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The MIE supports automated license key management.

Some publishers require the installation of a cryptic key in order for their software to work.  The key is usually delivered by email, and is often in the form of a long string of unintelligible characters.  The software will often direct a user on how to apply the key.

The MIE allows tracking an individual license key with each license.  As the MIE allocates and de-allocates licenses, it will fire a workflow that can be used to notify the end user of the key that has been assigned to them.  This can significantly reduce the overhead of managing a large installed base.

License keys are managed by Managed Software List (MSL) title.  When setting up a title, you designate the title as requiring license keys and then you assign a workflow to handle any allocation and/or de-allocation event.

When a title has been marked as requiring license keys, the MIE will not attempt to optimize the license position by moving licenses around.  If it were to do its normal optimization, it might cause the assigned key to get revoked, in favor of another key, and the user would potentially receive multiple emails instructing him or her to change keys.  In order to reduce such user impact, once a license for a license key title has been allocated, it will stay allocated until it is either harvested or expires (for term licenses).

NOTE:  When an MSL title has been marked as requiring license keys and a workflow has been assigned for handling allocation/de-allocation events, then any individual unallocated license record without a license key defined will not be allocated.  Only licenses with keys will be allocated.