Access multiple versions of a product

Using this feature, you can request access to the newer or previous version of a product. In response, the license manager will create a collection that contains the requested version as well as your current version.

The user of a product collection gains access to all product versions in the collection. For example, if you are managing a QNX SDP 7.0 product and request an upgrade to release 7.1, the two versions will form a product collection, and the user can install, activate, and use both versions.

The product collection feature helps simplify renewal of support plans. For example, in the above scenario, renewing the support plan for the 7.1 product version will also renew the support plan for the 7.0 product version.

You can issue a product collection request for a product either before or after you deploy the product to a user. In fact, you can issue the request regardless of whether the product status is Available, Deployed, or Activated.

To determine whether a product is supported by the product collection feature, look at the product's Available Actions field. The field will contain an Upgrade button or a Get Previous Version button.

Before you begin...

Before you issue a product collection request for a product, note the following:

• You can make product collection requests for several products all at once.

  If you have several eligible products, we recommend you select all of them and then issue a single product collection request, as described below. Upon approval, each product will form its own collection.

• The product collection feature isn't available for all products.

  The product collection feature is available only to certain products covered by named user, floating, or enterprise development seat licenses. Also, having the entitlement to access a newer version of a product doesn't necessarily mean you also have the entitlement to a previous version. Contact your sales representative if you'd like more information on which products are eligible.

• Products within a collection function as a group.

  The user of a product collection gains access to all product versions in the collection. Thus, you cannot split a collection across users. For example, if a collection contains two product versions, QNX SDP 7.0 and QNX SDP 7.1, you cannot deploy the 7.0 version to one user and the 7.1 version to another user. Also, if any product in a collection has been deployed to multiple users, those same users have access to all products in the collection.

• You can create a product collection only if the product has an active support plan.

  If the support plan is inactive (for instance, it has expired), the product's Available Actions field will display a button that prompts you to contact a QNX sales representative. Once the plan has been renewed, an Upgrade or Get Previous Version button appears in the Available Actions field; you can then issue your product collection request. The button typically appears within one business day after the renewal has been processed.

• Creating a collection for a product governed by floating licenses doesn't change your total number of floating license keys.

  For example, if you have 10 QNX SDP products governed by floating licenses and upgrade all 10 products, the number of floating licenses will still be 10.

  If required, you can increase the size of your floating license key pool by purchasing more floating licenses. See the Floating License Management Guide for more information on floating licenses (https://www.qnx.com/download/group.html?programid=30391).

• If a product collection governed by a named user license contains activated products, the developer must deactivate all of those products before the collection can be revoked.

  Suppose, for example, that a collection governed by a named user license contains QNX SDP 7.0 and QNX SDP 7.1. If the user has installed and activated the 7.0 version on one machine and the 7.1 version on another machine, the user must explicitly deactivate the installation on each machine before the product collection can be revoked. For more information, see Revoke products, Transfer a named user license from one user to another, and Transfer a named user license to another user or workstation.

• Perpetual and Subscription development seats for QNX SDP versions 7 and later do not require registration of the support plan.

  The developers or license managers to whom a license is deployed or allocated, receive access to the support plan associated with the license. Both the types of development seats behave in the same way for the support portal and allow access to it, provided the support is active.

  • Perpetual development seat: The license for QNX SDP 7.1 is automatically appended to the existing support plan.

    Expiration- When the standard support plan expires, it is no longer associated to that license. The technical support portal and updates are no longer accessible.

    Renewal- In case of Perpetual products, the renewal allows you to retain the same support plan provided it was renewed under that same plan.

    Note:

    If your Perpetual development seat is renewed under a different support plan, then it is through this plan that you will access the technical support portal.
  • Subscription development seat: The QNX SDP 7.1 license expires at the same time as the QNX SDP 7.0 license.

    Expiration- When the subscription expires, the support plan expires too, and the subscription becomes unusable. The subscription is removed from the Registered Products and placed in the Expired Products of a myQNX account.

    Renewal- The license manager will receive a new subscription license along with a new support plan.

Making a product collection request

If a product is eligible, its Available Actions field will display an Upgrade or Get Previous Version button.

To submit a request for a single product, simply click the button.

To submit a request for multiple products all at once:

1. In the first column on the left, click the checkbox of each desired product. To select all products, click the checkbox at the top of the column.
2. Click the dropdown icon at the top of the column, then select Upgrade or Get Previous Version.

In response, the Available Actions field displays an in progress message and the request is issued to QNX. When QNX processes the request—typically within two business days—the following changes will occur:

• The in progress message changes to Upgrade approved or Previous version approved. You may need to refresh the myQNX License Manager page to see this change.
• The multiple versions of the product will appear together in a collection.
• Any user and license administrator for the product will receive an email notification that includes the serial number of the added product version. In addition, the Registered Products section of the user's myQNX account profile will change to show information such as the product collection number and the serial number of the added product version.
• The user can now install either product version, using the QNX Software Center. To see the package for the added product version, the user may need to relaunch or refresh the QNX Software Center.