Mitel offers a flexible licensing solution. For smaller implementations, you can license individual MiVoice Business controllers as "standalone" systems. For larger implementations, you can license a number of MiVoice Business controllers collectively within an "application group."
The Application Management Center (AMC), Mitel's license key and product administration service, supports the following license models:
Standalone System: A standalone system is a single controller that lacks support for clustering, IP trunks or resiliency. All other MiVoice Business features, with the exception of XNET trunks, are supported. A standalone system cannot share its licenses with other systems and does not support resiliency.
Non-Shared Enterprise System: A non-shared enterprise system is a networked controller that supports the full range of MiVoice Business features and options, including clustering, IP trunks, and resiliency. A non-shared enterprise system cannot share its licenses with other systems.
Shared Enterprise System: A shared enterprise system is a networked controller that supports the full range of MiVoice Business features and options, including clustering, IP trunks, and resiliency. Because it belongs to an application group in the AMC, a shared enterprise system can share licenses with other group members. For example, if the application group has three members, and each group member has 100 IP User Licenses, the application group has a total of 300 pooled licenses. These licenses can be removed from one group member and allocated to another; there is no need to reinstall the system software or synchronize with the AMC to complete this task.
NOTE: A database backup from an Enterprise system cannot be restored to a Standalone system. The inverse is possible, but you lose support for resiliency and the other features that Enterprise licensing provides.
All systems, regardless of which licensing model they employ, are equipped with a License Manager which enables local applications to obtain and release licenses, ensures that System Core Package limits (Local Limits) are not exceeded, detects license violation events, and collects statistical information related to license usage for the AMC.
In the following example, the License Manager on MiVoice Business 1 communicates with the AMC to obtain the system core package licenses, limits and restrictions.
Because MiVoice Business 1 is a "Standalone" system, it cannot take advantage of networking features or share its licenses with any other system.
In the following example, the License Managers on MiVoice Business 1 and MiVoice Business 2 communicate with the AMC to obtain the system core package licenses, limits and restrictions.
Because MiVoice Business 1 and MiVoice Business 2 are "Enterprise Non-Sharing" systems, they can take advantage of networking features such as clustering, IP trunks and resiliency, but they cannot pool and share their licenses.
In a shared enterprise environment, one member of the application group functions as a Designated License Manager (DLM). In this role, it collects license keys and underlying system information from the AMC for all group members. The group members register with the DLM to retrieve this information, and connect to the AMC only to obtain their software release and System Core Package limits and restrictions. The DLM also provides services similar to a regular License Manager, detecting license violation events and collecting statistical information for the entire application group.
In the following example, the License Managers on MiVoice Business 1, MiVoice Business 2, and MiVoice Business 3 communicate with the AMC to obtain the system core package licenses, limits and restrictions. In addition, the Designated License Manager on MiVoice Business 1 obtains the application group licenses (bulk licenses) from the AMC.
Because the three MiVoice Business systems are "Enterprise Sharing" systems, they constitute an Application Group. This enables them to take advantage of networking features and share licenses amongst themselves, subject to their individual core package limits and restrictions.
NOTES
A System Core Package is required for every system that is sold and licensed through the AMC. In addition to defining the system type (standalone or enterprise), the core package controls the limits and restrictions for each license type that may be added to the system.
Only systems running MCD 5.0 can be added to an application group or configured as a DLM.
The DLM must be able to communicate with the application group members via System Data Synchronisation.
After being added to an application group, a system's licenses belong to the group. If the system is downgraded by having its application record removed from the group, all of its licenses remain with the group with the exception of its core package licenses.
Multiple application groups can be created within a single cluster or network.
An application record can belong to only one application group.
Once an application record has been assigned to an application group, its licenses are permanently moved to the group.
It is possible to change the DLM to another group member by resetting the hardware ID of the application record in the AMC.
Use the Application Group License Distribution form to track the number of licenses that have been purchased, allocated and used by the individual members of an application group.
The following licensing features are available:
Try Before You Buy
Trusted Services
Over Allocation
Multi-device User License Consumption for IP Users
The Try Before You Buy (TBYB) capability enables you allocate and use a license for a service you have not yet purchased and test the service for a limited period of time (60 days by default; 90 days maximum).
For example, if you have never purchased or activated External Hot Desking, you can simply enable a number of licenses for it. No administrative setup is involved. A clock starts the day the trial begins, and continues until the trial ends. The expiry date cannot be altered, even if you enable more licenses during the trial. Once the trial begins, it continues until expiry even if you remove the license for the option you are trying.
