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Ralph’s License Management module helps you track software licenses, monitor assignment to users and assets, prevent over-allocation, and maintain compliance.

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Overview

The Licenses module provides:
  • Software license inventory and tracking
  • Assignment to users and assets
  • Automatic free license calculation
  • Usage reports and compliance monitoring
  • Support for multiple license types
  • Regional license management

License Types

Per-user, per-core, per-processor, and other flexible license models

Free License Tracking

Automatic calculation of available licenses based on assignments

Software Categories

Organize licenses by software product and version

Usage Reports

Detailed reports on license utilization and compliance

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License Types

Ralph supports various licensing models:

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Per-User Licenses

Licenses assigned to individual users:
  • Microsoft Office 365
  • Adobe Creative Cloud
  • Development tools and IDEs
  • SaaS subscriptions
Assignments are made to user accounts, and each user consumes one or more license units.

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Per-Device Licenses

Licenses tied to specific hardware:
  • Windows operating systems
  • Server software
  • Hardware-locked applications
  • Embedded system licenses
Assigned to data center assets, back office assets, or other hardware.

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Per-Core / Per-Processor

Licenses based on CPU resources:
  • Database servers (Oracle, SQL Server)
  • Virtualization platforms
  • High-performance computing software
Quantity reflects the number of cores or processors licensed.

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Other License Types

  • Site Licenses - Unlimited use within a location
  • Concurrent Licenses - Limited number of simultaneous users
  • Enterprise Agreements - Organization-wide licensing
  • Volume Licenses - Bulk purchase discounts

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Software Categories

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Creating Software Products

Define the software products you license:
  1. Name - Product name (e.g., “Microsoft Office 2015”)
  2. Asset Type - Where it can be used:
    • Data Center only
    • Back Office only
    • All (both data center and back office)
  3. Additional Details - Version, vendor information
Set asset type to “All” for software that might be used on both servers and workstations, like monitoring agents or security software.

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Creating Licenses

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Required Information

To add a new license:
  1. License Type - Per-user, per-device, per-core, etc.
  2. Software - Select or create software product
  3. Number of Purchased Items - Total licenses purchased
  4. Region - Geographic region or location
  5. Serial Number - License key or activation code

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Optional Fields

  • Inventory Number - Internal tracking number
  • Order Number - Purchase order reference
  • Invoice Date & Number - Financial tracking
  • Price - License cost
  • Budget Info - Cost center allocation
  • Valid From/To - License validity period
  • Manufacturer - Software vendor
  • Remarks - Additional notes
Don’t create separate license records for each individual license in a bulk purchase. Instead, create one record and set “Number of purchased items” to the total quantity.

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License Assignment

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Assigning to Hardware

For per-device or per-core licenses:
  1. Open License - Navigate to license detail page
  2. Assignments Tab - Select the Assignments tab
  3. Search Asset - Find by barcode, hostname, or browse
  4. Set Quantity - Number of licenses to assign (default: 1)
  5. Save - Assignment is recorded
Example: Assigning a 10-core SQL Server license:
  • Find the server asset
  • Set quantity to 10 (for 10 cores)
  • Available licenses decrease by 10

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Assigning to Users

For per-user licenses:
  1. Open License - Navigate to license detail page
  2. Assigned to Users Tab - Select user assignment tab
  3. Search User - Find user by name or ID
  4. Set Quantity - Number of licenses per user (usually 1)
  5. Save - Assignment is recorded
You can assign the same license to both users and assets if your licensing agreement allows it. Ralph tracks both assignment types separately.

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Free License Tracking

Ralph automatically calculates available licenses: 
Free Licenses = Purchased Licenses - Assigned Licenses

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Real-Time Updates

The system shows:
  • Number of Purchased Items - Total licenses owned
  • Used - Currently assigned licenses
  • Free - Available for assignment
Ralph prevents over-allocation. The UI displays warnings when you approach the license limit and can be configured to block assignments that would exceed purchased quantity.

