Technical Tip: User-based and Device-based EMS license details and how to free up license seats

Description

This article discusses user-based and device-based FortiClient EMS license types and how to free up license seats.

Scope

FortiClient EMS Cloud and on-prem.

Solution

FortiClient EMS offers per-device and per-user licensing types but only one license type per FortiClient EMS instance can be used at a time.

1. License type: per-device:

• Tied to individual device-based.

• Each device requires a separate license.

• License count is based on the number of devices that are managed by FortiClient EMS.

2. License type: per-user:

• Tied to individual user-based.

• Each user can register up to 3 devices.n

  • For example, if the same user registers on the fourth device, the license will consume 2 user seats.

• License count is based on the number of users that are managed by FortiClient EMS.

  • For example, if one device has 2 different user accounts, the license seat will count as 2 user seats.

User-based Scenario: Exclude from Management to free up user license seat:

• User A sign in to the FortiClient endpoint device that was managed by FortiClient EMS -> 1 license seat count for User A.

• User A sign out from the endpoint device -> 1 license seat count remains as this user is still managed by FortiClient EMS.

• User B sign in the same FortiClient endpoint device that was managed by FortiClient EMS -> add another 1 license seat count for User B, having 2 users license seat in total now.

• To free up the license seat count for User A who has not signed in, the FortiClient EMS administrator needs to manually exclude User A from management.

• Navigate to the FortiClient EMS GUI -> Endpoints -> All Endpoints -> Tick the appropriate checkbox to select the desired user -> Action -> Exclude from Management.

• This can be enabled again in the same Action tab for future management.

• The current user license count will be reduced in the License Information dashboard.

For further reference regarding FortiClient EMS per-device and per-user licensing: Windows, macOS, and Linux licenses.

This article's instructions are only valid for FortiClient EMS v7.2+ and below. Starting from FortiClient EMS v7.4+ and above, FortiClient EMS only supports a per-device license.

Example: If user A is connected to 2 endpoints, 2 license seats will be occupied, despite how the license type is user-based.

Refer to the documentation changes between versions here:

• FortiClient v7.2.0: Windows, macOS, and Linux licenses.

• FortiClient v7.4.0: Windows, macOS, and Linux licenses.