FAQ: Adobe Acrobat Named User Licensing
Here are some common questions and answers about the 2018-19 change to Adobe Acrobat Named User licensing model.
What is Named User Licensing?
"Named User" (aka, "Subscripton-based") licensing is a method of authenticating valid software licenses. For Acrobat DC, Adobe is transitioning away from using serial numbers to using individual, Named User licenses. This means that for every authenticated user of Acrobat DC, the process requires each user's Official UCLA First Name, Last Name and Email Address in order to authenticate their license.
How does Named User licensing work?
After purchasing licenses from Software Central, departments will be asked to supply the UCLA official information for each licensed user. The information required by Adobe include: First Name, Last Name, Email. These licensed users will subsequently be able to authenticate their copy of Acrobat through UCLA Single Sign On.
What products are affected?
These notes pertain to individual Acrobat DC Named User licenses obtained through Software Central only. It does not pertain to the free Acrobat Reader DC, lab machines, or copies of Acrobat DC available with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. Further information on Device Licenses (for lab environments) will be available when Adobe releases that information.
How can a user learn their Official UCLA email address?
Users can find their Official UCLA information by signing to: https://accounts.iam.ucla.edu/
Are there any restriction about the email address used?
Yes. We need the user's full Official UCLA email address (not just the login portion) and the last 8 characters of every user’s email address must be “ucla.edu”
Acceptable examples:
- test@ucla.edu
- test@g.ucla.edu
- test@mednet.ucla.edu
- test@[local domain].ucla.edu
As long as the last eight characters are "ucla.edu" we can add that domain into the Aodbe Admin Console.
Unacceptable examples:
The reason the email domain must end in “ucla.edu” is that Adobe requires UCLA can verify it owns and controls the “ucla.edu” domain for account authentication. Non-UCLA email domains cannot be authenticated.
Once authenticated, users will be asked to re-authenticate every 99 days.
What if we don't want to use the Named User model?
Unfortunately, Adobe has abandoned serial number licensing, so there is no choice. Like many software providers, Adobe is making the change to a Named User model for a variety of business reasons beyond our control.
Does Software Central appreciate the added burden on campus departments?
Yes, but again, there is nothing anyone can do. Universities across the system and the country are similarly frustrated with these changes.
What happens to the license when an employee separates from the University? Can it be transferred to his replacement?
Yes: a department would advise Software Central that a person is no longer in the department and provide the information for the new person. We would revoke the old license and re-assign it to the new person.
Does the named license allow for home use?
Yes: Users can authenticate up to two devices (as long as they are not being used simultaneously). If the user reaches the limit, they see a screen giving the user options to sign out of other computers.