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Deployment
Topics you need to know before using WinCC OA.
WinCC OA License Portal
The SIMATIC WinCC Open Architecture License Portal streamlines license management with a modern, user-friendly interface and advanced features, launching in October 2025. This documentation offers comprehensive guidance, support resources, and step-by-step instructions to help users and administrators efficiently manage licenses and access essential materials.
Essential Skills
To work successfully with the WinCC OA License Portal, you should be familiar with several key processes that ensure efficient license management and organizational clarity.
Assign License to Virtual Container
Assigning licenses to a virtual container in the WinCC OA License Portal enables pre-packaging of license options for remote deployment. This process streamlines license preparation for off-site technicians or service personnel, ensuring efficient and organized distribution.

Version Information
Release Notes, Update information, Certifications and Frequently Asked Questions.
Concepts
Your first step into modern and powerful process visualization.
Deployment
Topics you need to know before using WinCC OA.
- Hardware and software requirements for WinCC OA
  This section contains the current hardware and software requirements for various WinCC OA application scenarios. Recommendations are given for practical deployment of WinCC OA depending on the specific application and scale of the project.
- WinCC OA Licensing
  Overview of the licensing model used by WinCC OA
- WinCC OA License Portal
  The SIMATIC WinCC Open Architecture License Portal streamlines license management with a modern, user-friendly interface and advanced features, launching in October 2025. This documentation offers comprehensive guidance, support resources, and step-by-step instructions to help users and administrators efficiently manage licenses and access essential materials.
  - License Portal Interface
    The License Portal Interface provides centralized access to group- and license management functions. Its intuitive layout allows users to navigate between groups, projects, and related administrative features efficiently.
  - Essential Skills
    To work successfully with the WinCC OA License Portal, you should be familiar with several key processes that ensure efficient license management and organizational clarity.
    - Login
      Log in to the WinCC OA License Portal as an invited user and explore your group overview and portal interface.
    - Create Group
      The Create Group feature in the WinCC OA License Portal enables you to organize licenses into structured groups and sub-groups for improved transparency and management. By building a hierarchical group structure, you can easily oversee and assign licenses to your WinCC OA servers. This process streamlines license administration and enhances clarity across your projects.
    - Create Project
      Projects in the WinCC OA License Portal are essential for organizing your containers efficiently. By creating projects within specific groups and subgroups, you keep your license structure clear and easy to manage.
    - Assign License to Virtual Container
      Assigning licenses to a virtual container in the WinCC OA License Portal enables pre-packaging of license options for remote deployment. This process streamlines license preparation for off-site technicians or service personnel, ensuring efficient and organized distribution.
    - Move License
      Moving licenses between projects in the WinCC OA License Portal allows you to efficiently reallocate resources as your needs change.
    - Remove License from Container
      Removing a user interface client license from a container in the WinCC OA License Portal allows you to make the license available for use in other projects. Follow these steps to ensure the license is properly released and ready for reassignment.
    - Activate Virtual Container and Assign to Real Container
      This task describes how to activate a virtual container and assign it to a real software container in the WinCC OA License Portal. Follow these steps to deploy the virtual container, confirm the assignment, and update the container details for your project.
    - Invite User
      Adding a new user to your group in the WinCC OA License Portal is a straightforward process that ensures team members are set up quickly and correctly.
    - Publish Changes
      Apply and synchronize your recent license management actions in the WinCC OA License Portal.
  - Additional Information
    Explore additional explanations of license states, essential licensing terms, and recommendations to optimize your licensing experience.
- Installation
  How to properly install WinCC OA.
- Docker Support
  An introduction on how to use WinCC OA within a Docker container, what specifics must be considered and where to find further information on the topic.
- Virtual Environment Support
  WinCC OA is used in very diverse computing environments, some of which are easier managed with the use of a enterprise virtualization software. Due to the good encapsulation and platform independence of WinCC OA, the use on a wide range of current versions of the most common virtualization products is possible. Our extensive, automated tests are provided via Proxmox and VMware(vSphere).
- WinCC OA Product Packaging
  Explains the file structure presented in the configuration bundles as well as some use cases with detailed descriptions
Security
Go beyond the norm in cybersecurity.
Engineering
Powerful tools for easy or complex engineering tasks.
Data Management
Classify, structure and archive your data.
Business Logic / Control
Endless possibilities in data processing for your projects.
Data Visualization
User interfaces, Trends and Reports for every purpose and device.
Southbound Interfaces
The process connection to the actual machines/sensors.
Northbound Interfaces
Your portal to the cloud or supervising systems.
Web Connectivity / Network Interfaces
Data exchange, APIs and web technologies
User Management
All about authorization, authentication and login-customization.
Availability
How to get your system uptime to the maximum.
Reporting
Create state of the art project reports without limits.
Addons
Useful tools and enhancements for special demands.
Reference Tables
Detailed and extensive content for special project adaptation.
Videos & Tutorials
Explore the capabilities of WinCC OA with our carefully selected collection of video tutorials and guides.
Documentation
Basic information about terms and functions within the documentation.
Support & Services
An experienced team of support agents, consultants and trainers are ready to facilitate active partnerships with our customers, so they can profit from our comprehensive service.
Disclaimer
A brief clarification of liability exclusions or legal notices.

Assign License to Virtual Container

Assigning licenses to a virtual container in the WinCC OA License Portal enables pre-packaging of license options for remote deployment. This process streamlines license preparation for off-site technicians or service personnel, ensuring efficient and organized distribution.

The assigned licenses are managed within the portal and are ready for deployment or further administration.

Select the project containing the available licenses.
For example, choose 'WinCC OA Server 1 Vienna' from your project list.
Access the License section within the selected project.
This section displays all licenses available for activation into a container.
Select the licenses you wish to assign.
You can select all licenses by clicking All or choose individual licenses by checking their boxes.
Initiate the assignment to a container.
If no CodeMeter container is detected on your PC, the portal will suggest creating a virtual container.
Create a new virtual container.
Click to add a virtual container. Name it (e.g., 'Package 1') and add a description (e.g., assign it to 'Steve' for remote work in Vienna).
Confirm the license assignment.
The system will prompt you to confirm assigning the selected licenses to the new virtual container. Confirm to proceed.
Verify the license status in your project.
The assigned licenses will no longer appear as available in the project. You can view them by removing the pre-filter; their status will now be Assigned and linked to the virtual container.
Review the new license container.
Navigate to the license container section to see your new virtual container, complete with a serial number and description. This ensures the intended recipient (e.g., Steve) can identify and deploy their licenses.

The selected licenses are now assigned to a virtual container, ready for deployment to remote personnel or for further management within the License Portal.