Notice: Transition to new USB Protector Model “Sentinel HL Key”

  • Author: shu
  • Category: User support

As sales and support for the current protector “SuperPro” will be discontinued shortly, we will be switching to the “Sentinel HL Key” protector (referred to later in this document as “HL Key”). Because of this change we would like to inform you of the following precautions for current and new users.
Note: This change will have no impact on current e-Protector users.

SuperPro
supropro key
HL Key
hl key		 – Body is a purple color.
– To make it easier to distinguish between new and old models, we have affixed a “H” at the end of the second line of the label (as an example, “S#00000-H”).

The HL Key will be available for Asprova Ver. 17.2 or later.
After Asprova Ver. 17.2 is released (around April 2023), the HL Key will be delivered to customers who have purchased Asprova licenses.

Asprova and NLS Version Table

Before Asprova Ver.17.1
Before Asprova NLS Ver.2		 After Asprova Ver.17.2
After Asprova NLS Ver.3 *1
SuperPro
〇
〇
HL Key
×
〇

*1 If you are using or plan to use NLS Ver. 3 or later, please upgrade the version of Asprova to Ver.14.0.0.0 or later. This is because if you are using a version of Asprova that is before Ver.14.0.0.0, you may not be able to login.

Windows Version Table

Until Windows 10 22H2
Until Windows 11 22H2
Until Windows Server 2022 22H2		 After Windows 10 23H1
After Windows 11 23H1
After Windows Server 2022 23H1
SuperPro
〇
△
(May not be supported)
HL Key
〇
〇

As written in the above table, we may not be able to offer support for the SuperPro key after the next Windows version update. For this reason, we recommend using the HL Key instead.

The following is a detailed list of queries for both customers who are planning on purchasing Asprova’s licensed USB protectors and for users who are currently using Asprova’s licensed USB protectors. Please verify if any of these situations apply to you. If you have any questions, please contact your distributor or email us at worldsupport@asprova.com.

Case A： Users currently using the USB SuperPro Protector

Case B： Customers who wish to purchase the new USB Protector

Case C： Users who wish to add a NLS sublicense

Case D： Users with a damaged USB SuperPro Protector

Procedure to exchange a SuperPro for a HL Key

For Distributors

Frequently Asked Questions

Case A： Users currently using the USB SuperPro Protector

  • Upgrading to either Asprova Ver.17.2 or later or Asprova NLS Ver.3 or later
    • It is fine to keep using the SuperPro protector as it is.

  • Updating the Windows OS Version
    • Please refer to the “Windows Version” table at the beginning of this document for Windows versions that support using a SuperPro. If you wish to upgrade to a HL Key, please refer to the Procedure to exchange a SuperPro to a HL Key section below.

  • If you are using Asprova only
    • Please upgrade your version to Asprova Ver. 17.2 or later and replace the SuperPro protector with a HL Key protector.

  • If you are using Asprova and Asprova NLS together
    • Please upgrade your version to Asprova NLS Ver.3.0 or later and replace the SuperPro protector with a HL Key protector. There is no need to update Asprova itself.

Case B： Customers who wish to purchase the new USB Protector

  • Installing Asprova Ver.17.2
    • We will provide you with a new HL Key protector.

  • Installing a version before Ver.17.2
    • If a version of Asprova used elsewhere in your company is before Ver. 17.2 and you wish to use the same version, we will provide a SuperPro protector for you. However, please check in advance if your computer’s operating environment supports using a SuperPro.

Case C： Users who wish to add a NLS sublicence

    • This is a possibility that a license for a module such as MS or an optional license will be added to the NLS application that you are using. But in this case, no changes to the protector are required.

Case D： Users with a damaged USB SuperPro Protector

For a replacement, please contact your distributor or email us at worldsupport@asprova.com. When you do, please inform us which version of Asprova and Asprova NLS that you are currently using.

  • Users using an Asprova version before Ver.17.2 or an Asprova NLS version before Ver.3.0
    • At the moment, SuperPro protectors are available for replacement.
      However, the number of SuperPro protectors is limited and we may not be able to provide this service in the future.
      Please consider upgrading to Asprova Ver. 17.2 or later and exchanging the protector to a HL Key protector instead. If you wish to upgrade to a HL Key, please refer to the Procedure to exchange a SuperPro to a HL Key section below.

