SpecView Protects Software with

Sentinel SuperPro Soft

Company leverages their existing SuperPro implementation to easily

transitions to software-based protection and licensing keys

Customer Profile
SpecView is the leading European developer of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA) software. The company creates applications that are used for operator interfaces
(HMI’s), data acquisition, and report generation. Many industries are served including most areas
of the manufacturing sector, environmental and agricultural. SpecView is headquartered in the
United Kingdom and has provided solutions for customers such as Bodycote, Loy Instrument,
BAE SYSTEMS Avionics Ltd, and Climaserv.

The Original Business Challenge – Need for Software Protection

“SpecView required a solution that could deliver copy protection for our valuable application.
Customer Profile Additionally, we sought a means of controlling access to various software features without the
Leading European developer of need to maintain multiple code bases,” said Richard Dickins, Managing Director, SpecView.
Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) software The Original Solution – Sentinel SuperPro Hardware Keys
SpecView selected Sentinel SuperPro hardware keys to protect their software from unauthorized
use and have been using SafeNet products for over 15 years. By using SuperPro keys to control
Business Challenges options in the software, SpecView has been able to reduce development time and cost by
• Copy protection for valuable maintaining a single executable. SpecView can also easily and securely upgrade Sentinel tokens in
software application the field without the need to ship another dongle.
• Addition of software-based
licenses to meet evolving Additionally, SuperPro keys enabled SpecView to provide their customers with portable licenses.
customer needs Users can simply plug their dongle into any PC to access the application and all options they’ve
paid for.

Solution The Most Recent Business Challenge – Need for Softwarebased

• Sentinel SuperPro keys Licensing
Recently, SpecView required the addition of software-based licenses to protect and manage their
• Sentinel SuperPro soft keys application. There were several driving factors behind the need to offer software-based licensing.

“First, one of our customers, a United States government office, is seeking to isolate their
computers as much as possible in order to protect from viruses and intrusions. They are no
longer permitting any USB devices and, wherever possible, disabling USB ports. Additionally, they
conduct periodic assessments and if USB devices are found, they are removed and destroyed. So
they were destroying our dongles,” explained Mr. Dickins.

Secondly, laptop computers are becoming more prevalent among SpecView’s SCADA customers
and some users are not agreeable to using a dongle since the key protrudes from the laptop’s
USB port.

Finally, some SpecView installations reside in vehicles, such as rescue automobiles with laptops
built into the dashboard, where a dongle form factor is not feasible.

The Most Recent Solution – Sentinel SuperPro Soft Keys

As the needs of their business expanded, SpecView chose to deploy SuperPro soft keys, which
enabled them to offer software-based licenses for their products already protected by SuperPro,
with flexibility and minimal development effort.
 “SpecView had given serious consideration to creating a home-grown licensing solution. We recognized
that building a solution from the ground up was a lot of work and it was a better choice for us to buy rather
than build. Using SuperPro soft keys enabled SpecView to keep resources focused on our core
competencies in order to generate revenue.”
- Richard Dikens, Managing Director, SpecView

About SafeNet Sentinel

The Most Recent Solution – Sentinel SuperPro Soft Keys
SRM Solutions
As the needs of their business expanded, SpecView chose to deploy SuperPro soft keys, which
enabled them to offer software-based licenses for their products already protected by SuperPro,
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piracy, IP protection, license enables their sales department to program the dongles to fulfill orders. The sales team is able to
enablement, and license use the interface to specify options, which automatically programs all cells in a consistent manner
management challenges while and applies a checksum.
increasing overall profitability,
improving internal operations, Now, with SuperPro soft keys, the company can fulfill orders electronically without the need for
maintaining competitive a physical shipment. “This enables us to operate from any location, even while on holiday on the
positioning, and enhancing beach in Florida,” said Mr. Dickins.
relationships with their
customers and end users. Conclusion
SpecView initially implemented SuperPro hardware keys to protect and license their software. As
With a proven history in a result, the company was assured their valuable application was protected from unlicensed use.
adapting to new requirements SpecView was also able to lower development costs by licensing various features from a single
and introducing new executable.
technologies to address
As the company’s needs changed, SpecView required a software-based licensing solution that
evolving market conditions,
would quickly and easily address the evolving requirements of their customer base.
SafeNet’s more than 25,000
customers around the globe Innovations in SafeNet Sentinel solutions enabled SuperPro to meet SpecView’s changing
know that by choosing requirements. With minimal development effort, the company was able to issue software licenses
Sentinel, they choose the to meet their customers’ needs. By leveraging their existing implementation and SuperPro’s
freedom to evolve how they simple and streamlined deployment, SpecView avoided the expensive and time-consuming task of
do business today, tomorrow, building a home-grown solution. “SafeNet continues to deliver innovations that meet our needs
and beyond. as our business grows, and their software protection and licensing solutions will support us well
into the future,” said Mr. Dickins.
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