Device Management Enhancements in 2025.01

The following enhancement to device management was added in the 2025.01 release:

Reassigning Returned Standalone Devices

(Case 01948947, SWM-20276)

This release includes an enhancement for returned standalone devices.

Returning a device is intended for devices that no longer receive capability responses or license files, or servers that no longer serve devices or communicate with the FlexNet Operations back office. Previously, returning a device was an irreversible action. When a device was returned, it was permanently disassociated from its account.

The 2025.01 release introduces the ability to reassign returned standalone devices to an account and reactivate such devices. This enables producers to take returned standalone devices back into service.

Reassigning a Device Using the Producer Portal

Producers can reassign a returned device to an account using the menu item Reassign Account from the Edit menu on the Device page. (To access the Device page for a returned device, click Devices > Devices > click a hyperlinked device name.)

Note:Returned devices have a status of Returned and are by default not listed on the Devices page (under Devices > Devices) even when searched. To display returned devices on the Devices page, select the option Inactive in the filter above the devices list.

The following screenshot shows the new menu item Reassign Account on the Device page:

Clicking Reassign Account opens the Assign account page, where you can select a new account for the device.

After a standalone device has been reassigned to an account, the device status is changed to Active. The device can now have entitlements mapped to it.

Reassigning a Standalone Device Using Web Services

Returned standalone devices can also be reassigned using the updateDevice operation of the ManageDeviceService web service.

The following code snippet illustrates how to use the updateDevice operation:

<urn:updateDeviceRequest>

        <urn:device>

          <urn:deviceIdentifier>

            <urn:deviceType>CLIENT</urn:deviceType>

            <!-- Note: This is the device to be updated, currently in RETURNED state --> 

            <urn:deviceId>Test123</urn:deviceId>

            <urn:deviceIdType>STRING</urn:deviceIdType>

            <urn:publisherName>fnepublisher</urn:publisherName>

          </urn:deviceIdentifier>

          <urn:updateChannelPartners>

            <urn:channelPartners>

              <urn:channelPartner>

                <!-- Note: Only END CUSTOMER is supported as per existing functionality--> 

                <urn:tierName>bo.constants.partnertiernames.endcustomer</urn:tierName>

                <!-- Note: This is the account to which the device is to be reassigned --> 

                  <urn:accountUnit>

                    <urn:primaryKeys>

                      <urn:name>MyAccount</urn:name>

                    </urn:primaryKeys>

                  </urn:accountUnit>

                </urn:channelPartner>

              </urn:channelPartners>

              <!-- Note: Only REPLACE is supported as per existing functionality--> 

              <urn:opType>REPLACE</urn:opType>

          </urn:updateChannelPartners>

        </urn:device>

</urn:updateDeviceRequest>

There have been no changes to any of the .wsdl or .xsd files for SOAP services.

Reassigning a Standalone Device Using the End-User Portal

To use a returned standalone device in the End-User Portal, the device must first be reassigned to an account using the Producer Portal. Once it has been assigned to an account, an end user can claim the device in the End-User Portal by clicking Devices > Claim and Activate.

Note:The Claim and Activate option only appears in the Devices menu of the End-User Portal for users with roles specifically granted the End-User Portal permissions Claim Device and Activate and Generate Licenses.