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Distr

License Management

License Management is a powerful feature that gives you granular control over which application versions and artifacts each customer can access and deploy. With Distr’s licensing system, you can create tiered access, deliver targeted updates, and manage customer entitlements with precision.

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

Distr’s License Management system provides two types of licenses:

  1. Application Licenses - Control access to specific application versions deployed via Distr agents
  2. Artifact Licenses - Control access to specific artifacts and tags in your registry

Both license types allow you to:

  • Link licenses to specific customers
  • Set expiration dates
  • Grant access to specific versions, tags, or artifacts
  • Bundle multiple items in a single license
  • Update licenses in real-time (changes reflect immediately in the customer portal)

Use Cases

Section titled “Use Cases”

License Management enables several powerful use cases:

  • Tiered Pricing Plans - Offer different feature sets and versions based on subscription tiers
  • Targeted Updates - Deliver specific hotfixes or patches to select customers
  • Early Access Programs - Provide early access to new versions for premium customers
  • Version Control - Ensure customers only deploy approved, tested versions
  • Artifact Access Control - Control which container images, Helm charts, and other artifacts customers can pull from your registry

License Types

Section titled “License Types”

Application Licenses

Section titled “Application Licenses”

Application Licenses control which versions of your applications customers can deploy through Distr agents. When a customer has an application license, they can only see and deploy the specific application versions granted by that license.

Learn how to create and manage Application Licenses in our Application Licenses guide.

Artifact Licenses

Section titled “Artifact Licenses”

Artifact Licenses control which artifacts and tags customers can access in your registry. You can grant access to all tags, specific tags, or future tags for one or multiple artifacts. Once you create your first artifact license, customers will only see artifacts they have a valid license for.

Learn how to create and manage Artifact Licenses in our Artifact Licenses guide.

Key Features

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  • Real-time Updates - License changes are reflected immediately in the customer portal
  • Flexible Access Control - Grant access to specific versions, tags, or entire artifacts
  • Expiration Management - Set expiration dates to control access duration
  • Multi-item Bundling - Include multiple applications or artifacts in a single license
  • Customer Linking - Associate licenses with specific customer organizations

Getting Started

Section titled “Getting Started”

To start using License Management:

  1. Ensure you’re on a Pro, Enterprise, or Pro Trial plan
  2. Navigate to the Licenses section in the Vendor Portal sidebar
  3. Choose between Application Licenses or Artifact Licenses
  4. Follow the guides to create your first license: