About Knox Configure license types

As with other Knox cloud services, a valid license is required to use Knox Configure. Depending on your profile requirements and target device types, different license options are available. In Knox Configure, the association between profiles and license types is also referred to as the “Knox Configure edition”. See About Knox Configure editions to learn more.

If you want to deploy Knox configure on Galaxy smartphones, tablets, or watches¹ during the initial device setup (also known as out-of-box experience), you’ll require either a Setup edition or Dynamic edition license. If you want to deploy Knox Configure on NFC-type accessories like Galaxy Buds cases, cards, or keychains, then you’ll require an Accessory edition license.

Setup edition licenses

Setup edition licenses are consumed on a per-device basis, meaning a license seat is consumed whenever a device enrolls in Knox Configure using a Setup edition profile. For example, if you have a Setup edition license with 30 seats, and you assign a Setup edition profile to 5 devices, then those 5 devices will each consume a license seat upon enrollment in Knox Configure (leaving your license with 25 seats remaining).

Setup edition licenses are also non-transferrable. Once a device consumes a license seat, the seat cannot be reassigned to another device, even if the original device is unenrolled from the service. However, if you unenroll a device that has already consumed a license seat, you can re-enroll the same device in Knox Configure without consuming another seat.

Dynamic edition licenses

Just like with Setup edition, Dynamic edition licenses are also consumed on a per-device basis, meaning a license seat is consumed whenever a device enrolls in Knox Configure using a Dynamic edition profile. However, unlike with Setup edition, Dynamic edition licenses are available in both transferrable and non-transferrable versions.

Dynamic edition non-transferrable licenses (also known as standard Knox Configure Dynamic licenses) are fixed to a device. Once a device consumes a license seat, the license cannot be reassigned to another device. On the other hand, Dynamic edition transferrable licenses (also known as Knox Configure Dynamic (per seat) licenses) let you to reassign license seats to other devices. For example, if your end user’s device becomes damaged, you can unassign the license seat from the damaged device and transfer it to a new device, allowing you to configure the new device without having to consume another seat.

About staggered vs non-staggered licenses

Staggered licenses

Setup edition and Accessory edition licenses are “staggered”², which means that they guarantee full device support from the date of enrollment, as long as the device enrolls within the license period.

For example, if you purchase a one-year Knox Configure Setup (Staggered) commercial license for three devices, and two of your devices enroll within a year of purchasing the license, then each device receives a full year of support regardless of when they enroll in Knox Configure.

In other words, you can enroll Device 1 as soon as you get a license, and then enroll Device 2 several months later. However, if your Device 3 tries to enroll in Knox Configure after one year (from the date of license purchase), then enrollment will fail due to the license period expiration. You will not be able to use that device with Knox Configure, even if you have an unused license seat available.

Figure 1: Staggered enrollment explained.

Non-staggered licenses

Dynamic edition licenses are “non-staggered”, which means that all license seats expire at the same time, regardless of when devices enroll (provided that devices enrolled within the license period).

For example, if you purchase a one-year Knox Configure Dynamic commercial license for three devices, and two of your devices enroll within a year of purchasing the license, then those devices can each be used with Knox Configure until the end of the year. However, if you enroll Device 1 at the start of the license period, and you enroll Device 2 several several months later, then Device 2 will only receive partial license coverage. If you try to enroll a third device (Device 3) after the license period expires, then enrollment will fail.

Figure 2: Non-staggered enrollment explained.