Action Needed: Bentley User Registration Requirement

Bentley has started contacting Account Administrators via email regarding our registration requirements.  The email includes a link to a webpage that Bentley has set up to provide additional information to explain what this is about, along with specific instructions for completing the steps involved.

Here is the link to the Administrator’s Resource Center: www.bentley.com/BentleyUserRegistration

We are asking the Bentley User Management Account Administrators that are receiving the emails to review the materials on the webpage and to contact us directly via the Support link included if they have any difficulties completing the requested activities.

The User Management administrative functions and CONNECTION Client application are not new. Many accounts are already actively using the User Management tools and many Bentley application users have already installed and signed in to CONNECTION Client. We already have some services that require user sign-in in order to access them and others may be added in the future.

To address the specific questions asked:

1. What is a ‘user’ and how does Bentley know how many users we have?

A user is any person that accesses Bentley applications. If a Bentley application user has not signed in to the CONNECTION Client on the same machine running the application, SELECTserver reporting provides only machine name details. We generally infer that each machine represents a user, though some users may use more than one machine. 

2. Why do users have to register, and how does it “enhance security both for Bentley and for our users.”

User registration and sign-in enhances security by reducing the risks related to anonymous machines reporting usage under an organization’s activation key. The organization licensing the software or services and Bentley should both be able to know that such usage is being conducted by users who have been approved by the organization’s administrator or a co-administrator. Our user registration and sign-in requirements enable the necessary reporting visibility for this by relating an authorized individual user to a specific machine reporting usage.

Note that we require only minimum details for Bentley user profile registration:  email address, first name, last name, and country.  The registered users can only be authorized for an account in User Management by the account’s administrator or co-administrator.

3. What happens if users don’t register?

As described in our Bentley User Registration Fact Sheet (available on the Administrator’s Resource Center), failure to complete the registration of users by the deadline will result in your Bentley activation key(s) no longer functioning. We are proactively managing this to mitigate such risk. For most accounts, the steps outlined in the guide will be very straightforward. If anyone experiences any problems, our support team will be happy to assist in order to ensure any potential disruptions are mitigated. Experiencing problems? Contact the support team in the Need Help link found on the Administrator’s Resource Center.

We have 25no. users and 7no. MicroStation licenses. Most of the users onlu have Bentley View and don't use MicroStation.

So what would actually happen if we didn't register all users?

Your licenses will be deactivated as we have mentioned throughout this Forum post.

Why? Most of our users (nearly 75%) only use Bentley View which is free and has 500no, licenses available. 

How many licences (and what) would be deactivated?

You seem to be deliberately making life difficult for businesses to carry out their day to day activities and seem to be pushing users to your opposition, which don't have the same level of restrictions.

This was all explained in the original document.  If you need some additional clarification we can set up a call.  

This was all explained in the original document.  If you need some additional clarification we can set up a call.  

Glenn. You are just side stepping the question by referring to that document. So what you are saying is that you will stop us using a program because say, 1 or 2 users fail to register, on something that we have paid for and are still paying for with the SELECT fees. This is daylight robbery!!

I think that it is about time that I got users to uninstall programs that they are unlikely to use more than once every six months. I don't know how on earth you can think this is even close to fair!! Maybe it's about time that we re-considered what programs we use. 

Glen,

The documentation doesn't appear to mention if there is a difference between a Hosted licence server or a locally deployed licence server

If the licence files are local and we have paid our fees, are we not allowed to use the licences in the usual concurrent manner

If we have to manage user we might aswel go back to having serial numbers on machines

Cheers

Chris

Hi - The way you use your licenses is not related to this program, so being Deployed or Hosted does not make a difference other than we just started out doing this with the Hosted Users.  The only affect on your licensing is that if you received the notification and have not complied as outlined then we will move to deactivate those sites.  I hope that clarifies what you need.

Thanks,

Glenn

Glenn - Let me see if I understand this correctly. I pay my Select fee, I don't register my users and you "deactivate" my site.

 Does this mean the software will no longer be available to our users until we register them?

 This dramatic and draconian change was never discussed with us prior to the email notification, why not?

 Where in the legal small print is it that Bentley can take this highhanded attitude and stay within the agreed contract?

 Previously, for clarification you offered to set up a call, I would appreciate such a call if I am to sell this to the business.

Your thoughts and explanation would be appreciated

Regards

Peter

Hello,

Yes - it will not work until you comply as outlined in the material sent.  The program was formalized and distributed once completed just as any other program would be.  The entire program was reviewed by Corporate and approved.  I don't know what else I can say or explain but if you want a call, either private message me your information or submit a Service Request and you'll be contacted.

Thanks,

Glenn