SIMS & FMS Spring Release 2022

[rush_tech]

Interesting, no annual Entitlement Licence no access to the census

 

'As part of this release for the first time we will be checking that customers are eligible to use the software updates included in the release. We call this an eligibility check.

 

The eligibility check ensures only schools who have an active Annual Entitlement Licence can access the full SIMS and FMS functionality. Without an active Annual Entitlement Licence users will still be able to access SIMS and FMS but will not be able to access the census menu route within SIMS and CFR within FMS.'

[Olliekai]

I’m hoping this works as planned and doesn’t end up asking for a licence on each workstation.

[paulkerton]

I’m hoping this works as planned

A SIMS update?

[willtech]

I’m hoping this works as planned and doesn’t end up asking for a licence on each workstation.

 

I would say it should store it in the database. But hey its ESS we are talking about here... anything is possible.

[howartp]

Anyone installed it yet?

[DrCheese]

I’m hoping this works as planned and doesn’t end up asking for a licence on each workstation.

 

oh good god it best not. I'm so tired of anti piracy stuff that hits actual paying customers. Adobe CS4 back in the day used to say our stuff was pirated (It wasn't) because the stupid POS would remove its own permissions from its licensing files. I had to remove full control from it and only give it read rights before it worked - Drove me insane tho & it was tempting to just push out a flipping cracked version

[Mako]

I got the email from ESS with my key, but I haven't got it in my SOLUS yet, wondering who I'd need to poke these days...

[howartp]

Ours hit SOLUS on 28th.

[Boredguy]

We got the download this morning, and had a copy of the user guide sent through from another school.

 

Basically after installing the new version of SIMS, users will get prompted to enter the Eligibility Key... If they don't know it features are disabled, so best if the first person to login after the update has the key handy (only needs entering the once to stop the nag for everyone)

 

Guess I know what I'm doing one day next week.

[DrCheese]

Ugh - Is that once as in once for the entire school, or once on every workstation & then any user logging on after stops that?

[Anonymous2000]

Key is one per site not per station. First person to run SIMS after the upgrade gets the prompt, if they cancel I believe it disables the Census panels until someone adds the key.

Also I believe there is a fileset that needs importing after the upgrade then another patch so essentially they are releasing Spring 22 knowing it already needs a patch.

[paulkerton]

First person to run SIMS after the upgrade gets the prompt, if they cancel I believe it disables the Census panels until someone adds the key.

Well that is a horrible way to do it.

[Boredguy]

Ugh - Is that once as in once for the entire school, or once on every workstation & then any user logging on after stops that?

 

It will nag at any workstation by the way it reads until someone has entered the code once, then it's fine for everyone.

 

We are planning on updating SIMS next week during our half term holiday to stop any of the staff getting the message since there should only be myself in using SIMS and I have the code.

 

Users can still login without knowing the code, just in a read only mode and features such as census are disabled (since you in theory don't have a support contract as you've moved system so wouldn't need write access)

[DrBeaker]

Yeah I can't see this working out very well for ESS in the long-term.

 

Seems a very petty way to get back at schools not wanting to lock in a 3-year contract for my 2 cents.

 

Christ Capita weren't brilliant but never tried this crap.

[Boredguy]

Well like all authentication methods, got to have some pain the first time, but once the code is provided we shouldn't need to re-enter it until the contract ends, and at which point if they haven't updated SIMS to a proper web application like the other MIS platforms, there is a method to add in a new key as it will exist as it's added to the Spring 2022 update.

[Simcfc73]

I haven't added the key and haven't seen a prompt either.. no nagging as well.

 

I did see the key in SOLUS somewhere though so thought it was in there.

[rush_tech]

This is the prompt.

 

Edited April 7, 2022 by rush_tech

[Steve21]

This is the prompt.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]65229[/ATTACH]

 

Isn’t that only if it can’t auto detect the subscription though? There was a url provided few weeks back that you had to make sure was open/accessible else that screen appears

 

Steve

[howartp]

Elegibility check:

https://licenses.sims.co.uk port 443

 

Automated form:

http://ess-solus.co.uk/AnnualEntitlement

[Boredguy]

Well updated our SIMS this morning, and the key was automatically included in the patch as we didn't need to enter anything

[howartp]

Well updated our SIMS this morning, and the key was automatically included in the patch as we didn't need to enter anything

 

I upgraded ours over the weekend, and the SIMS client was able to successfully connect to the automated eligibility checker and pull down the key itself, so we didn't need to enter anything.

[Olliekai]

A SIMS update?

 

Ha! Exactly

[Olliekai]

Well that is a horrible way to do it.

 

Yes. You’d think you could put the licence in souls but that would be too easy.

[howartp]

Putting it in SOLUS doesn’t stop them acquiring the install files from another school and keeping multiple copies of SIMS up to date without paying their license fee.

 

It has to be within the specific school’s install of it (ie stored into the database) / checked at runtime.

 

I don’t get why anyone has a problem with how they’ve done it.

 

It’s automatic if your firewall is configured appropriately; if that doesn’t work it asks one user for the key, once, when you access a specific statutory feature - not every time someone opens a register.

[rush_tech]

Ok, update went ok. Didn't come across the prompt.

The patches are coming https://customer.support-ess.com/csm?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051243&sys_kb_id=17140f921b43c5909f2142a7b04bcb78&spa=1