10. Install the License

Overview

PI Nexus+ requires a valid license before inventory features are available. Install the license before configuring scans so the application can validate the environment against the licensed validity period, tag limit, and server bindings.

In the web UI:

1. Go to Admin.
2. Open Licensing.
3. Paste the license key or upload the license file.
4. Save the license.
5. Confirm the status is valid.

License enforcement checks:

• License signature.
• Fixed expiration date or install-relative Evaluation duration and activation deadline.
• Licensed PI server names. Newly issued Evaluation licenses require named PI Data Archive bindings and cannot use *.
• Licensed tag limit.

If the license is invalid, expired, malformed, signed by an untrusted key, or bound to different PI Data Archive names, scanning and inventory features are blocked. If only the licensed PI Point tag limit is exceeded, PI Nexus+ stays operational so administrators can reduce enabled PI Data Archive targets, adjust PI Point rules, or install a larger license. Over-capacity PI Points are stored as Not Evaluated until the scan scope or license brings the active count back within capacity.

An installed Evaluation license is clearly labeled throughout the application. It permits full scans, health calculation, target/rule configuration, connection tests, schedules, run cancellation, licensing, and administrative setup. Inventory pages expose complete aggregate counts, filters, and object lists. Issues expose three deterministic examples per issue code, capped at 100 detailed findings.

Each signed Evaluation license also has a server-enforced, shared allowance of 50 detailed objects. Opening full object details from a representative issue uses one detailed object, while the representative issue row remains visible without one. Reopening the same object is free, and its detail tabs and dependency graph are available. The grant ledger is stored in the PI Nexus+ database and keyed to the signed license identity, so browser storage, private browsing, or another user account cannot reset it.

Evaluation additionally includes one manual Compression Tuning run for up to 50 explicitly selected PI Points. The run entitlement is reserved atomically when the run is queued and remains consumed if the run is archived or later compacted. Complete run results and recommended comparison details are available without consuming the detailed-object allowance. PI Point Rule scopes, additional runs, exports, recommendation remediation, exclusions, custom comparisons, apply/restore actions, and Auto Tune plan changes remain disabled with the message Not available in the Evaluation version. Evaluation users may cancel, rename, and archive the included run. Evaluation scan emails omit detailed attachments and object lists. Support bundles remain available, identify the Evaluation mode, and contain only sampled findings.

Legacy signed Trial files remain valid and are treated and displayed as Evaluation, including older wildcard-bound Trial files. New Evaluation files must contain named PI Data Archive bindings. Installing a valid Production license immediately removes the disclosure restrictions and exposes the data already collected; a new scan is not required.

New Evaluation licenses default to a 30-day period beginning on their first successful installation and must be activated within 90 days of their signed start time. PI Nexus+ stores that first activation in its database using the signed license identity and payload hash. Removing and reinstalling the same license in the same database therefore retains the original expiration date. Existing fixed-date Evaluation/Trial files remain supported, and Production licenses continue to use their signed fixed dates. Since this activation is offline, another independent PI Nexus+ database can activate the same file separately; strict one-site activation would require an online vendor activation service.

Issue the default install-relative Evaluation from the command line as follows:

dotnet run --project tools/PINexus.LicenseTool -- issue --customer "Contoso" --site "Plant 1" --contract-id "EVAL-1001" --type Evaluation --capacity 100000 --servers PISRV01 --private-key license-keys\sa-2026-01-private.pem --key-id SA-2026-01 --out license-keys\contoso-evaluation.license

The defaults can be changed with --duration-days and --activate-by. Use --expires to issue a fixed-expiration Evaluation instead. Install-relative options are rejected for Production licenses.

A good result for this section is that Admin > Licensing shows a valid license and the licensed tag limit is appropriate for the planned test scan.