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Cycling '74 has four different options for how institutions can authorize Max 7-9, and RNBO licenses: Activation Codes, Keyfile, iLok, and KeyServer. You can choose one of these options, or mix and match. In order to have access to these authorization methods, an institution must purchase licenses by either emailing us directly at sales@cycling74.com, or by filling out the Sales Contact form on our website. Individual, Student, and Ableton Customer licenses purchased via our online shop do not have access to all of these options. Before purchasing, please check out our Institutional Shop page, which provides further information and quantity pricing.
Please note that RNBO is considered an add-on to a Max license. If you own RNBO, both your Max and RNBO licenses must be authorized via the same system. For example, if your Max license is authorized via KeyFile, your RNBO license must be authorized via KeyFile as well. Likewise, the license type must match your Max license type. If you own a full Max 9 license, you can only purchase a full RNBO license. Our system cannot add RNBO subscriptions to full Max licenses.
If you would like to move all or some of your licenses to a different authorization system, contact support@cycling74.com and include the total number of licenses you want under each system.
In-house Systems
Our in-house systems are intended to provide solutions for most authorization scenarios. These can be managed by the institution through our Institutional Admin Portal. Each institutional account can have one of more admins, who manage the account’s Activation Code and/or KeyFile licenses. Please see our Admin Portal Guide for further information on how the institutional admin portal works.
Activation Codes
The Activation Code (AC) system was developed in-house by Cycling '74 to allow institutions to manage their Max licenses. They are easy to manage by the license owner and are suitable for most cases, from authorizing individual students, faculty, and staff, to larger teaching labs and classrooms.
Using the Institutional Admin Portal, admins can create ACs that are then assigned to a specific Cycling ‘74 user account. User Accounts can be created either in the Max application or on our website. Once an AC is created and assigned to a user account, the end user can authorize Max on a specific machine by signing in with their account under Help > User Account and Licenses. With this system, machines that have Max installed only have to connect to the internet once every 6 months to renew their license (this happens in the background so you don't have to actually do anything).
Our Activation Code Guide provides detailed information on how to create and manage ACs, while the Activating Your AC guide shows how to authorize Max with an AC. This second guide can be sent to end users, along with their AC.
KeyFile
KeyFile is a license server solution developed by Cycling '74. Intended for use in large-scale and multi-user lab environments, it requires minimal configuration and is ideal for remote deployment.
Using the Institutional Admin Portal, admins can create and download a KeyFile, which is a text file with an encrypted token. This is then placed on all machines and will serve them with Max authorizations from the Cycling '74 authorization server as needed. If a license is available when Max is launched, it automatically authorizes without the need for the Max user to sign in with a Cycling '74 account. This can be useful when you want to put Max on more machines than your institution’s total number of licenses. This system requires that all computers have an internet connection.
For more information on KeyFile, including how to create and manage Keys, please see our KeyFile Guide.
Third-Party Systems
These third-party solutions are available if the in-house systems do not meet the specific needs of the institutional environment. Both require the purchase or licensing of additional materials or services not provided by Cycling ’74. They also require the installation of additional software on all machines that Max will be used on.
iLok
iLok is a great option if you plan to use Max on computers that do not have an internet connection. The iLok system allows you to permanently store a Max license on a USB key. This makes the license portable, allowing the user to work on any machine that has a USB port and the iLok License Manager software installed.
For more information about iLok, visit this page.
KeyServer
KeyServer (KS) is a third-party server solution that allows on-demand licensing of Max across any number of machines from a server on your local network. Typically, machines have to be connected to that network for the duration of the Max work session, though the server can be configured with a checkout policy for use off-network. While very flexible, KS is third-party and requires additional licensing from Sassafras Systems based on your number of licenses. While we offer this service free of charge, you do need to pay a fee to Sassafras to use their software. Cycling ‘74 and Sassafras Systems are not affiliated.
Visit the Sassafras website to learn more, or our support page.