DCImanager processing module supports the resource called "Control panel license". If an order with this resource is processed, your client will be able to order one of the ISPsystem control panels automatically. It can be e.g. ISPmanager.
Licenses are ordered via the license server. It is the special service handler integrated with ISPsystem BILLmanager or BILLmanager of any other company providing ISPsystem licenses. The license server is specified in parameters of DCImanager processing module.
In order to establish automatic license ordering, you need to set up the Control panel license resource for the tariff plan of the service. With this resource, one of ISPsystem products such as ISPmanager can be ordered in combination with a dedicated server. The DCImanager module communicates with the license server and orders the required product. The server address is used as the IP address for the license.
As a result, your client will receive a dedicated server with ISPmanager license for this server. However, automatic license ordering does not guarantee automatic installation on the server. You can install ISPmanager manually or automatically by installing additional software.
Connecting a licensing server
To order ISPsystem licenses you need to add a processing module (a licensing server). Navigate to Integration → Processing module → Add. The Wizard contains 4 steps:
- Step 1. Product type. Select a product type — "ISPsystem licenses".
- Step 2. Processing module. Select a processing module — "BILLmanager".
- Step 3. Integration. Enter the information for integration with BILLmanager.
URL — enter the full URL to BILLmanager. If you are integrating with ISPstystem BILLmanager, enter ' https://api.ispsystem.com/manager/billmgr'
Username — enter the name of the BILLmanager user. The user must have permissions to order licenses.
Password — enter the user password.
- Step 4. Processing module parameters. Enter the parameters of the processing module.
Choose the newly created processing module as the licensing server in the processing module configuration form.
Configuring the "Control panel license" addon
Navigate to Products → Tariff plans → Options → add Control panel license and select Enumeration.
Select the enumeration in the Tariff limits tab. It will define what control panels a client can choose during the order. The default value is Server control panel.
Enumerations
Navigate to Products → Enumerations → Values.
In the Internal names field enter the id of the license tariff plan from the licensing server (BILLmanager).
The following internal names are used for ordering software licenses in ISPsystem BILLmanager:
- ISPmanager Lite — 3541
- ISPmanager Business — 4601
- BILLmanager 6 Startup — 55331
- BILLmanager 6 SAdvanced — 55333
- BILLmanager 6 Corporate — 55335
- VMmanager KVM — 3045
- VMmanager OVZ — 3651
- VMmanager Cloud — 3887
Control panel price
Navigate to Products → Tariff plans → Options. → Prices to specify prices for software licenses.
Comparing order periods
Customers can order ISPsystem licenses for one month, one year or a lifetime period. A client can order a service with a control panel for any period depending on the tariff configuration. If the service period doesn't match available order periods for licenses, the license will be ordered for the minimum order period - 1 month.
You can change this behavior by configuring comparison of order periods. This will allow a hosting provider to purchase ISPsystem licenses for 1 year and offer them as monthly licenses to his customers.
Navigate to Integration → Processing modules → Parameters.
Click Add and fill out the form:
Parameter — parameter type: select "Periods comparison".
Source period — select a period you want to change.
Change into — select a period that will change the source period.
Compare with tariff plan — periods will be compared only when a client orders the service associated with this tariff plan.
Product type — select a product type associated with the tariff plan.
Tariff plan — select a tariff plan that the comparison will be used for.
Example: a service provider sells virtual machines with pre-installed ISPmanager. Customers can order this service for one month, three months, half-a-year, and one year. The provider offers a lifetime license for every server ordered for 1 or 3 months. The comparison table will look like the following:
Repeated license usage
License validity depends on the validity date of the dedicated server. The license will be prolonged automatically while the server is active. If the license validity period is longer than the one of the service, then there will be the paid but unused licenses in the provider's account in BILLmanager, which is the license server. It will create a pool of available licenses. Such licenses can be used repeatedly by the billing system if another client orders a server with a control panel.
For example, the provider has set up the ordering of ISPmanager annual licenses if a client orders a dedicated server for one month. The client has ordered the service with ISPmanager for one month, has been prolonging it for two months but then decided to cancel the server. The license will become available and go to the pool of licenses. Once there is a new order, BILLmanager will use this license as opposed to ordering another license.
Technical parameters and processing principles of ISPsystem licenses.