Work with SmartBear Hosted ID-Based Licenses

Important Notice for VirtServer Customers

Starting from ReadyAPI 3.62.0, VirtServer 3.29.0, and TestEngine 1.34.0, SmartBear Product Family has fully deprecated file-based licenses and transitioned to the ID-based SmartBear License Management (SLM) system. Any customers still using file-based licenses must complete their migration to SLM by September 30, 2025.

From October 1, 2025, existing and activated file-based licenses will continue to work for some time. However, SmartBear will no longer generate new file-based licenses or support activation and deactivation of file-based licenses in ReadyAPI, VirtServer, or TestEngine. All new and updated licenses are now issued in SLM only.

All technical support for file-based licenses has now ceased, and SmartBear no longer maintains the file-based licensing system. Any access or service issues will result in service disruptions that we will not be able to restore.

If you have not completed the process of migrating, contact your Account Manager or SmartBear representative today. Our teams are ready to assist you with smooth transition strategies. For additional support, log a request with our SmartBear Support.Migration Process

For more information and timelines, refer to the File-based License End-of-Support Policy page.

SmartBear ID-based licenses are now the default license type we started using in ReadyAPI 3.8.1 and are now issued to all customers. They are more reliable and convenient to use than the license type used in previous product versions. For details about deprecation timelines, support status, and required actions, see Important Notice for VirtServer Customers.

Important

From September 2025, we no longer provide file-based licensing. Instead, we replaced it with SmartBear ID-based licensing. You should immediately engage with your SmartBear Account Manager to understand the steps involved in completing the process of migrating. See SmartBear ID-based Licenses to learn more.

To activate and use the product, you need to:

  • Have a license added to https://manage.smartbear.com/.

  • Assign a license to the VirtServer administrator.

  • Set up your access credentials, including the access key.

  • Ensure the location where VirtServer is installed can see the SmartBear License Server.

When you request a trial license or purchase a commercial license, your SmartBear account manager will assist with the license provision.

Requirements

SmartBear ID-based licenses are online and offline licenses.

Online licenses are those that are controlled by the SmartBear license servers available on the Web.

On-premises licenses are those that work in private networks, which have no connection to the Web and SmartBear license servers.

By default, the licenses you purchase are online ones. You can convert them to offline licenses and vice versa on the SmartBear License Management Portal.

Currently, all the control over license use is performed by the SmartBear License Servers available 24×7. The computer where you are running ReadyAPI must have permanent access to these servers. That is, the proxies and firewalls running in your network should allow connection to them:

  • https://manage.smartbear.com:443

  • https://api.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443

  • https://login.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443

  • https://server.manage.smartbear.com:443

  • https://server.slm.manage.smartbear.com:443

  • https://profile.id.smartbear.com:443

  • https://profile-api.id.smartbear.com:443

  • https://auth.id.smartbear.com:443

This access is needed both at the product start and during the product runtime. The addresses are for API servers and don’t have a user interface visible in browsers. When products call these hosts, they add some specific paths or URLs to the addresses.

Note

We encrypt all data at rest and over the wire.

In case a network glitch happens, VirtServer is smart enough to understand the cause and to remain functioning long enough to let your system administrators fix the issue.

Managing licenses

You can manage your SmartBear ID and licenses on our License Management Portal: License Management | SmartBear.

Getting your licenses and installing

Follow these license assignment and activation steps to start using VirtServer:

License Administrator steps

Assign the licenses to end-users (VirtServer administrators)

When you purchase a license, you designate a license administrator on your side. This person has permission to control the license use and assign the license to your VirtServer admins.

The license administrator works on the SmartBear Licensing Portal: License Management | SmartBear.

  • To assign licenses, follow the instructions in the SmartBear License Management documentation.

  • A license needs to be assigned to the VirtServer administrator. If the VirtServer administrator does not have a SmartBear account, the license administrator can invite them to the portal. Use corporate email addresses for invitations, not personal ones.

  • The license administrator can assign licenses to themselves if necessary. This might be required where the license administrator and the VirtServer administrator are the same person.

User steps

  1. Complete account creation

    If your license administrator assigns a license to the VirtServer administrator and they (VirtServer administrator) have no SmartBear account, the Licensing Portal will send an invitation email. This email contains a link to the Portal. Follow this link and specify a password for the SmartBear account to complete the account creation.