When the trail ends, you will receive an "over allocation" error message as the system enters into Major license violation mode. You can respond to this by purchasing additional licenses or by deleting the services. You cannot begin a new trial for the same license type.
Upgrading MiVoice Business software or license bundle (e.g., UCC) terminates any trial in progress. In the case of UCC, the upgrade may also trigger a license violation; see UCC3 to UCC4 Upgrade Process for details.
Trusted services are applications that do not require a MiVoice Business license to register and access telephony services. Instead, they authenticate themselves to MiVoice Business using an encrypted handshake.
In the current release, applications that use the MiNet protocol (such as MiCollab Nupoint UM) can be programmed as a Trusted Service by selecting the appropriate Service Level for a directory number on the User and Services Configuration form. In future releases, applications that use SIP (such as Audio and Web Conferencing) will be programmable as Trusted Services.
NOTES
Trusted Service directory numbers can be programmed on the same forms and fields as Full Service directory numbers.
Although Trusted Services do not consume IP User Licenses, they do consume other licenses (such as EDHU or HTML licenses) when they are programmed with additional functionality.
To be programmed as a Trusted Service, an application must support authentication with SSL certificates. Without SSL support, the application can be programmed as an IP phone and consume an IP User License (as was required of applications prior to MCD R5.0).
For more information about application compatibility with MiVoice Business "Trusted" Services, refer to Mitel Knowledge Base article 12-5191-00291 on Mitel Online.
Over allocation allows you to expand the system, using more licenses than you have actually purchased. Through the action of provisioning more licenses than you have purchased, MiVoice Business will enter into license violation and start License Violation Event Escalation. This is a gradual process that gives you time to purchase the additional licenses required.
Over allocation is useful in the following scenarios:
Move T1/E1 Links: Instead of having to purchase an extra Digital Link License or reconfigure the PSTN connection (which would cause an outage) you can simply provision a new link and then disable the existing link.
Add New Users: You can add users before purchasing additional IP User Licenses.
Move SIP Links: Instead of having to purchase an extra SIP Trunk License or reconfigure the PSTN connection (which would cause an outage) you can simply provision a new link and then disable the existing link.
Exceed System Core Package Limitations: Certain core packages have limitations on the number of licenses they support. For example, the Survivable Branch Office Gateway and the 3300 MXe Media Gateway do not allow Enterprise user licenses to be added to them. Over allocation allows you to license users for these systems on a temporary basis.
Some license types, such as Active ACD Agent Licenses, cannot be over-allocated. If they are mistakenly over-allocated (such as due a database being restored from another MiVoice Business system), the system immediately enters into Major license violation mode.
The licensing changes introduced by this MiVoice Business Release 7.2 feature allow the system to automatically consume Multi-device User (MDU) licenses on behalf of the following IP User (IPU) license users, when no IPU licenses are available (all are consumed or none are allocated):
Full Service IP User
External Twin Multi-device User Group (MdUG)
NOTES
MDU licenses are automatically returned to the pool once IPU licenses become available (for example, when you allocate additional IPU licenses).
If at least one MDU license is consumed on behalf of an IP User, the switch is in an IPU license overflow state.
This solution is particularly beneficial for customers with UCC4 licensed switches. UCC4 bundle does not include any IPU licenses, but it does include MDU licenses. With this feature, customers can still program IPU-licensed users (for example ACD enabled hot desk users) without purchasing, in addition to their UCC bundle, any IPU licenses.
NOTE: For customer upgrading from UCC3 to UCC4, the switch is put in license violation mode when all IPU licenses are removed and replaced with MDU licenses. However, this feature allows you to remove IPU licenses allocated to the switch without having to delete the users and/or groups that are consuming them. See UCC3 to UCC4 upgrade process for detail upgrade procedure.
Changing the number of locally allocated IPU or MDU licenses can affect license consumption during the following transactions. After each transaction, the system recalculates and updates the appropriate fields in the License and Option Selection form.
NOTE: Use the LOCATE LICENSE command to view the current distribution of IPU and MDU licenses.
These transactions include:
Programming a Full Service IP User, IP Console, or External Twin MdUG (using a Multi-device service level prime)
Changing the service level of an IP User from a lower level to Full Service
Logging in an ACD Agent that has a pending license
Changing the primary node of a Full Service IP User, IP Console or External Twin MdUG to this node
In this scenario, the system automatically consumes an MDU license instead of an IPU license (without this feature, the transaction would fail).
