1.3. Metadefender Core Licensing

License types

Metadefender Core has the following types of licenses:

  • Metadefender Core (Required): The main license, which must be activated in order to use the product and for scanning. Other licenses (below) are not activated until the main license is activated.

  • Metadefender Clients (Optional): This license increases the maximum number of clients that can connect remotely to the server to perform scanning via REST APIs. With the main license only, you can use up to 1 customer-licensed engine.

  • Customer-Licensed Engines (Optional): This license increases the maximum number of pre-installed anti-malware engines not embedded in Metadefender Core that can be used for scanning. With the main license only , you can use up to 1 customer licensed engine.

  • Custom Engines (Optional): This license increases the maximum number of OPSWAT-provided custom engines that can be used simultaneously. With the main license only , you can use up to 1 custom engine.

Trial license

All types of Metadefender Core licenses ( Metadefender Core, Metadefender Clients, Customer-Licensed Engines, Custom Engines) are activated through the Metadefender Core Management Console or through the License Manager CLI.

Note: This section applies only to serial key-based licenses. If you have not received a serial key from OPSWAT and have an older form of licensing, please contact support at OPSWAT Portal

Metadefender Core 1, 4 and 8 packages come with a 15-day evaluation license. For Metadefender Core 12, 16, and 20 trial licenses, please contact us at OPSWAT Portal.

Note: When the evaluation period starts, uninstalling and installing Metadefender Core does not extend the evaluation license. Metadefender Core licenses are strongly bound to the Volume ID, MAC address and NetBIOS name of the computer. Changing any of these attributes will disable Metadefender Core, even if you have not yet activated Metadefender Core with a license. If one of these values has changed, please contact support at OPSWAT Portal to receive a new license. For information on purchasing Metadefender Core licenses, click Contact Sales here.

Activating and Managing Metadefender licenses

In order to use Metadefender Core, you must have a license. You can activate and manage all types of your Metadefender Core licenses using any of the following methods:

  • Management Console: You can use the Licenses tab on the Management Console to activate your license online or offline. You can also use it to check your license status.

  • License Manager Command Line Interface : You can use the License Manager CLI to apply, update, or activate a Metadefender Core license (online or offline), or to check the license status of Metadefender Core or Remote Clients. For more on using this tool, see License Manager Command Line Interface.

  • REST API for advanced user.

Online/Offline Activation

Metadefender Core licenses can be activated in two ways:

  1. Online activation: Metadefender Core licenses can be activated online if the Metadefender Core server is connected to the Internet.

  2. Offline activation: If the Metadefender Core Server is not connected to the Internet, Metadefender Core licenses can be activated offline through the OPSWAT Activation Portal.