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Viewing from Assets

From any asset detail page:
  1. Licenses Tab - View licenses assigned to this asset
  2. Add License - Assign additional licenses
  3. Remove License - Remove license assignments
  4. License Details - Click through to full license info

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Regional Management

Support for multi-regional licensing:
  • Regions - Geographic areas (US, EU, APAC, etc.)
  • Regional Licenses - Licenses restricted to specific regions
  • Compliance - Ensure proper geographic usage
  • Reporting - License usage by region
If you operate in a single location, create a “default” region as a workaround. This field is required for license creation.

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License Lifecycle

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Purchase

  1. Create License Record - Enter purchase details
  2. Upload Invoice - Attach purchase documentation
  3. Set Validity - Configure expiration if applicable
  4. Budget Allocation - Link to cost center

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Assignment

  • Assign to users or assets as needed
  • Track assignment history
  • Monitor utilization

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Renewal

  • Set valid_to date for expiring licenses
  • Create reports for upcoming renewals
  • Update license records with new keys

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Retirement

  • Remove all assignments
  • Mark as inactive or delete
  • Archive documentation

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Reporting

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License Usage Reports

Generate detailed compliance reports:
  1. Navigate to Reports - Licenses section
  2. Select Report Type - Usage, compliance, or custom
  3. Filter - By software, region, or time period
  4. Export - Download as PDF, Excel, or CSV

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Available Reports

  • License Utilization - Used vs. free licenses by product
  • Over-Allocated Licenses - Products exceeding purchased quantity
  • Expiring Licenses - Upcoming renewal dates
  • Assignments by User - All licenses assigned to each user
  • Assignments by Asset - All licenses on each device
  • Cost Analysis - Total license costs by department or software
Schedule regular license compliance reports (monthly or quarterly) to identify unused licenses that could be reassigned or not renewed.

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Integration

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Assets

Licenses integrate seamlessly with asset management:
  • View licenses from asset detail pages
  • Assign licenses during asset deployment
  • Track license history per asset
  • Include in asset reports

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Transitions

Automate license assignment during workflows:
  • Auto-assign OS licenses during deployment
  • Remove licenses when decommissioning assets
  • Transfer licenses during asset reassignment

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API Access

Manage licenses programmatically: 
# Get all licenses
curl https://ralph.example.com/api/licences/

# Get specific license
curl https://ralph.example.com/api/licences/123/

# Get assignments
curl https://ralph.example.com/api/licences/123/assignments/

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Best Practices

Centralize License Keys: Store all license keys and activation codes in Ralph’s serial number field. This creates a single source of truth for software deployments.
Set Expiration Dates: For subscription licenses, always set the valid_to date. This enables expiration reports and prevents using expired licenses.
Regular Audits: Review license assignments quarterly to identify:
  • Unused licenses that can be reassigned
  • Over-allocated products requiring additional purchases
  • Licenses assigned to decommissioned assets
Attach vendor agreements and proof of purchase documents to license records using the attachments feature. This documentation is crucial during vendor audits.

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Compliance Management

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Audit Preparation

Ralph helps prepare for software audits:
  1. Generate Reports - Show purchased vs. assigned licenses
  2. Gather Documentation - Export license records with attachments
  3. Verify Assignments - Ensure all installations are documented
  4. Identify Gaps - Find unlicensed software or over-allocations

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Ongoing Monitoring

  • Dashboard widgets for license status
  • Alerts for over-allocation
  • Regular compliance reports
  • Historical tracking for audits

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Common Workflows

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New Employee

  1. Create user account
  2. Assign required software licenses (OS, Office, etc.)
  3. Deploy laptop with licenses documented
  4. Track assignment in user profile

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Software Deployment

  1. Check available licenses
  2. Deploy software to asset
  3. Assign license in Ralph
  4. Document in asset history

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Employee Departure

  1. Retrieve equipment
  2. Remove license assignments in Ralph
  3. Reassign freed licenses to new users
  4. Update asset status

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License Renewal

  1. Identify expiring licenses via report
  2. Process purchase for renewal
  3. Update license record with new validity dates
  4. Update serial number if keys changed

Next Steps

Learn about vendor support contract tracking in Supports

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