Configuration Notes:
To use the STEP 7-Programming software, a product-specific License Key (User autorization) is required whose installation is executed as per STEP 7 V5.3 by means of the Automation License Manager. The Automation License Manager is a Software-Product of the SIEMENS AG. It is used between various systems to handle the License Keys (technical representatives of Licenses). The Automation License Manager can be found:

• on the installation medium of the corresponding Software Product, for which a License Key is required
  or
• on a separate installation medium.

The Automation License Manager includes an Online-Help allowing you to call it context-related via the F1-key or via the menu task Help > Help on License Manager after its installation. By means of that help you obtain detailed information regarding functionality and handling of the Automation License Manager.

Licenses
To use license-protected program packages of STEP 7, licenses are required. A license serves as legal title to use products. The representatives of this title are as follows:

• the CoL (Certificate of License) and
• the License Key.

Certificate of License (CoL)
The "Certificate of License" that is co-supplied along with the product itself, is the legal evidence of the title of use. The according product may only be used by the owner of CoL or authorized persons.

License Keys
The License Key is the technical representative of a license (electronic License stamp).
For every type of Software that is subject to a protected license, a license key is assigned by the SIEMENS AG . Only if the existence of a valid license has been located on the PC after the startup of the Software, the corresponding Software can be used according to the interrelated terms of licenses and use.

Notes:
To get a brief overview about its user surface and function range of the STEP 7 Basis Software, you can work without License Key. However, the unlimited use in terms of the legal situation of licenses (aggreements) is only permitted and possible with an installed License Key. If no valid License key is installed for STEP 7 V5.3, a Trial License Key is used that is supplied by default and installed with STEP 7. However, STEP 7 can only be used for 14 days with this License Key. During the first startup of STEP 7, the Trial License is activated without a valid License key. The system regularly asks you to do the installation.
License Keys can be saved and transferred between the single storage media:

• On license key floppy disks.
• On local hard disk memories.
• On hard disks with encoding system.
• On hard disks of computers in the network.

If Software-Products are installed for which no license key is available you can assess the license key requirement und order the necessary licenses.
More information about the handling of License Keys can be obtained in the Online-Help for the Automation License Manager.

License-Types
For Software-Products of the SIEMENS AG, it is differentiated between the following user-oriented License-types. The behaviour of the Software is controlled by the different license keys for all license types. The mode of use results from the corresponding Certificate of License.
 

License-Type	Description
Single License	The use of the Software is unlimited in terms of time on an arbitrary PC.
Floating License	Unlimited in terms of time, refers to the use of a related user right ("remote" use) of a Software.
Trial License	The use of Software is limited: Refers to a validity of maximal 14 days from the moment of the first start, the use for test and validation purposes (exclusion of liability).
Upgrade License	For an Upgrade, specific requirements of the system status may be necessary: By means of an Upgrade license, a license of an "Old-"Version x can be converted into a Version >x+... . An Upgrade may be required by e.g. an extension of the quantity structure.

Note:
Please also refer to the information in the file: "Automation License Manager - Readme", which is available in the Windows operating system under "Start > SIMATIC > Information > <Language>".