Understanding Activations #

An activation tracks one installation using a license. Each time a customer activates your software, DMSI DDLS creates an activation record. This works for any type of software – WordPress plugins, desktop applications, mobile apps, SaaS platforms, or any other software that needs license validation.

What is an Activation? #

Each activation tracks:

• Installation Identifier: Unique ID for this installation (domain, device ID, app instance, etc.)
• Installation Name: Descriptive name (e.g., “Production Server”, “John’s Desktop”, “mysite.com”)
• IP Address: Network location where activation occurred
• User Agent: Software/device information
• Activation Date: When it was activated
• Last Checked: Last time software validated the license
• Status: Active or Deactivated

Example #

Sarah activates “Pro Plugin” on mysite.com. DMSI DDLS records this as activation #5678 linked to her license. Her license shows “1 of 5 activations used”.

If she activates on 4 more installations (myblog.com, her staging site, client site, test environment), she’ll reach her limit. If she deactivates from mysite.com, she frees up one activation slot.

Types of Activations #

WordPress Plugin

Domain name (mysite.com)

Desktop App

Device fingerprint (Machine-ABC123)

Mobile App

Device ID (iPhone-XYZ789)

SaaS Platform

Account/tenant ID (account-456)

Server Software

Server instance (server-prod-01)

Why Track Activations? #

• Enforce activation limits (1-site, 5-site, unlimited, etc.)
• Detect suspicious activity (too many activations)
• Help customers manage their installations
• Provide usage statistics
• Support customers moving between installations

Related Topics #

• [Understanding Licenses](#)
• [Managing Activations](#) (Part 7)
• [API: Activate License](#)