The Activation Tab

The Activation tab allows you to review current license information for the Orchid Recorder, and provides a means to add or update a license.

Beginning in version 23.12, as the Orchid Core VMS product name is replaced by Orchid Recorder, existing users will notice that the theme of the Orchid user interface will change as different licenses are applied to each Orchid server. So when you review the Orchid Recorders that are registered to your Fusion or Hybrid system, you may notice that the theme has changed.

• Orchid Recorder with a Trial license will have a blue theme.
• Orchid Recorder with a Fusion license will have a purple theme.
• Orchid Recorder with a Hybrid license will have a pink theme.

About Orchid Recorder Licenses

There are currently four types of licenses available for the Orchid Recorder software: Trial, Core, Fusion, and Hybrid. Each license type offers certain capabilities and restrictions.

• Trial License (for Orchid Recorder)
  • This is our default, out-of-the-box Orchid license.
  • When installed on a Windows x86-64 server or a Linux x86-64 server, the Trial license will allow up to four cameras, and up to 128GB of video archives. The Trial version can also be linked to an Orchid Fusion or an Orchid Hybrid VMS.
  • When installed on a Linux ARM embedded server, the Trial license will allow unlimited cameras and archives, but the Trial version cannot be linked to an Orchid Fusion or an Orchid Hybrid VMS.
• Core License (for Orchid Recorder)
  • The Core license offers unlimited archives, but will limit the number of cameras allowed and cannot be linked to an Orchid Fusion or an Orchid Hybrid VMS. Orchid Recorders with Core licenses will not appear in Fusion or Hybrid.
  • Core licenses are no longer available for purchase.
• Fusion License (for Orchid Recorder)
  • The Fusion license is an Enterprise license. This license will limit the number of cameras allowed, but offers unlimited archives and can be linked to any of our management servers (including a Fusion server, a Hybrid server, or an Alto server). When the Fusion license expires, the Orchid Recorder will continue to record, but you will no longer be able to connect to your management server, and you will no longer qualify for technical support or software upgrades.
• Hybrid License (for Orchid Recorder)
  • The Hybrid license is an Enterprise license. This license will limit the number of cameras allowed, but offers unlimited archives and can be linked to a Hybrid management server (only). When the Hybrid license expires, the Orchid Recorder will continue to record, but you will no longer be able to connect to your Hybrid management server, and you will no longer qualify for technical support or software upgrades.

*When we talk about providing “unlimited archives,” we mean that we won’t set an absolute limit on the archives (such as the 128 GB limit on some Trial licenses). The archives will only be limited to the available space on the local Orchid server, or the amount of storage that is available on your management server in the cloud.

Time-Limited Licenses

IPConfigure also offers time-limited versions of the Core, Fusion, and Hybrid licenses. Generally, these will be used as SaaS licenses, and for testing large numbers of cameras or high retention settings (which would be impossible to do with the standard Trial license).

Time-limited licenses are very similar to the standard licenses described above, and allow you to add a certain number of cameras with unlimited video retention. There is an important difference in the way these licenses operate, however, once the time-limited license expires. Let’s look at each of these licenses individually.

• Core-Timed License:
  • If you have a Core-timed license, and the time limit expires, Orchid Recorder will enter a degraded mode and will stop recording video. Previously recorded video will continue to be accessible in this degraded mode.

• Fusion-Timed License (for Orchid Recorder):
  • If you have a Fusion-timed license, and the time limit expires, the Orchid Recorder will enter a degraded mode and will stop recording video. Previously recorded video will continue to be accessible in this degraded mode. At the Fusion server, the Orchid Recorder may remain in the Servers list, but you will not be able to view any new video from the degraded Orchid Recorder.

• Hybrid-Timed License (for Orchid Recorder):
  • If you have a Hybrid-timed license, and the time limit expires, the Orchid Recorder will enter a degraded mode and will stop recording video. In addition, you will lose all access to the Hybrid management server in the cloud.

Accessing the Activation Tab

1. Once you access the Servers screen, select a server and click on the Activation tab.

*Orchid Fusion/Hybrid VMS includes the Licensing feature that allows you to check the license status for all of your Orchid Recorders at once. You may also use the Licensing feature to perform bulk license updates. Please refer to the Licensing section for more details.