implementing Castellan copy control

Castellan is designed to make the process of integrating the Castellan components with your software product as straightforward as possible. The amount of additional coding required is kept to an absolute minimum.

For Authorware and Director developers, the integration process is even easier thanks to the inclusion of an Xtra and example Authorware and Director script. Authorware developers also have the benefit of the Knowledge Object supplied with the Castellan SDK.

There are two Castellan components which are distributed with the protected software: a licenser program and an Xtra with Authorware and Director pieces (or a DLL with other types of program).

Licenser

The Castellan Licenser is run after installation of the product to record hidden and encrypted licensing information derived from the key code entered by the end-user and supplied by you, the software provider.

The encrypted information contained within the key code includes the identity of the licensed PC, the identity of the software product being protected, the expiry date or number of days to expiry and the licensed software features. If required, the licenser can be configured to display your company's logo.

DLL or Xtra

The Castellan DLL or Xtra, on command from the protected software, reads and decodes the licence information, checks that the PC identity matches the licensed PC's identity, and passes the requested licence information to the software product. Other functions carried out by the DLL and Xtra include checking if the host PC's clock has been set back and checking if the software has been re-installed in an attempt to restore the number of days to expiry.

A full set of error messages generated by the DLL and Xtra will trap unauthorised tampering with the protection system. The DLL and Xtra functions are fully documented in the SDK.

Castellan and your customer:

Your customer has paid for a licence and has received your software on CDROM or has downloaded it over the Internet. To unlock the installed software, your customer contacts you by telephone, fax or e-mail quoting a six character lock code displayed by Castellan's licenser program. In return, you supply a 11 character key code which, when entered by the end-user, unlocks the installed software for use. The key code determines the expiry date of the installation and the software features that can be accessed by the end-user. If your customer wants access to other features or wants to extend the licence period, all you need do is issue another key code.

Version 2 of Castellan provides an optional "Demonstration" facility that allows a user to try your product for a set number of days without the need to contact you for a key code. Once the user has purchased your product, the demonstration version can then be licensed by issuing a key code to the user.

When you purchase a licence to employ Castellan to protect your software, you are provided with a key code generator to generate an unlimited number of key codes to unlock installations of up to nine of your software products.
View example key code generator screen.

Download Castellan brochure