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SELECT Server V8 XM FAQ

Subject: General Frequently Asked Questions
Product: SELECT Server V8 XM

Question 1: Why do I need SELECT Server?
Answer: SELECT Server V8 XM is the exclusive enabler of several incremental SELECT licensing entitlements, including the pooling of desktop licenses.

Question 2: Will I have to re-license my MicroStation seats for the V8 XM Edition?
Answer: All of Bentley's V8 XM Edition applications take on a new implementation of licensing, enabled exclusively through SELECT Server. However, you should be able to replace your existing SELECT Server with a SELECT Server XM Gateway (see below). As long as the server name is maintained, you eliminate the need to make changes to each pre-XM application.

Question 3: What's different about how Bentley has implemented licensing in the V8 XM Edition?
Answer: The fundamental difference in XM-based Trust Licensing is that licensed applications no longer require a constant connection to the license server (SSXM), as long as they can connect at least once every 30 days. This is to ensure that users of Bentley applications are not denied use of their mission-critical application(s).

Question 4: Is my company required to report application usage to Bentley?
Answer: The transmission of usage logs to Bentley is a requirement with the advent of the SELECT Server XM Edition licensing configuration. Previous versions of SELECT Server have compiled and reported application usage but none have allowed for disconnected working as a default. SELECT Server XM Edition therefore introduces a brand new infrastructure and process for report transmission, automating the process and, thereby, removing any demands on the administrator's time. This reporting function is very important to Bentley, as this detailed knowledge helps inform Bentley regarding:

  • What products are in use
  • Where to direct future development efforts to the benefit of the user base
  • How to resource for future support services
  • Furthermore, long-range development priorities can be also be better validated when Bentley understands how many users will benefit from a compelling new product or feature.
Question 5: What reports does SELECT Server now include?
Answer: SELECT Server reports on application usage and version. The usage reports will allow the user and Bentley to determine which versions of which applications are being used at a site. Standard reports include:
  • The Summary Report accounts for peak utilization of pooled applications, including the number of machines and the date the peak occurred.
  • Daily Pooled Usage counts application utilization each day, including specific versions used.
  • The Application Usage report details what applications ran on which machines.
  • The Machine Usage report confirms which machines used a particular application.
  • Application by User, which lists each application in use that requires a named user license and the user who used them throughout the reporting period.
  • A monthly summary of the number of named users accessing Bentley tools.
  • A summary of total server right-to-run licenses used during the reporting period.

Question 6: What information is transmitted in a usage report sent to Bentley?
Answer: There is no proprietary or personal information in usage reports that are transmitted to Bentley. SELECT Server supports the Secure Socket Layer (SSL), so all transmissions are secure.

Desktop-to-SELECT Server Communications

 SELECT Server-to-Bentley.com Communications
Product Activation / License Checkout License Request for a Deployed SELECT Server
Product ID SELECT Server activation key
Product Version Number SELECT Server activation key
MachineSID Windows Machine Name
UserID Usage Reports
Windows Machine Name SELECT Server version number
Windows Account User Name SELECT Server serial number
Activiation Key SELECT Site ID
Date and time Application/tool was started Product (application/tool) ID
Date and time application/tool was shut down Product (application/tool) version
  Max. usage statistics
  MachineSID
  UserSID


Question 7: What are the technical requirements for SELECT Server V8 XM Edition?
Answer: SELECT Server XM Edition and SELECT Server XM Edition Gateway are supported on the following operating systems
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server (SP 4 or later)
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server (SP 4 or later),
  • Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (SP 4 or later)
The following Operating Systems are also supported for the SELECT Server XM Gateway
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
SELECT Server XM Edition also requires:
  • Internet Information Servers (with ASP.NET support)
  • .NET Framework 1.1
  • MSXML 4.2 SP2 or above
  • SQL Server 2000, 2005 or MSDE with Service Pack 3 or higher
  • Intel Pentium (or equivalent) processor or better
  • TCP/IP Networking enabled
  • 256MB RAM Minimum
SELECT Server XM Edition Gateway also requires:
  • .NET Framework 1.1
  • MSXML 4.2 SP2 or above
  • Intel Pentium (or equivalent) processor or better
  • TCP/IP Networking enabled
  • 128MB RAM Minimum

Question 8: What is the SELECT Server Gateway?
Answer: SELECT Server can manage V8 XM Edition products and pre-XM applications, such as MicroStation 2004 Edition or MicroStation/J. For the latter, SELECT Server XM provides a "gateway" as a proxy for the current SELECT Server. It allows pre-XM applications to communicate with the new SELECT Server. In fact, SELECT Server XM Edition can extend several benefits of the new system to existing applications, including the thirty-day evaluation mode, extended periods for checked out licenses, and the reliability of a system built on standard Web-based server technology.

Question 9: Will my SELECT Server operate in a proxy server environment?
Answer: Yes, SELECT Server XM will work in a proxy server environment in several ways. First, V8 XM applications will be able to communicate to SELECT Server XM via a proxy server. SELECT Servers will also be able to communicate with Bentley.com Web services via a proxy server. Finally, SELECT Server XM Gateway will be able to communicate with SELECT Servers via proxy servers.

Question 10: Do I have to run a SELECT Server XM for every site I have?
Answer: No. SELECT Server XM Edition can manage multiple license files (i.e., "Sites") from a single application server. All XM-based applications, however, are activated against one Site. This means that pools cannot be combined under the normal 2004 SELECT Agreement.