sentinel LDK-EMS (on-premises): You can install Sentinel LDK-EMS locally and set up the Sentinel LDK-EMS database on your own server.

In either case, the instance of Sentinel LDK-EMS can be accessed throughout your organization using web browsers. The Sentinel LDK-EMS Customer Portal can be accessed from customer sites to activate software licenses by entering Product Keys or to update licenses automatically.

NOTE   For the Demo version of Sentinel LDK, you must install Sentinel LDK-EMS on your own server.

Sentinel LDK Vendor Suite

Sentinel LDK Vendor Suite is used by software developers and consists of the elements described below.

Vendor Tools

Vendor Tools are installed on the developers' machines and are used to implement protection and licensing for your applications. The most-used Sentinel LDK Vendor Tools are:

>Sentinel LDK Envelope

Applies security to your software within a protective shield. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.

>Sentinel LDK ToolBox

Enables you to familiarize yourself with the Sentinel Licensing API and to generate code to include in your software’s source code. Available for Windows platforms.

Sentinel LDK APIs

Sentinel LDK APIs are installed on developers' machines or are included in protected applications. The provided APIs are as follows:

>Sentinel Licensing API

Enables you to protect your application by inserting calls to a Sentinel protection key throughout your source code.

On the machine where Sentinel LDK Vendor Tools are installed, a Sample folder contains samples for various compilers and programming languages. Each sample includes:

•Libraries that must be linked to your application

•A sample application that demonstrates the use of the API

Sample folders are also provided in the Sentinel LDK directory structures for Linux and macOS.

These samples enable you to integrate protection into your own software using a variety of programming languages.

>Sentinel Admin API

Sentinel Admin API provides the functionality available in Admin Control Center and Admin License Manager in the form of callable API functions. You can call functions to retrieve information from local or remote License Managers and to perform actions in these License Managers.

>Sentinel License Generation API

For sites that already have a licensing infrastructure in place or that prefer to implement an alternative to Sentinel LDK-EMS, Sentinel LDK offers a standalone licensing solution.

You can use Sentinel License Generation API together with your existing licensing server software and ERP and CRM back-office systems for maximum flexibility and control over your business processes.

Sentinel License Generation API provides the functionality required to generate and maintain Sentinel protection keys, but without any of the back-office services that are provided by Sentinel EMS or Sentinel LDK-EMS. All the required services are provided by the system that you choose to implement. You would use Sentinel LDK only to handle the protection and Feature-control functions for your applications.

**WARNING**   
Sentinel License Generation API cannot be used in parallel with Sentinel LDK-EMS to update licenses for a given customer.

>Sentinel Run-time Installer API

The functions in this API can be used to integrate the installation of the Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment into your custom setup application.

For links to these API references, see: https://docs.sentinel.thalesgroup.com/ldk/apis.htm

Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment

Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment is the main link between a Sentinel protection key and a protected application or data file following its deployment at a customer’s site. Depending on the type of protection key used, end users may need to have Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment installed in order to run the protected application or to access a protected data file.

You can integrate the Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment installer into the installation of your protected application.

Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment is also required by Sentinel LDK Vendor Tools and by Sentinel EMS and Sentinel LDK-EMS to update protection keys. The Sentinel LDK Installer installs the Run-time Environment on your machines when you install any of the Sentinel LDK components.

Sentinel Admin Control Center is included in the Run-time Environment. Sentinel Admin Control Center is a customizable, Web-based, vendor and end-user utility that enables centralized administration of Sentinel License Managers and Sentinel protection keys.

Use Sentinel Admin Control Center to monitor licenses and sessions when a protected application or data file is operating, to manage cloud licensing, and to manage detachable licenses.

For links to the Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment readme files, see: https://docs.sentinel.thalesgroup.com/ldk/rte.htm

Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal

Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal is a web-based application for software vendors who want to host cloud licenses (CL keys) on their own servers. Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal transfers the management of llicened users from Sentinel Admin Control Center to a streamlined, web-based application. Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal simplifies setting up and distributing client identities to licensed users located anywhere, granting them access to the protected applications running on their own machines.

Each licensed user can be granted a license to all products in specific CL keys, or the license can be limited to specific products in the CL key.

Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal enables the software vendor to optionally offload the responsibility of managing licensed users to designated users in each customer’s organization. The designated users can log in to Sentinel LDK Cloud Portal to generate and deliver client identities, set and modify licensed user permissions, and revoke or restore access. Alternatively, software vendors can continue to manage licensed users themselves on behalf of customer organizations or for direct individual customers.