    Of course, the Portal doesn’t send invitations to those who already have SmartBear accounts. These users receive notifications on assigned licenses.

  2. Install VirtServer

    1. Download the latest VirtServer installer from the ReadyAPI Downloads Center.

    2. Run the installer and follow the instructions of the installation wizard.

    3. Start VirtServer.

  3. Get your access key

    1. Follow the steps outlined above to ensure you can see your VirtServer license and get your access key. For complete information on obtaining the access key, see the Get Access Key in the SmartBear License Management documentation.

    2. Make sure your computer has access to the SmartBear License Servers.

  4. Log in to VirtServer WebUI and install your license

    1. Start VirtServer.

    2. Log in to the VirtServer WebUI.

      The login URL for VirtServer depends on where VirtServer is installed, but typically follows this format: https://localhost:9090/virtserver/#/.

    3. In the VirtServer WebUI, click the Admin tab, and then select License in the Administration section. Verify that no license is currently installed.

      Screenshot of the VirtServer Administration page with the License tab selected. The section “License Information” displays a message prompting the user to click Add License to install a new license or contact SmartBear Support to acquire one. A turquoise + Add License button is visible on the right side of the screen.

    4. Click Add License. The Install button remains disabled until you enter the required information.

    5. From the License Hosted dropdown, select the Smartbear option. Enter the access key obtained from the SmartBear License Management Portal. For complete information on obtaining the access key, see the Get Access Key in the SmartBear License Management documentation.

      Screenshot of the “Install SmartBear ID License” dialog in VirtServer. The dialog shows a dropdown field labeled “License Hosted,” set to SmartBear. Below, an empty text field labeled Access key is provided for entering a license key obtained from SmartBear License Management. Buttons for Cancel and a disabled Install option are at the bottom. A link labeled “Learn more about ID-based licensing” is visible below the form.

    6. Click Install.

      Screenshot of the “Install SmartBear ID License” dialog in VirtServer. The License Hosted field is set to SmartBear. The Access key field is filled in with a partially blurred key. At the bottom, the Install button is enabled and highlighted, indicating the license can now be installed. Options to Cancel or learn more about ID-based licensing are also available.

      Your license installs, and VirtServer is ready for use.

      Screenshot of the VirtServer Administration page with the License tab selected. The License Information section displays details of an installed SmartBear ID-based license. Information shown includes: License Type (Professional – Floating), License Key (partially blurred), License Expiration Date (August 6, 2035), and Max number of concurrently running virtual APIs (-1). A button labeled Uninstall License is visible on the right.

Uninstall the license in VirtServer

  1. In the VirtServer WebUI, click the Admin tab, and then select License in the Administration section.

  2. Click Uninstall License.

    After uninstalling the license, a confirmation message appears: Success: License has been deactivated.

    The License tab returns to its default state with no license installed.

    Screenshot of the VirtServer Administration page with the License tab selected. The section “License Information” displays a message prompting the user to click Add License to install a new license or contact SmartBear Support to acquire one. A turquoise + Add License button is visible on the right side of the screen.

Upgrading or renewing your license

  1. On VirtServer, only one license can be installed at a time. To install a new license, uninstall your existing license and go through the add license workflow. This also applies to renewal, upgrade, and downgrade license scenarios.

  2. To prevent any service disruption to VirtServer users when the license is uninstalled, we have introduced a grace period to ensure your tests can run without interruption. ‘Grace period’ will start when the license is uninstalled, and it will keep your virtual services running for up to 8 hours. You can install a new license at this time, and the properties of that license will take over upon installation.

Network or Server Connection Issues

In the event of any connection issues with the on-prem license server or if your license session is interrupted for some reason, we have introduced a grace period to ensure your tests can run without interruption. ‘Grace period’ will start if the connection with the license server is lost or your license is uninstalled, and it will keep your virtual services running for up to 8 hours. If the connection with your license server or your license is not restored in this window, VirtServer will uninstall your license, and you will need to reinstall your license. You may need to engage with your license administrator to ensure you have a license available before you attempt another installation.

Managing License Installation and Uninstallation with Command Line

  1. Add and assign your VirtServer license on https://manage.smartbear.com/ as outlined above.

  2. You can activate or deactivate a SmartBear ID-Based license via the CLI. For detailed instructions, see Managing SmartBear ID-based Licenses via CLI.

In this section:
© 2025
Publication date: