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How to add Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE) Premium license key?

Knox Platform for Enterprise provides a defense-grade security solution for organizations to manage their devices. KPE offers a comprehensive set of security management features across a wide variety of Samsung devices deployed in enterprises. These features can be activated with the help of a Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solution for streamlining bulk deployment and easy device integration with the existing business architecture. KPE’s cutting-edge security technology helps organizations to address their security and compliance requirements.

The Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE) Premium license key is a free commercial key used to access both standard and premium permissions from Samsung Knox. It is required to manage the Knox container on Samsung devices. The key provides advanced security features as well as comprehensive device configurations and controls.

The Knox Platform for Enterprise Premium license can work on a large number of devices over different periods. This KPE license key will replace the legacy Enterprise License (ELM) and Knox License (KLM) keys.

How to get a Knox Platform for Enterprise License Key?

To use premium Knox features, it is required to activate the license key on the devices. You can either obtain the KPE license from a Knox License Reseller or generate a license key from the Knox Partner portal.

After obtaining the KPE license key, you can add the license key to the Knox Partner Portal program. It enables other users within your organization to use the key.

Add the Key in Knox Partner/Developer portal

The KPE license key added to the Samsung Knox Portal helps activate Knox on the devices. This enables the organizations to deliver advanced management actions on the devices.

Case 1: Users with trial Samsung Knox Portal

Login to the Samsung Knox Portal.
Navigate to Support > Upgrade your account.
Enter the premium license key obtained from the reseller.
Click on Upgrade.

Case 2: Users with paid Samsung Knox portal

Users with paid Samsung Knox portal is required to contact the Samsung support team to get assistance in adding a key to the Knox portal.

Case 3: Users with Knox Partner/Developer Portal

Login to the Knox Partner Portal.
Click on Go To Dashboard.
Select My license keys.
Navigate to Add License Key > Register a license key from reseller.
Enter the Knox Premium License key and click VALIDATE KEY, and provide an Alias for the key.
Next, activate the license key on the application. Click on EXTRACT PACKAGE and confirm that the app belongs to your organization.

2. Generate your own license key

Samsung Knox permits you to generate a commercial key when your app uses only the free standard permissions.
1. Sign in to Knox Partner Portal.
2. Click on Go To Dashboard.
3. Select My license keys > Add License Key > Get a license key.
4. Choose the key type – Commercial Key.
5. If you are deploying the app to Android devices running on Knox 2.7 or below, generate a Backwards-compatible key. (Optional)
6. Generate an Attestation REST API key. (Optional)
7. Select all the product permissions used by the app. If your app uses the Premium permissions, you will be asked to sign in to samsungknox.com to generate a ‘KPE Premium’ Commercial key.
8. Provide a suitable name for the license key.
9. Associate the Android APK for the application that should activate the license key. Only this app will be permitted for the license key activation.
10. Select the check box to authenticate your identity.
11. Click Extract Package.
12. Find the app package and click open.
13. Select Get License Key.
Note:

Samsung Knox employs a license manager server for authenticating the apps that manage the Knox devices. The app activates the Knox license on the device and the license key embedded within the app is used for authenticating API access. Hence, the KPE key is associated with all the devices that are managed using the app.

You can activate your premium license key by associating it with an app that belongs to your organization. If you have already activated a license key on an app, further you will not be able to activate it using another app. However, license keys that are activated by certain MDM applications (for example, apps belonging to some of the top MDM vendors) can be activated using Hexnode MDM/Hexnode for Work app. Also, the keys activated by the Hexnode MDM app can be activated by Hexnode for Work app and vice-versa.
Choose Hexnode MDM or Hexnode for Work APK to bind the APK with the license key.
Click on REGISTER KEY.

The keys added to the Knox portal will be listed under My license keys > COMMERCIAL KEYS. You can review the following information regarding a license to validate it.

LICENSE NUMBER: This field identifies the name associated with the license key during its creation.
STATUS: Specifies the activity state of the license key. There are three different statuses: Active, Registered, and Expired.
TOTAL NUMBER OF SEATS PURCHASED: The total number of seats purchased with the given license key. This field puts a figure on the number of purchased seats before device assignment. You can add more seats to the existing license key by requesting more seats from the reseller.
NUMBER OF SEATS ACTIVATED: Out of the total number of purchased seats, this field displays the number of seats activated on various devices.
ISSUED: Specifies the date on which the license key was issued.
EXPIRATION: Defines the date on which the license key expires.

Validate the License Key

A Knox Premium License Key has an expiry period and can only be associated with a limited number of devices. The organization might require to check the validity of the premium license key.

To check the validity,

Log in to the Knox Partner Portal.
Go to Check license keys.
Enter the license key to ensure that the key is active.

Add Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE) Premium license key in Hexnode UEM

To avail advanced features on your devices, you must add the Knox Platform for Enterprise Premium license key in Hexnode UEM. Follow the steps below to add the license key to the Hexnode portal:

On your Hexnode MDM console, navigate to Admin > Knox Platform for Enterprise.
Enter the purchased KPE Premium Licence Key and then click on the Add button.

Associate KPE Premium license key to target devices via policy

After adding the key to the Hexnode portal, you can attach the key to the target devices via policies to unlock advanced configurations. To attach a policy containing the KPE Premium license key to the Knox devices, go through the steps mentioned below:

Navigate to the Policies tab.
Create a New Policy or choose an existing one.
Provide a suitable name for the policy if the New Policy option is chosen.
Head on to General Settings > Knox Platform for Enterprise > Configure.
Select the KPE Premium license key from the list of keys already added to the portal from the Admin tab.
Next, associate the policy to target devices by navigating to the Policy Targets tab.
Select the required Devices/Device Groups/Users/User Groups/Domains to which the policy is to be associated.
Click on Save.

Advanced features available with KPE Premium license key

Before attaching a KPE Premium license key feature/configuration to a device, make sure that:

You have added the Knox Platform for Enterprise (KPE) Premium license key to the portal.
You have associated a policy containing the KPE Premium license key to the target devices. Hexnode also allows you to associate a policy containing both the key and the configurations simultaneously.

The list of configurations that are made available using the KPE Premium license key includes:

Boot/Shutdown Animation: Hexnode allows you to customize the boot-up and shutdown animations on your devices.
Note:
- Supported on Samsung Knox 2.5+ devices.
Automatically power off a device when USB is detached: Enable this option in Policies > Android > Restrictions > Advanced > Allow Settings to power off a device when USB is detached from it.
Notes:
- Supported on Samsung Knox 2.8+ devices.
- This restriction will not work if ‘Power Off’ under Policies > Android > Restrictions > Basic is disabled.
Automatically power on a device when USB is connected: Enable this option in Policies > Android > Restrictions > Advanced > Allow Settings to automatically turn on a device when a USB is connected.
Note:
- Supported on Samsung Knox 2.6+ devices.
Power Off Device: With Hexnode UEM, you can remotely turn off your Samsung Knox devices. To turn off a device, head on to Manage > Select device(s) > Actions > Power Off Device.

Revoke the license of an existing device

To revoke the KPE Premium License key of an existing device,

Log in to your Samsung Knox portal and navigate to License Keys > My License Keys.
Click on Device Deactivation under the Devices widget.
Enter the license key value under My Knox Platform for Enterprise License Key.
Select I want to remove devices in this license key.
Upload a CSV file with the IMEI/serial numbers of the devices from which the license key has to be removed. Else, enter the IMEI/serial numbers of the devices, separated by commas, in the box provided.
Click on Submit.

This will revoke the KPE Premium License key of the device. You can now reassign this key to other devices.

Note:

If both serial number and IMEI is available for the device, use the IMEI of the device to revoke the license key.
For tablets and Wi-Fi only devices, use the serial number instead of the IMEI.