How to License Orchid

IMPORTANT: The information in this article is specific to Orchid version 1.12.7 or earlier.  Equivalent instructions for Orchid versions 2.0.0 and above are available in the Orchid Core VMS Administrator Guide in the chapter "Activating Orchid Core VMS".

In order to increase the number of cameras and features available in Orchid, it must be activated with a valid license.

1. Open Orchid and login using an administrator level user.

2. Once logged into Orchid, click the "Configuration" link in the top right hand corner of the screen.

3. Click the Activation button the left hand-side menu to open the Activation menu

• If Orchid has not yet been activated, the licensing menu will show Orchid is using the Trial Edition. 

4. Click the "Orchid licensing portal" button to generate a license with the Activation Code that was provided when you purchased your Orchid licenses. You can also access the license activation page directly by going to www.orchidsecurity.com/activation.

• Note: The computer you're using to view Orchid will need an internet connection in order to generate a license using the Orchid Security website.
• If it does not have an internet connection then you'll either need to move to a computer that does have an internet connection, or save the Machine ID to a text file and proceed with the activation from a computer with a working internet connection.

5. Once the Orchid Licensing Portal loads, enter your Activation Code into the Activation Code box.

6. Enter your Machine ID into the Machine ID field if it is not done already. You will only need to manually enter the Machine ID if you accessed the licensing page directly, rather than through Orchid.

7. Input a location description that specifies where your Orchid server will be located. Common location descriptions are a specific room in your business, or a shop name or number.

8. Click the "Activate License" button to generate your new Orchid license. If the license creation was successful, you will see a message at the top saying "License generation successful!" and a License Key in the box below. 

• Note: If the activation code has already been used for another machine then the license generation will fail saying "The provided activation code has already been paired with a different machine ID." If this happens, you'll need to either purchase a new Activation Code, or contact our Sales team for additional options. 

9. Copy the text in the License Key box (it will look like a large chunk of random text) and paste it into the License Key field on the Orchid activation menu. 

10. Click the "Activate Orchid" button to activate your new license key. If the activation was successful, you will see a message at the top of your screen saying "Orchid has been activated." 

The Edition, Camera Licenses, Archive Retention, Support Expiration, and Activation Code fields will all also be updated to match the license you purchased. If any of the fields are incorrect, please feel free to submit a support request.