The Customer-to-Vendor (abbreviated C2V) file or a fingerprint file (also in C2V format) is used to provide the necessary information to Stromasys

• to update an existing hardware or software license, or
• to create a new software license respectively.

Please note: even if a hardware license (USB dongle) is installed for the first time, it is treated as an existing license.

This section covers the following aspects:

Overview and Preparation

This section provides an overview of the workflow for creating a C2V file. It also describes some steps to be performed before creating the C2V file.

C2V File Creation Workflow

There are two different cases that need to be handled differently when creating a C2V file:

• Preparing to request a new software license.
• Preparing to request an update for an existing hardware or software license.

Please note:

• Even if a hardware license (USB dongle) is installed for the first time, it is treated as an existing license.
• Some steps mentioned in the flowchart use the hasp_srm_view (Linux) or hasp_view (Windows) command. Unless a workaround is employed, these commands only work using a local connection to the system (that is, remote connections via RDP to Windows, or via SSH to Linux will cause problems). Possible workarounds for using remote connections are described in the detail sections of the individual tasks.

The following flowchart provides an overview of the workflow on Charon emulator products. The steps in the flowchart are explained in more detail below.

* Newer versions (starting with Charon-SSP version 2.0.1, Charon-AXP/VAX 4.8 Build 18302 for Linux, Charon-PAR 1.10) allow the -key parameter of the hasp_srm_view command to select between different available licenses when creating a C2V file. This selection is not possible in earlier versions, hence non-relevant license keys have to be temporarily removed or disabled when using the command in these older versions.

** Charon-AXP/VAX for Linux before version 4.9, Charon-PAR before version 1.10, and Charon-SSP before version 4.0 cannot create a fingerprint file if a remote network license (network-enabled dongle or software license) is visible to the system. Hence, these licenses must be temporarily removed or disabled when creating a fingerprint in such versions.

*** If using the Charon-SSP GUI before version 5.x, remove any hardware dongles first. Otherwise, the GUI will create an update C2V for an existing dongle.

Both paths, for new software license and for existing license, lead to the creation of a C2V file. However, in the case of a new software license, this file contains the fingerprint (or ID) of the current system. In the case of an existing hardware or software license, the file contains the characteristics of the existing license needed to update this license. To make the difference clear, the term fingerprint file will be used for new software licenses and C2V for updates of existing licenses respectively.

Please note:

• If the C2V file is not created using the appropriate steps for a new or existing license, Stromasys will not be able to create the correct license and the procedure will have to be repeated.
• If you use a license server, the steps described in this section must be performed on the license sever.
• Do not use Sentinel ACC to create a fingerprint for a new software license. The resulting file has a format that is incompatible with the Stromasys license creation tools.

Verifying Sentinel Runtime Software State

The Sentinel license drivers (processes) must be active before any license related commands are executed. They must be active even for generating a valid fingerprint file for a new software license. Hence, it should be verified that the necessary processes are running, especially if there are any errors when trying to perform the tasks described in this chapter.

The following table shows typical error messages if the license drivers are not active:

Please refer to section Sentinel Runtime Software State in the Troubleshooting section for details.

Please note: the Charon-SSP Manager provides a GUI to manage licenses. Problem symptoms (e.g., invalid fingerprint files) will be the same as described above for Linux-based systems.

Check for Available Licenses

To verify which licenses are available on the system, you can use any of the following:

• The Sentinel Admin Control Center (ACC)
• The license display programs on Windows and Linux
• The emulator-specific GUI.

Please refer to section Viewing a License for detailed instructions.

Before creating a fingerprint file to request a new software license: if running an old product version (lower than Charon-AXP/VAX version 4.9, Charon-PAR version 1.10, or Charon-SSP 4.0), make sure that there are no conflicting licenses available to the system. In particular, remote network licenses can cause conflicts for older emulator versions.

Before creating a C2V file to request an update to an existing license: make sure the license to be updated is attached to the system. Please refer to Viewing a License for details.

Please note: if an existing license interferes with the action of generating a fingerprint or C2V file, it can be temporarily removed or disabled. Refer to section Removing a License for more information.

New Software License - Create a Fingerprint File

This section describes how to create fingerprint files which are needed to request a new software license.

Creating a Fingerprint File on Linux

To request a new software license, you need to create a fingerprint file of the system on which the license is to be installed. The generated file has the extension ".c2v", but its contents and structure are different from the C2V files generated to update licenses.

On Linux-based Charon products, you can use the command-line tools to create a fingerprint file. Do not use Sentinel ACC to create a fingerprint for a new software license. The resulting file has a format that is incompatible with the Stromasys license creation tools.

For all Linux-based products, execute the following command to create the fingerprint file:

The fingerprint will be written to the filename specified. If the command is not in the PATH variable of the user, the full path must be provided.

The full paths to the command are listed in the following table:

Please note:

• Charon-AXP/VAX before 4.9, Charon-PAR before 1.10, and Charon-SSP before 4.0: the above command will terminate with the error message "Can not retrieve the C2V (host fingerprint mode) data" or with (cosmetic bug) "Can not retrive the C2V (host fingerprint mode) data" if a remote network license is visible to the system. Access to these licenses must be temporarily disabled before creating the fingerprint file on such product versions. Please refer to section Tasks Specific to Network Licenses and section Removing a License for details.
• Newer versions can create a fingerprint file even in the presence of a remote network license (i.e., a red network-enabled dongle or a software license).

The commands described in this section also work on Charon-SSP. However, the Charon-SSP emulator product has its own GUI, the Charon-Manager, which also includes a license update tool that can create a fingerprint file. Please refer to the section License Management with Charon-SSP Manager for more information.

