Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) License Model

Developing Applications Using The SoftwareShield System > Creating Licensing Solutions > Available License Models > Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) License Model

## Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) License Model

This model is a specific case of the Seat-Based License Model and is mentioned separately because of its special handling.

The COTS model allows you to deliver a "token of ownership" (as a Serial Number) in a physical package. That printed Serial Number in the box represents an arbitrary number of activations (seats) of your software. Before the seats have been activated, the Serial Number is the sole representation of the ownership of those seats. This model is common in retail boxed software applications.

Note that the COTS model is a special case of the Seat Based License Model - however normally, when using the COTS model, there is exactly one seat owned by one Serial Number.

The COTS model can only be achieved when you choose the Server Edition of SoftwareShield because of its reliance on the CheckPoint Server Centrally Controlled Licensing.

### Overview - How to Integrate the COTS Model Into Your Application

Integrating the COTS model is virtually identical to the Seat-Based License Model. Notable differences are:

1. You will normally choose to have only one Activation per Serial Number.

2. You must pre-generate all the Serial Numbers. While you do not have to pre-generate them all at once, you can not dynamically generate them since exactly one Serial Number must be physically placed inside each box. You do this using the SoftwareShield License Manager, see: Generate Serial Numbers. You must always output the Serial Numbers to the CheckPoint License Server.

3. You must also output a hard-copy of each Serial Number for inclusion in the box. You may output the formatted Serial Numbers to a text file for import to a spreadsheet program that your CD/DVD duplication service can use, or - you can print them yourself using the License Manager.

4. You will need to have the printed Serial Numbers physically inside the sealed package. Be sure that the customer can only obtain the Serial Number from the package by breaking a seal on the box.