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 EMS—Entitlement Management System

Sentinel 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 EMS is an enterprise-level version entitlement management system that provides an advanced user interface and REST API to manage resources. Sentinel EMS supports multiple methods of enforcement, including custom and third-party enforcement types. Sentinel EMS REST API enables you to integrate the entitlement and production functionality of Sentinel EMS in your own back-office management software. For details, see https://docs.sentinel.thalesgroup.com/softwareandservices/ldk/default.htm.

You subscribe to Sentinel EMS as a service from Thales. Thales installs a dedicated instance of Sentinel EMS for your organization and sets up the Sentinel EMS database on its own servers.

The instance of Sentinel EMS can be accessed throughout your organization using web browsers. The Sentinel EMS database contains all the licensing and entitlement information for your customers.

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 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/softwareandservices/ldk/default.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/softwareandservices/ldk/default.htm