Creating a Fingerprint File on Microsoft Windows

Perform the following steps to create a fingerprint file on Microsoft Windows:

Step 1: start the License Update Utility

A fingerprint file on Windows is created using the License Update Service (also called HASPRUS). This tool is started in different ways, depending on which Charon product is used. Please refer to License Update Service (RUS) in the Tools Reference section for detailed information about this step.

Step 2: create the fingerprint file 

The license update utility (HASPRUS) looks the same, independent of the product variant used.

The following image shows the necessary options for creating a fingerprint file: select the tab Collect Status Information and the option Installation of new protection key.

After pressing the Collect Information button, you will be prompted to enter a location for storing the fingerprint file. Select a location and filename and save the file.

Once a software license has been installed, current versions of the license update utility do not allow you to create another fingerprint without (temporarily) removing the installed software license. Therefore, save the created fingerprint file in case you need to create an additional software license for the same system (this will be the exception because in most cases the existing license can be updated with the required information). If you don't have the fingerprint file anymore and cannot create a second fingerprint because there is already a valid software license installed, please contact your Stromasys representative or VAR. If you have an obsolete/invalid software license on your system, you can remove it as described in Removing a License.

Existing Hardware or Software License Update - Create a C2V File

The topics in this section describe how to create the C2V file needed to request an update of an existing hardware or software license.

Please note:

• Even if a hardware license is installed for the first time, it is treated as an existing license.
• The above is true even if a USB dongle should be empty (no license information detected).

The C2V file can be created in several ways as described below.

Creating a C2V File Using the Sentinel Admin Control Center (ACC)

You can create a C2V file using the Sentinel ACC.

Please note:

• The C2V option in Sentinel ACC is not available in some older versions of the software. If this is the case, use the operating system and emulator specific tools for this task.

• Starting with ACC version 7.60, the option to create C2V files for USB dongles must first be enabled in the basic configuration section (under the Configuration menu item).

In order to identify the Sentinel ACC version and with it the available features, you can click on the About menu item on the left-hand side of the Sentinel ACC window. Also, versions starting from version 7.60 are easily recognized by the different color scheme and the name gemalto at the top of the page. The basic steps to create a C2V file using Sentinel ACC are the same in the old and the new version.

Follow the steps below to create the C2V file:

1. Open the web-browser on the Sentinel Key page of the Sentinel ACC (URL: http://localhost:1947/_int_/devices.html):

Old version:

New version:

2. Click on the option C2V at the right-hand side of the window for the key you plan to update. 

3. A new screen will be displayed to download the C2V file:

Old version:

New version:

4. Click on Create/Download C2V File and save the C2V file.

Please note: you can also use the Sentinel ACC to retrieve the C2V file of a license connected to a different system. To do this, use the name of the target system instead of localhost in the URL.

• The C2V file will be stored on the system on which you start the browser.
• Remote access to the Sentinel ACC of the target system must be enabled (see Security Settings for Sentinel Admin Control Center).
• The firewall settings must allow access to the Sentinel ACC of the target system over the network (TCP port 1947 must be open).

Creating a C2V File Using Linux-Specific Tools

To request a license update, you need to create a C2V file on the system on which the license is currently installed. The resulting file contains the information Stromasys needs to issue a license update. Before you create a C2V file, make sure the license that needs to be updated is available to the system, as described above.

On Linux-based Charon products, you can use the command-line tools to create a C2V file. The commands described in this section also work on Charon-SSP. However, the Charon-SSP emulator product has its own GUI, the Charon-Manager, which also includes a license update tool that can create a C2V file.

For all Linux-based products, execute the following command to create the C2V file:

If there is more than one license visible to the system, newer product versions (starting from Charon-SSP 2.0.1, Charon-AXP/VAX 4.8 Build 18302, Charon-PAR 1.10) allow selecting a specific license using the -key parameter: 

The C2V file will be written to the filename specified. If the command is not in the PATH variable of the user, the full path must be provided.

Please note: the license content cannot be read if you are connected to the system via a remote connection (for example, ssh). The hasp_srm_view command will return an error.

You can use the following workaround:
$ ssh localhost /opt/charon/bin/hasp_srm_view -c2v <filename>

The full paths to the command are listed in the following table:

Please note: in older product versions, the hasp_srm_view command cannot be instructed to select a particular key for creating the C2V file. The -key parameter in these versions is only honored when displaying a license, but not for creating a C2V file. The hasp_srm_view command will select one of the available licenses to create a C2V file. This selection cannot be influenced. If you are running a Charon product with this restriction and more than one license is visible to the system, either use Sentinel ACC to create the C2V file for the correct license key or disconnect the other licenses temporarily (this may cause problems for emulators running on the system).

Creating a C2V File Using the License Update Utility on Windows

Step 1: start the License Update Utility.

A C2V file on Windows is created using the License Update Utility (also called HASPRUS). This tool is started in different ways, depending on which Charon product is used. Please refer to License Update Service (RUS) in the Tools Reference section for detailed information about this step.

Step 2: create the C2V File.

The License Update Utility (HASPRUS) looks the same, independent of the product variant used.

The following image shows the necessary options for generating a C2V file for an existing license: select the tab Collect Status Information and the option Update of existing protection key.

After pressing the Collect Information button, you will be prompted to enter a location for storing the C2V file. Select a location and filename and save the file.

If there is more than one license key available on the system, the tool will allow you to select the appropriate key to update as shown in the screenshot below: