Since the forum is not yet closed, there is software section and there was related discussions....
 
Several days before New Year (was it 29...? I do not remember exactly) I have tried to run "ilok cloud" protected plug-in.
Guess what... the service was down . "Can not connect to the service. We do not know when it is back." dialog in the iLock License manager. I have tried to login in the web: "incorrect username or password". I have tried to reset the password: "internal server error, the team is informed".
 
Thinking that is somehow my computer or connection related I have attached to a friend in US. Guess what... the same.
 
So whatever people claim how good all these authorizations are, I am glad that at least my new DAW will never be "lo(c)k"ed.
For Cakewalk staff I still have X3, older Z3TA2 and DimPro.
 
I know that I can not avoid online/hardware authorizations completely, but that incident has remind me to re-check authorization conditions for the software I use.
 
PS. I am not and will never use iLok software. I just had to work with one plug-in to help other users. Bad luck? May be.
 
 

Lots of people use iLok without issue.

I use the PC authorization software with no problems.
 
I have NEVER been able to use the USB dongle successfully.
 
Anybody wanna buy my Slate licenses?

bdickens
Lots of people use iLok without issue.

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/1243662-ilok-server-unavailable.html
 
That is NOT on iLok site/forum/incident list. I have not found the place on which such problems are/should be reported. iLok obviously does not want any forums or discussion. BTW iLok service team was "on holidays" till the new year. That statement I have found. So no telephone support as well.
 
So in summary:
* someone want be protected against piracy...
* you pay extra money for that protection
* that protection charge you yet another $$$ for "safety" in case something goes wrong ("Zero downtime", etc.)
* they are free to serve you... or not serve you... in the last case that is YOUR problem.
* the statement "we can not say how long it takes" is HARDCODED into the program (!) and they have no problem go on holiday from 21.12 to 2.1.
 

Thank you azslow, for a painful reminder.
 
Ilok is getting more reliable although the curse of what you may face in a degrading, begging battle to vendors if your computer fails is alive and well. This regarding the no dongle option. Smooth sailing until your hard drive goes south. Lose or smash a physical dongle and the joyful experience may be about the same. Multiple times they have told me I am up **** creek. Fuk off and take my problems to someone who cares. I can't even get them to remove computers that no longer exist from the garbage profile I've collected over time.
 
Worst experience similar to yours was a failure on a Friday night before a holiday and no support. Call back Monday during normal business hours. Problem was that a beautiful couple from Ghana came here half way around the world to do an album of music with ethnic instruments and poetry. Failure took down the DAW as well which kept bumping into the now forbidden plugins. Too ignorant at the time to know how to work around their block. Trip wasted on that one account and they left with a bad taste of what I had promised would be a beautiful experience in western digital technology.
 
Not a big fan of Ilok. May work well currently until you need help in a crisis.
 
John
 

Guys,
 
Sorry for an anti Ilok tirade, but facing it again. If I bought into the system maybe should have gone with a physical dongle and treated it like egg shells. I went with the non dongle approach for several vrsti's and it has been a degrading nightmare over the years. Too dense to have learned my lesson. Third time is the charm for me. No more of this s**t.
 
About to repeat this fiasco since my laptop is nearing death from hard drive failure. Bios works fine but win 10 toasted after a failed attempt to automatically upgrade on top of hardware weaknesses that were already there. There go the licenses that can't be transferred because the licensed computer is toast unless I can resurrect. This issue has not been adequately brought up in discussions about the beauty and simplicity of non dongle Ilok.
 
Got to get my begging rags on and kiss the feet of each vendor to allow this mortal sinner to get another license. Convince them that I am not trying to steal an extra authorization.
 
No dongle crap is cool and painless until you get a hardware failure that you may be able to fix but makes your computer unrecognized by Ilok. If you got this problem and contact them, their compassion to you as the little guy will bring you to tears of appreciation. Been there, done that too many times.
 
John

ilok trouble free here since day one (over 8 years now) and that includes 3 system upgrades (XP -> Win 7 -> Win 10) and once complete fresh re-install.
 
I keep a spare on hand I do pay $30/year disaster recovery plan fee. 

Oh yeah, I did have some glitches along the way with installing updates to the desktop app (which did not interrupt operation) and one older plugin stopped working but the vendor provided an replacement installer within 24 hours f my contact to them.

So are you doing the hardware dongle? Way more forgiving if you don't lose or break it, and should in theory translate from breakdown to resurrection if needed across any dissimilar configuration.
 
No dongle Ilok is far more unforgiving if you have gone this route. Happy camper until something breaks down on the PC that carries your virtual Ilok licenses.
 
Article from awhile back said that there are like 12 components of the computer that the license carves into stone if you are going with the non dongle option. Change something critical as in replacing a hard drive or motherboard due to failure and the computer is no longer the original computer. Up s**t creek without a paddle. Learned this the hard way more than once.
 
I can understand where Ilok support is coming from in a sick sense. My word as a software pirate is not to be trusted. Take up my issue with the developer who has to determine if I am trying to rip them off or not. They are there to protect the developer, not to help me.
 
About to get my fourth defunct computer added to the tragedy list with Ilok licenses burned up that will never see the light of day. Ilok says they WILL NOT remove a failed computer from the garbage profile or reset licenses already burned on my word that the computer no longer exists. Live with it or take my business elsewhere.
 
I was given the creative option of trying to repair the failed components and log in again with the original configuration in which case they will migrate licenses or remove the dead computer. Got to find my sandpaper to grind out pits on the hard drive of one. Probably not worth 500 dollars to diagnose and repair a failed 50 dollar motherboard. They did give me an option however.
 
Thanks Ilok. Good, compassionate, helpful advice.
John
 
 

iLok only provides the method for managing software licenses. They do not issue them. It is up to the individual software developers to determine when, if and how many authorizations to give you.