BILLmanager 6

ISPsystem control panel license. VMware (VPS)

VMware vCloud Director processing module supports the "Control panel license" addon. It allows ordering a control panel from ISPsystem, for example, ISPmanager, for a client's server automatically.  

Licenses are ordered from a licensing server — a processing module integrated with ISPsystem BILLmanager or with BILLmanager of another company which resells ISPsystem licenses. The licensing server is selected in the VMware processing module configuration form. 

For automatic order of software licenses, in BILLmanager you need to create the Control panel license addon for the tariff plan. The addon allows ordering an ISPsystem control panel, for example, ISPmanager, for the server. VMware vCloud Director will order a required software product from the licensing server. VPS IP address is specified as the license IP.

The client will be provided with a virtual server and ISPmanager license for that server. However, automatic order of the software licenses doesn't guarantee that ISPmanager will be installed on the server automatically. 

Connecting the license server

To connect a license server (service processing module) to BILLmanager, enter IntegrationProcessing modules → click Add:

  1. Product type — select "Licenses".
  2. Processing module — add "BILLmanager".
  3. Configuring integration with remote BILLmanager:
    1. URL — specify the address of the BILLmanager that will provide licenses. If the integration is configured with ISPsystem's BILLmanager, specify the URL: https://api.ispsystem.com/manager/billmgr.
    2. User name — user name in the BILLmanager being connected. Make sure the user has access to order licenses.
    3. Password — the user's password.
  4. Processing module parameters. Configuring the internal parameters of the service processing module.

Specify the created processing module as a license server in the VMmanager processing module's settings.

Configuring the "Control panel license" resource

To configure the resource in the tariff:

  1. Create an enumeration. Read more in Enumerations.
    1. Enter ProductsEnumerations → the Add button → fill out the form → click Ok.
    2. Select an enumeration → the Values button.
    3. Add the required number of enumerations. The internal names must match the enumeration names in the third-party panel.

      In the Internal name field, specify the license plan code of the license on the BILLmanager side that acts as a license server.

      For the "No control panel" enumeration, the internal name should have the value nopanel.

      To order licenses in ISPsystem's BILLmanager, specify the following internal names:

      • BILLmanager 6 Hosting&Cloud for a month — 55382;
      • BILLmanager 6 Hosting&Cloud for a year — 55384.
  2. Add the resource to the tariff:
    1. Enter ProductsTariff plans → select the tariff with VMmanager → click Options → click Add.
    2. In the resource settings, select "Control panel license" in the Type field, and specify "Enumeration" in the Value type field.
    3. In the Tariff limits block, select the created enumeration. It defines the control panels that will be available to the client when ordering the service. The Server control panel enumeration is specified by default.

Configuring the cost of the control panel

Under ProductsTariff plansOptions → click Prices, you can set the prices of control panel licenses.

Alignment of license order periods

The client can order a server with a control panel for any period of time - it depends on the settings of the tariff. If the validity period of the ordered service does not coincide with the available license order periods, the license for the control panel is purchased for the minimum available order period - 1 month.

It is possible to change this behavior of the system and configure alignment of order periods. Period alignment allows you to resell licenses "in parts". For example, a provider can purchase a license for a year and resell it on a monthly basis.

To configure order period alignment, enter IntegrationProcessing modules → select BILLmanager — license server → click Parameters → click Add:

  1. Parameter — select the "Period alignment" parameter type.
  2. Source period — select the period to be replaced.
  3. Change into — select the period for which the Source period will be replaced when sending a command to order a license in BILLmanager, which acts as a license server.
  4. Compare with tariff plan — enable the option to use this period alignment only when ordering services of the specified tariff. If this option is enabled , additional settings will be displayed:
    1. Product type — select the type of product to which the tariff belongs.
    2. Tariff plan — select the tariff plan for which to use this period alignment.

License pool

A license expiration date depends on the VPS expiration period. The license will be renewed regularly as long as the service is active. If the license expiration date is larger than the service expiration date, licenses will be kept on the provider's account in BILLmanager licensing server. They are already paid but are not used. They form a pool of free licenses. Such licenses can be allocated more than once when a client orders a VPS with the control panel.  

Example: a hosting company offers yearly ISPmanager licenses when a client orders a VPS for one month. The client ordered the service with ISPmanager for one month, renewed it for 2 months, and during the third month he canceled the VPS. The license for this VPS will be considered free and will be added into the pool. When a new client orders a VPS with the control panel, BILLmanager will take an existing license form the pool and won't order a new one. 

Technical details and licensing process.