building a licensing strategy for crm isv solutions

Connect + Learn = Grow

Solution Licensing

Marco Amoedo Martinez

@marcoamoedo


What are we going to cover?# Licensing Challenges# License Key Strategies for CRM Solutions# License “Key” Strategies for Cloud

http://crmlicensing.codeplex.com


#1 Nothing is 100% safe. It can always be hacked


#2 Don’t punish honest customers


#3 Just make it good enough to avoid temptations


In summary: Keep It Simple


License Keys• Token to enable your solution• Only you should be able to generate

it• Tied to a specific customer /

deployment


Public Key Cryptography• Cryptography -> Base for licensing• Private key is not good enough• Public Key encryption enables signing


<License> <Payload> MyCrmInstance:1:04022015 </Payload> <Signature> YW55IGNhcm5hbCBwbGVhc3VyZQ== </Signature></License>

1. License Components:

CrmOrganization:[0,1]:TrialEndDate

Private Key

2. Hash & Cipher:

YW55IGNhcm5hbCBwbGVhc3VyZQ==

Generate a License


<License> <Payload> MyCrmInstance:1:04022015 </Payload> <Signature> YW55IGNhcm5hbCBwbGVhc3VyZQ== </Signature></License>

1. Extract License

MyCrmInstance:1:04022012

Public Key

3. Hash :

YA66IfNhcm5ErTYubGVhc3MAMr==

1. Extract Signature

YW55IGNhcm5hbCBwbGVhc3VyZQ==

3. Decrypt Hash:

YA66IfNhcm5ErTYubGVhc3MAMr==

Validate a License

Valid Not Valid


DEMO: LICENSE GENERATOR

Building our license generator


How to validate the license in CRM?

• License storage/installation• Web Resource license checks• .Net code license checks


Demo Scenario• The EU VAT Checker

Solution– Using the VIES

service from the EU– Allow to Check for

Valid VAT and Enrich Account data with addresses


License Storage & Installation• Store the license as a web resource

– XML File containing the license– Clean & No need to create custom entities– Needs publishing

• Configuration page– Simple HTML Page– Create/update license


Web Resource / UI License Checks

• JavaScript Library– Download License and Public Key– Validate the License using Public Key– Act on the results

• Web Resources / Forms– Include the JavaScript library

<script src="../Scripts/crmlicensing.lib.auto.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>


Plug-in Checks• Similar as JavaScript

– Validate the License using Public Key & Act on the results

• But– Cache the result to avoid

penalising plugins– Use a Abstract Class to

implement the plumbing


DEMO: A LICENSED SOLUTION

Building a fictitious ISV add-on solution to validate EU VAT numbers and implementing the license checks


Let’s forget the licenses• Generating licenses requires lots of

Work– Generate Licenses– Replace them– Support calls

• What if we use something easier?


License Wallhttp(s)://isvsite.com/script.js

?orgname=acme

orgname=acme

CRM Web Resource

Script Resource

ISV Website


Building a “License Wall” • Put part of your solution behind a

“License Wall”– Natural for Web Resources– Can be used for .Net code

• Only licensed CRM instances can access the resources


DEMO: LICENSE WALL

How to create a license wall in 10 minutes using Windows Azure


License Wall Pros & Cons• Pros– No requirement to generate license– Easier to maintain / update– Enables new license models

• Subscriptions, User based, etc.

• Cons– Requires internet access


What have we covered?# Licensing Challenges# License Key Strategies for CRM Solutions# License “Key” Strategies for Cloud

http://crmlicensing.codeplex.com


Marco AmoedoMicrosoft

@marcoamoedo

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