Setting Up NetLicensing Node-Locked License Module

[r-brown]

We’re currently implementing a licensing setup in NetLicensing and need clarification on the best way to configure modules and validation rules.

Initially, we faced some issues setting up the Node-Locked license module — we wanted it to be locked to our own server using the CPU serial number (as explained in the docs) but weren’t sure how to explicitly set this up in the NetLicensing Management Console.
We’ve since resolved that part, but would like to confirm the best approach for the following overall requirement.

We need a licensee that:

• Is bound to a specific server machine (via CPU serial)
• Has an expiration date for most features
• Has quantity limits for some features
• Completely fails on a different machine (for all features under this licensee)

Questions:

1. Should we use multiple product modules (Node-Locked + Subscription + Quota) to achieve this, or is there a better combination?
2. If we have separate modules and a validation request is made from a different machine, will the non-node-locked modules (e.g. Subscription or Quota) still validate as VALID individually — or will the entire licensee validation fail when the Node-Locked module fails?
3. We’re using a local agent for validation. What’s the recommended approach to ensure that the entire license is invalid when accessed from an unauthorized machine?

[r-brown]

NetLicensing's Node-Locked licensing model binds your product to a node-specific secret, such as a hash of hardware-related data like CPU serial number, MAC address, or other unique hardware identifiers. The model operates in two distinct modes that you can configure at the product module level:

Client Mode (Recommended for CPU Serial Number Locking)

In this mode, the nodeSecret doesn't need to be stored in advance. When your server makes its first validation request with the CPU serial number as the nodeSecret parameter, NetLicensing automatically stores it if the number of already-stored secrets is below the quota. This is ideal for your use case where you want to lock the license to your server's CPU serial number.

Predefined Mode

The secret is generated by you (the vendor) and explicitly stored in the license property before the first validation. Validation only succeeds if the provided nodeSecret matches one of the pre-stored values.

Configuration Steps in the Management Console

Here's how to set up node-locked licensing in the NetLicensing dashboard:

Step 1: Configure the Product Module

Navigate to Manage → Products and select your product, then access the relevant Product Module. When creating or editing the Product Module, you need to:

• Set the Licensing Model to "Node-Locked"
• Choose the operation mode (Client or Predefined) in the product module settings

For your server scenario with CPU serial number locking, select Client mode.

Step 2: Create License Templates

Node-locked licensing requires one or more license templates of type QUANTITY. Here's what to configure:

• Go to the Product Module and click "Add License Template"
• Set License Type to "QUANTITY"
• Add the quota property (required) - this specifies the quantity of node secrets allowed
  • For example, if you want to allow 1 server, set quota to 1
  • For 10 servers, set quota to 10
• Set pricing and other standard properties as needed

The quota property determines how many unique hardware identifiers (CPU serial numbers) can be bound to this license.

Step 3: Create and Configure Licenses

When you create a license for a licensee (customer):

• Navigate to the licensee details
• Click "Add License"
• Select the license template you created
• The quota property will be automatically copied from the template, but can be modified for individual licenses

Important for Client Mode: You do NOT need to manually set nodeSecret properties (nodeSecret0, nodeSecret1, etc.) in Client mode. These will be automatically populated when your server performs its first validation request.

For Predefined Mode (if needed): You would need to manually add custom properties to the license via the REST API. Using the License Update endpoint, you can add nodeSecret0, nodeSecret1 properties as custom properties through POST parameters:

POST https://go.netlicensing.io/core/v2/rest/license/{licenseNumber}
nodeSecret0=YourCPUSerialNumberHere&active=true
Accept: application/xml
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

Implementation in Your Application

Your server application needs to:

Generate a unique hardware identifier (CPU serial number). Note that NetLicensing does not include machine ID or fingerprint generation capabilities - you must implement this yourself.

During validation, pass the CPU serial number as the nodeSecret parameter:

POST https://go.netlicensing.io/core/v2/rest/licensee/{licenseeNumber}/validate
productModuleNumber0=YOUR_MODULE&nodeSecret0=CPU_SERIAL_NUMBER_HERE

In Client mode, on the first validation:

• NetLicensing checks if the number of stored secrets is below the quota
• If yes, it stores your CPU serial number and returns valid=true
• On subsequent validations, it verifies the provided CPU serial number matches the stored one

Key Points to Remember

The quota property on the license determines how many different CPU serial numbers can be locked to that license. When multiple QUANTITY licenses are active, the total quota is the sum of all their individual quotas.

Properties are stored as nodeSecret0, nodeSecret1, etc., where N ranges from 0 to (quota-1).

In Client mode, the dashboard won't explicitly show a field to enter the CPU serial number - this is by design, as it's captured automatically during the first validation.

For security, ensure your CPU serial number generation method is consistent and difficult to fake.

Additional Resources

The NetLicensing REST API documentation and Node-Locked wiki page also provide additional technical details and code examples.

• Community threads https://github.com/orgs/Labs64/discussions?discussions_q=Node-Locked
  • Validate the Node-locked license in different devices Validate the Node-locked license in different devices #91
  • Combine Subscription and Node-Locked models in one product Combine Subscription and Node-Locked models in one product #109