> Source: [sk11054](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk11054)

# sk11054 - Check Point License Guide

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk11054 |
| Date Created | 2002-04-08 |
| Last Modified | 2025-12-02 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Licensing |
| Versions | Not Version-Specific |

## Solution

**Table of Contents**

* What is Software Blade Licensing
* License Activation
* Service Contract File
* License Information Tool

What is Software Blade Licensing {#1}
-------------------------------------

Check Point's licensing is designed to be scalable and modular. To this end, Check Point offers both predefined packages as well as the ability to build a solution tailored to the needs of the Network Administrator. This is accomplished by the use of of the following license components:

* Software Blades
* Container

Like a physical server, the Software Blade would equate to a physical blade server, and the container would equate to a physical server chassis. And like the physical server, each Software Blade must be attached to a container just as the blade server must be attached to the chassis.  
When a predefined package is purchased (e.g. CPAP-SG1550), the blades included with the package are attached automatically by Check Point. These "predefined" Software Blades cannot then be detached and are active for only one year.

Additional Software Blade packages can be added at renewal. For more information about how to attach these blades, see [sk44503](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk44503).

License Activation {#2}
-----------------------

Once the necessary blades are attached, either by Check Point or by the Account Administrator or Licenser, the license for the Check Point server is ready to be activated. Check Point offers two methods of activating a license:

1. **Online activation**: this activation method is available for Check Point manufactured appliances. Customers using R80 and higher can use this feature during or after the completion of the First Time Configuration Wizard.
2. **Manual activation**: this activation method is available for all Check Point installations regardless of software version. An Account Administrator or Licenser will generate a license file via our website, and then apply the license via SmartUpdate, which is part of the SmartConsole.
3. **Offline Activation:**Also Know as Command Line activations is applying the license file or string directly to the appliance via the command line.

These videos demonstrate how to generate and activate a license using offline activation. This information is also documented in [sk22564](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk22564) and [sk81200](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk81200).

**Notes** **:**

* **To contact Account Services as stated in the video you can create a non technical service request or call our hotline at +1 (972) 444 6600 option 3.**
* For Quantum Maestro setups, an individual license is required for each appliance in the Security Group.

The below video demonstrates how to license your Check Point security products within the Product Center.  

<br />

The purpose of the below video is to demonstrate how to install your Check Point security license within SmartUpdate.  

**Note**: Quantum Maestro setups do not support:

* installation with SmartUpdate
* central license installation.

Service Contract File {#3}
--------------------------

Following the activation of the license, a Service Contract File should be installed. This file contains important information about all subscriptions purchased for a specific device and is installed via SmartUpdate. A detailed explanation of the Service Contract File can be found in [sk33089](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk33089).

The following video demonstrates how to update your Service Contract file within SmartUpdate.

<br />

License Information Tool {#4}
-----------------------------

After successful activation of the licenses, an Account Administrator needs to be able to manage the license estate. To meet this need, Check Point has developed the **License Info Tool**. This tool allows the Security Management server to collect information about a customer's deployment and upload that information to the Product Center and it is available for Security Management and Multi-Domain Management Security servers.

The License Info Tool:

* enables the user better visibility on the devices that are presented in the UserCenter/PartnerMAP. The additional information is extracted from the device by a script and facilitates the management of the products.  

* enables presentation of the Device name next to each product name on the Products page

The tool is available in Check Point UserCenter \> Assets/INFO \> Tools \> Sync License Information Tool.

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# Agent Instructions

This content is from the Check Point Support Center (https://support.checkpoint.com), the official knowledge base for Check Point cybersecurity products.

## Navigating This Knowledge Base

- **Complete index**: [llms.txt](https://support.checkpoint.com/llms.txt)
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