Entitlement-to-License Generation (Activation)

Once your entitlement is completed, you can use any of the following options to activate and make the licenses available to end users:

>Sentinel EMS Customer Portal: Self-service activation through the Sentinel EMS Customer Portal, empowering customers to independently manage and activate their licenses.

>Sentinel EMS REST API: An automated, seamless, and programmable method to manage and activate their licenses with zero or minimal manual intervention.

>Sentinel Connect: Sentinel Connect enables full automation from quotation to order to entitlement to activation. However, activation is supported only in cases where target system details are not required, as these are unavailable at the time of order. Therefore, initial order activation is not available through Sentinel Connect.

The following compares the three options:

Feature	Sentinel EMS Customer Portal-based Activation	Sentinel EMS REST API-based Activation	Sentinel Connect-based Activation
User Interaction	Self-service using the customer portal.	Automated flow for customers, where vendors use a dedicated service account or customer-context login to interact with the API.	Automated flow from quotation to activation, applicable under supported scenarios.
Ease of Use	Simple for individual users, but manual. No integration needed.	Fully automated. Highly customizable. Customers gain enhanced flexibility and efficiency in managing their licensing needs, freeing them to concentrate on their core business operations while simplifying software management tasks.	Sentinel Connect enables easy-to-use workflows, designed primarily for small to medium deployments.
Prerequisites	Vendors must complete the catalog-to-entitlement flow. Customers must input relevant information consistent with the license model definition. This may include the target system information, unique identifiers for users or devices that will utilize the software or service, ensuring proper allocation of licenses.	When making API requests, include all necessary information that aligns with the defined License Model. This may include the target system information, association with users or devices that will access the software or service.	>An order submitted in Salesforce or any other supported back office. >Requires Sentinel Connect implementation, typically using a pre-built connector. >Target system details, such as HASP ID and EID must be provided upfront. >Not available for initial order activations when fingerprints are required. Under such cases, use of the customer portal or REST API-based is recommended.
Security	Customer portal login-based authentication ensures that only authorized users can activate licenses.	API authentication requires a valid service account or customer-context login, ensuring that only authorized applications or scripts can access the license activation endpoints.	Activations are automated for the subsequent orders as they are securely linked to the original license key, reducing manual errors. Sentinel EMS REST APIs, in background, handle the activation using a controlled service account, ensuring secure and authorized access.
License Generation	Once all required information has been submitted and verified, Sentinel EMS generates the license instantly, making it available for use based on the parameters defined.	Once all required information has been submitted and verified, the API generates the license instantaneously, making it ready for immediate use based on the specified needs.	Sentinel Connect searches for existing licenses and systems using the following: >Key IDs: If a list of keys is provided, a new entitlement must be activated. >Entitlement ID (EID): Retrieves associated keys for a previous entitlement.
Error Handling	Users manually resolve errors. The customer portal provides immediate validation of the entered details, alerting customers to any discrepancies or missing information, thus facilitating a smooth activation process.	Requires API-based error handling. The REST API is designed to be intuitive and well-documented, enabling developers to seamlessly integrate license activation into their workflows.	Error handling depends on Sentinel Connect implementation. In case of activation failure, the order is still submitted, and the error is visible in the back office.
Best For	Individual customers and small-scale activations.	Enterprise automation and bulk activation.	Organizations using Sentinel Connect middleware provide enhanced flexibility and efficiency in license management. This allows customers to focus on core business operations while simplifying software management tasks.