--- title: Site and Node-Locked License Overview for Belden Horizon Data Operations slug: bhdo-v2/site-and-node-locked-license-overview-for-belden-horizon-data-operations createdAt: 2023-06-27T19:59:13.716Z --- For a Belden Horizon Data Operations (BHDO) instance to be able to fully access and use all features, it must carry a license. This license can be a site license or a node-locked license. For information about Belden Horizon Data Manager licenses, see [Site and Node-Locked License Overview for Belden Horizon Data Manager](docId\:XKoTicJ7CeQM49YU0Ku0X). # Understanding and Adding a Site License for Belden Horizon Data Operations For a Belden Horizon Data Operations to carry a site license, you will need a connection with a license server. The Belden Horizon Data Operations can connect to Belden Horizon Data Manager (which contains an embedded license server that the Belden Horizon Data Operations will automatically connect to) or a standalone license server. See [License Server Installation](docId:6NanL_G1BHT_Ln9OpzX9v) for details. The license server contains Belden Horizon Data Operations site licenses. While a connection between a Belden Horizon Data Operations and a license server (whether standalone or within a Belden Horizon Data Manager) is established, the license server will continue to provide a site license to a Belden Horizon Data Operations instance. If the connection between the Belden Horizon Data Operations and the license server is lost, the Belden Horizon Data Operations instance will lose its license as well. A site license, depending on its constituent features, may act both as a Belden Horizon Data Operations site license and also a Belden Horizon Data Manager site license. To retrieve a site license from a license server for Belden Horizon Data Operations, see [Set a License Server](docId\:JwSLrYbP7MWCQem6m_s0J). ## Belden Horizon Data Manager License Server for Belden Horizon Data Operations The Belden Horizon Data Manager License Server provides site licenses to Belden Horizon Data Operations instances. This server can also provide the Belden Horizon Data Manager with its own site license. See [License Server Management](docId\:FK7wm14xfcBInPs7ZbeUf) for more information on how to customize the site licenses that Belden Horizon Data Operations instances will receive from Belden Horizon Data Manager. # Understanding and Adding a Node-Locked License for Belden Horizon Data Operations For a Belden Horizon Data Operations to carry a node-locked license, you will need a license key. The key will be a 16-digit code (`####-####-####-####`) that is valid for certain number of years, based on the license SKU definition. The node-locked license key can be requested from Belden account executives. To access the Belden Horizon Data Operations system, a core license must be present in Belden Horizon Data Operations. You can expand the features available to you by adding appropriate node-locked licenses. :::hint{type="warning"} **Important**: Each node-locked license key is bound to a BHDO MAC address. If the MAC address is changed, the license key will be invalidated. ::: A Belden Horizon Data Operations node-locked license key cannot be used as a Belden Horizon Data Manager node-locked license key. To add a node-locked license for Belden Horizon Data Operations, see one of the following: - [Activate a Node-Locked License Online](docId\:rBB1jvIllbn5sfzzAqKAe) - [Activate a Node-Locked License Offline](docId\:rgBDbcR4o6bSQDj6YCoFk) # Belden Horizon Data Operations Site Licenses and Node-Locked Licenses Compared | **Site License** | **Node-Locked** | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Requires a continuous connection to a license server or a Belden Horizon Data Manager to activate and use the license. | Online activation requires Belden Horizon Data Operations to briefly access the internet to activate the license. After activation, no internet access for Belden Horizon Data Operations is needed to retain and use the license.
Offline activation doesn't require Belden Horizon Data Operations to have an internet connection to use the license. However, you will need access to the internet (for example, on a different web browser window) during activation to retrieve the license. | | Activated through a license server and can be shared across multiple Belden Horizon Data Operations instances.
The site license SKU defines the features that are available in each activated Belden Horizon Data Operations. | Depending on the specific details of your license, a node-locked license can be added to multiple Belden Horizon Data Operations instances.
The license is registered to every Belden Horizon Data Operations instance it is activated with.
The node-locked license SKU defines the features that are available in Belden Horizon Data Operations. | | Can be upgraded with additional features/capabilities. | Can be upgraded with additional features/capabilities. |