====== License generator ======
  This application generates and manages license keys for our products
  
===== Purpose =====
  * This project is meant to replace the existing license key generator **AND** to improve current licensing mechanism
  * License keys are used to control the usage of our product.
  * The application will generate commercial and test license keys.
  * The generated keys will be associated to pre-existing customers and prospects.
  * It will provide the ability to display and report generated licenses and license usage

===== License key generator =====
==== Description ====
  * This application will be developped in the cockpit source code base
  * The code must be modular, allowing to safely include or remove it from the application via maven
  * The availability of this application will be controlled by at least two factor:
    * If the application lib has been included in the cockpit package
    * If the application has been activated by superadmin via a specific mean, like a license key
  * When enabled, the application will be reachable from left menu, within a **CRM** section
  * The CRM section will contain all apps relative to CRM:
    * License generator
    * Customer accounts
    * Update server, etc...

==== Use cases ====
=== Manage customer ===
  * It must be possible to create/update customer accounts
  * A Customer accounts defines a company which will use our license and are defined the following:
    * Company name
    * A unique ID
    * Contact details for licensing
    * Contact details for upgrades
    * Other contact details (Name, email, role)
    * Open properties
    * Type: Customer/opportunity
    * API keys
      * A list of generated API keys allowing an account to retreive its license information (from Cockpit or collector)

=== Generate custom license keys ===
  * The generator will allow to generate license keys based on parameters such as
    * host IP
    * expiration date
    * system count
    * product type: NETWEAVER/HANA/BUSINESSOBJECTS/AGENT/DATADOG
    * mode: Expire (default)/Perpetual 
  * Each license creation will be associated with:
    * A creation date
    * Creation user
    * Description
    * Usage type: Commercial/test
    * **All fields are mandatory**
  * A license must always be associated with an account
  * Licenses used for internal usage will use a specific **internal** flag

=== Quick generate test keys ===
  * It must be possible to quickly generate a license key with default parameters
  * Reflecting the most common use cases, some action button will help to fast track license creation using default parameters
    * Usage type: test
    * Duration quick choice between 15/30 days
    * Reason:
      * POC
      * POC extension
    * IP: *
    * License count: TBD

=== License table ===
  * It must be possible to list, sort and filter licenses by multiple filters
    * Account
    * Expiration
    * Days left
    * Creator
    * Usage
    * Type
    * filter by Open text (matching the whole object)

  * By example
    * List commercial licenses expiring in less than 60 days
    * List accounts with valid commercial licenses

=== License dashboard ===
  * The license dashboard allows to display license information through multiple tabs or views:
    * Current list of valid commercial licenses per account
    * List of expiring licenses (and maybe recently expired)
    * List of valid accounts (having a valid license)

=== Notification ===
  * An email notification mechanism must be implemented to notify when a license is going to expire.
  * This system will be configured with the following parameters:
    * Internal recipients
    * Remaining days Warning notification (To notify when a license is about to expire)
  * Once a day, the system will send an email listing all licenses which are about to expire or expired today
    * Account name, license type, license count, creator, creation date

=== Authorizations ===
  * authorization objects will be defined allowing to control user actions
    * Allow access to license generator
    * Allow license creation
    * Allow account create/update

==== License keys ====
  * The license key is an encrypted set of properties:
    * Customer account
    * IP
    * Expiration date
    * Type
    * Count
    * Mode

===== Licensing mechanism improvement =====
  * Renew cryptographic to latest standards.
    * latest algorithms.
    * stop using the old crypto libraries in back office.
  * Allow larger license payload.
    * Example: Can be achieved by using a symmetric key for content, and then ciphering the symmetric key via public/private key.
  * Enable the use of our "future" license server.
    * By registering customer API key, our product would fetch its license keys from our license server.
    * The application could also report its "usage" and we would be able to control it.
  * Create a new license model for the cockpit to avoid having to set individual licenses on each collector.
    * When a collector is connected to the cockpit, the cockpit would transfer a SAAS license allowing to monitor anything, but preventing to create any configuration on the collector.