  • Users using Asprova Ver.17.2 or later, users using Asprova NLS Ver.3.0 or later
    • We will provide you with a HL Key protector.

Procedure to exchange a SuperPro to a HL Key

If you have a maintenance contract, we will replace it free of charge.
If you do not have a maintenance contract, you will need to upgrade to a version of Asprova or Asprova NLS that can use the HL Key. This upgrade will be charged.

Listed below is the procedure for upgrading a SuperPro protector to a HL Key protector.

  1. Contact your distributor to request an exchange to a HL Key protector. When doing so please provide the following information:
    • Serial number of the protector to be replaced
    • Number of protectors to be replaced
    • If you are using a backup version of the protector, the number of backup protectors
    • Delivery address of the HL Key
  2. We will ship the HL Key to you once the distributor has notified us.
    • There will be a use-by date on the HL Key that is to be delivered. This use-by date is usually three months after the day of shipment. However, you can consult with us if you need more time to verify things such as Asprova version upgrades, etc.
  3. Install Asprova Ver.17.2 or later and/or Asprova NLS Ver.3.0 or later.
  4. After receiving your HL Key, confirm that it works as expected and is recognized by your PC.
  5. Return the SuperPro protector to your distributor or to us.
  6. Once we have confirmed the return of your SuperPro protector, we will send you an email with a magic number to cancel or extend the expiration date. You can also download it from the license page.
  7. Apply this magic number to the HL Key to remove the old use-by date.

It usually takes around 1 month to send the HL Key protector by mail.

For Distributors

Similarly for protectors of demo version licenses, we will deliver HL Key protectors after the release of Asprova Ver. 17.2 (around April 2023). However, in the following cases, please contact our sales representatives at Asprova:

  1. When a SuperPro protector is required to support Asprova users who are using Asprova version 17.2 or lower.
  2. If you already have a protector for the demo version of SuperPro and wish to use HL Key as well.

Furthermore, when you are conducting a sales proposal or selling our products to customers, if there are any special circumstances that a customer may require a version less than Ver. 17.2, we are able to provide a SuperPro protector for you. Please let us know this when placing an order. This is so we can include an accurate price when we give you a quote.
Thank you for your understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Up until what date can I continue using the SuperPro protector?
A: As of December 2022, support is up to Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 22H2. If there are any changes to this, we will notify you on our website or email. These details are listed here: Operating Environment.
Q: Will any of Asprova’s operations (scheduling results and processing speed etc.) be affected when the USB protector is replaced?
A: There will be no change. Asprova will work the same way regardless of the USB protector type.
Q: I am currently using an e-Protector. Is there a need to exchange it?
A: No need.
Q: I am currently using a SuperPro protector. When I upgrade to a version of Asprova later than Ver.17.2, should I exchange it?
A: You can continue using the SuperPro as is. However, if you plan on updating your Windows OS version, we recommend exchanging the protector for a HL Key protector.
Q: I am currently using a HL Key protector. Now I need to use a version of Asprova that is below Ver.17.2. Can you provide one for me?
A: We will exchange a SuperPro protector for you. However the number of these protectors is limited, so in the future there will come a time where we sadly won’t be able to offer this service anymore.

NLS

Q: I am currently using a SuperPro protector along with Asprova NLS. If I upgrade to Asprova NLS version 3 or later and switch to using a HL Key protector, do I also need to upgrade Asprova to Ver.17.2 or later?
A: When both the official version and the backup version are used with Asprova NLS, no version upgrade is required. However, when using the backup version protector with Asprova, Asprova version 17.2 or later is required with a HL Key protector.

Old Asprova

Q: I am currently using an old version of Asprova and have a maintenance contract. If the SuperPro protector stops working, can I get it replaced?
A: We do have protectors available for replacement. However, there is a possibility that we may no longer be able to provide this service in the future. Because of this we strongly recommend upgrading to Asprova Ver. 17.2 or later, since the operating system environment in which you will be operating is also a factor. (Updating from the old Asprova to Asprova APS is required).



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