NOTE: Deleting a Standard MdUG or changing the group type of an MdUG from Standard to External Twin does not change license consumption. In both cases, an MDU license was used before the transaction. After the transaction, an IPU license is required but since none is available, an MDU license is used, so there is no change to licenses consumed.
If there are no MDU licenses available, the above transactions fail and the following error message is displayed:
All IP User and Multi-device User Licenses allocated to this node have been used.
Returning an MDU license to the pool when the switch is in IPU license overflow
If at least one MDU license is consumed instead of an IPU license, the following transactions will return an MDU license to the pool:
Deleting a Full Service IP User or IP Console
Deleting the prime member of an External Twin MdUG
Changing the primary node of a Full Service IP User, IP Console or External Twin MdUG from this node to another
NOTE: Creating a Standard MdUG using a Full Service prime or changing the group type of an MdUG from External Twin to Standard does not change license consumption. In both cases, an IPU license would have to be returned and an MDU license consumed, but since an MDU license is being already used instead of an IPU license (overflow mode), then there is no change to licenses consumed.
Increasing the number of locally allocated IPU licenses, while there are MDU licenses consumed for Full Service IP Users
If the switch is in overflow mode (at least one MDU license is consumed by a Full Service IP User) and you increase the number of locally allocated IPU licenses in the License and Option Selection (LOS) form, then after the save, some MDU licenses will return to the pool and the corresponding number of newly allocated IPU licenses will be automatically consumed.
Example: If four MDU licenses are consumed for IP Users and you allocate five new IPU licenses, then four MDU licenses will return to the pool, while four out of five newly allocated IPU licenses will be automatically consumed when you save the LOS form change.
The following message warns the user that some of the IPU licenses may be automatically consumed when the LOS change is saved:
The number of locally allocated IP Users has changed therefore the IP and Multi-device Users consumed fields have been recalculated.
Decreasing the number of locally allocated IPU licenses to below the number of licenses currently consumed
It is possible to decrease the number of locally allocated IPU licenses to below the number of currently consumed licenses if there is enough MDU licenses available (allocated minus consumed) to compensate for the decrease.
The following message warns the user that some of the MDU licenses may be automatically consumed when the LOS change is saved:
The number of locally allocated IP Users has changed therefore the IP and Multi-device Users consumed fields have been recalculated.
If there is not enough MDU licenses available to compensate for the decrease, the system displays the following error message:
Insufficient Multi-device Users to handle the removal of IP Users.
Examples:
|
Number of IPU Licenses |
Number of MDU Licenses |
|||||
|
Allocated |
Consumed |
Decreased by |
Allocated |
Consumed |
Available |
Used instead of removed IPU licenses |
Example 1: |
10 |
10 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
4 (6 - 2 = 4) |
4 |
After Save: |
6 |
6 |
N/A |
6 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
Example 2: |
10 |
10 |
4 |
7 |
1 |
6 (7 - 1 = 6) |
4 |
After Save: |
6 |
6 |
N/A |
7 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
Example 3: |
10 |
10 |
4 |
5 |
3 |
2 (5 - 3 = 2) |
N/A Transaction fails |
|
|||||||
NOTE: If there are any TBYB MDU licenses and the total number of consumed IPU and TBYB MDU licenses exceeds the number of MDU licenses to be consumed after the upgrade, you must purchase additional MDU licenses before upgrading to UCC4. Otherwise, the system will be in a license violation mode.
With the following upgrade process, you can remove IPU licenses allocated to the switch without having to delete the users or groups that are consuming them.
On the AMC, all the purchased IPU licenses are removed and replaced with MDU licenses.
After synchronizing with the AMC, the switch is in license violation mode because the IP Users Allocated field value is greater than the IP Users Purchased field value.
To resolve the violation, in the LOS form:
Remove the IPU licenses allocated to the switch and, in the same transaction, allocate the additional MDU licenses.
Save the form.
The system consumes an MDU license for each deleted, previously consumed, IPU license. The number of previously consumed IP Users is added to the number of consumed Multi-device Users and the IP Users Consumed field is 0.
Back up the database.
NOTE: In a shared license environment, all nodes in the license group must be upgraded to MiVoice Business Release 7.2 before the DLM is upgraded to UCC4. Otherwise, the pre-7.2 nodes will be in license violation mode and you will not be able to resolve the violation without manually deleting all the Full Service IP Users and External Twin MdUGs.