Glossary of Esri Software Licensing Terms

Listed below are licensing terms that will aid the Esri software user in understanding and applying licensing within the ArcGIS platform. Licensing information and lists of references regarding ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Student Evaluation, and ArcGIS Pro can be found in the Field Guide to Esri Licensing, which should be used in conjunction with this glossary in gaining familiarity with the licensing language.

A
ArcGIS Administrator: the utility installed with the ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS Engine software, which allows you to manage your license environment. You can define the product type, set a license manager, authorize single use licenses, see license availability, borrow and return concurrent use licenses, and repair licenses. (License Manager Guide - Glossary)

ArcGIS License Manager: FlexNet Publisher license management software must be installed to manage ArcGIS for Desktop Concurrent Use, ArcGIS Engine Concurrent Use, ArcInfo Workstation, and Esri CityEngine software. Details upon the version of FlexNet published used in each version of ArcGIS License Manager can be found in this Knowledge Base (Technical Article - 40861) article. In an enterprise environment, ArcGIS License Manager can also host and distribute enterprise single use licenses or ArcGIS Pro named user licenses via a Portal for ArcGIS instance. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Audit Log: captures license borrowing, returns, and enterprise single use authorization activity (License Manager Guide – Administering the License Manager – Viewing the Audit Log)

Authentication: the process of validating the identity of a user who logs on to a computer system, network, or Web site. (GIS Glossary – A)

Authorization: the process of installing license rights on a particular machine to unlock the ArcGIS software for use. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Authorization File: a file that contains single use or server product authorization data. Each authorization file contains information regarding the feature name, version number, time-out date, registration number, and authorization code. (GIS Glossary – A)

Authorization Response File (*.respc): a file that can be copied to the machine where ArcGIS for Desktop is installed and used to authorize ArcGIS for Desktop without a direct Internet connection. (Set up ArcGIS for Desktop – Installation Guide – Installing ArcGIS Desktop – Authorizing Your Software)

B
Backup License Servers: in the license management environment, client machines can be directed to multiple license servers to create a pseudo backup or failover environment. This allows these client machines to be redirected to a second license server with minimal downtime.


 * Note: To create a backup environment, you will need two separate license manager servers—Windows or Linux—each with the same version of the license manager installed. On the client machines, the failover is created by either using ArcGIS Administrator or setting an environment variable. (License Manager Guide – Advanced Topics – Failover License Servers)

Batch File: a text file containing commands that is sent to the CPU to be executed automatically. A batch file allows the central processing unit (CPU) to process the commands at off-peak times or at a regularly schedules time, rather than on demand from the user. (GIS Glossary – B)

Batch Processes: run in the background on a machine and check out one license per session. Batch processes include cron; execution of UNIX AT and BATCH commands; and redirect ( < ) with standard input, STDIN. (License Manager Guide – Advanced Topics – Batch Processes)

C
Citrix: is an American multinational software company founded in 1989 that provides server, application and desktop virtualization, networking, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and cloud computing technologies, including Xen open-source products. (GIS Wiki - Citrix Systems)

Client: a piece of computer hardware or software that accesses a service made available by a server. The server is often on another computer system, in which case the client accesses the service by way of a network. The term applies to programs or devices that are part of a client-server model. (GIS Wiki - Client)

Client-Server Model: a distributed computing structure that partitions tasks or workloads between the providers of a resource or service, called servers, and service requesters, called clients. (GIS Wiki – Client-Server Model)

COM Contract: the COM requirement that interfaces, once published, cannot be altered. (GIS Glossary – C)

COM Interface: a grouping of logically related virtual functions, implemented by a server object, allowing a client to interact with the server object. Interfaces form the basis of COM’s communication between objects and the basis of the COM contract. (GIS Glossary – C)

Component Object Model (COM): a binary standard that enables software components to interoperate in a networked environment regardless of the language in which they were developed. Developed by Microsoft, COM technology provides the underlying services of interface negotiation, life-cycle management (determining when an object can be removed from a system), licensing, and event handling. The ArcGIS system in created using COM objects. (GIS Glossary – C)

Concurrent Use License: a license environment where core products and extensions on client machines obtain and share licenses from a pool of available licenses that reside on a networked license manager. (License Manager Guider – Glossary)

Copyleft: the practice of offering people the right to freely distribute copies and modified versions of a work with the stipulation that the same rights be preserved in derivative works down the line. Copyleft is a form of licensing and copyright law, and can be used to maintain copyright conditions for works ranging from computer software, to documents, to art. (Wikipedia – Copyleft)

Credit: credits are the currency for ArcGIS online and are consumed by customers when using certain functions (services) or storing data in ArcGIS Online. Service credits are charged for services such as geocoding, routing, GeoEnrichment, storage and spatial analysis tools. The services which use credits can be accessed (incurring charges) through multiple client applications such as BAO, ArcGIS Online, ArcMap, and custom applications built using the SDK's.

Cron: the software utility Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. People who set up and maintain software environments use cron to schedule jobs (commands or shell scripts) to run periodically at fixed times, dates, or intervals. It typically automates system maintenance or administration – though its general-purpose nature makes it useful for things like connecting to the Internet and downloading email at regular intervals. (License Manager Guide – Advanced Topics – Batch Processes)

D
Daemon: a process or service that runs continuously in the background on your computer and is often designed to respond to requests from other processes across a network. The ArcGIS License Manager uses two daemons to function: lmgrd.exe and ARCGIS.exe. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Deauthorization: This is the removal of a software license that is tied to a particular machine. The process is used prior to transferring a license to a new machine. This may be utilized when a new machine is purchased to replace a currently authorized computer or if the license is to transfer to a new user’s machine under the same customer number or enterprise license agreement (ELA). Once deauthorized via Software Authorization Wizard, the software may be uninstalled, then authorized on the new machine. Deauthorization is permitted up to four times per year per license. (License Manager Guide – Getting Started – License Manager Installation Startup) and (ArcGIS 10 Licensing Concepts and Strategies)

Debug Log File: useful when troubleshooting the License Manager. Once created, this log file will contain information about License Manager errors. The debug log can be accessed from the Diagnostics panel in the License Server Administrator. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Deployment: the installation of a component or application on a target machine. (GIS Glossary - D)

E
End-User License Agreement (EULA): the contract between the licensor and purchaser, establishing the purchaser’s rights to use the software. The license may define ways under which the copy can be used, in addition to the automatic rights of the buyer including the first sale doctrine and 17 U.S.C. § 117 (freedom to use, archive, re-sale, and backup). (Esri - License Agreement)

Enterprise License Agreement (ELA): a contract in which the customer commits to a set fee to Esri for a specified period of time in exchange for a set of unlimited software and maintenance. Services and training are typically included. (Esri Enterprise License Agreement)

Enterprise Logins: configuring enterprise logins allows an organization's users to log into ArcGIS Online using the same logins that they use to access the enterprise's information systems.

Entitlement Pro Licenses: customers receive an equal amount of Pro licenses to the amount and license level of Desktop licenses. The customer must decide if these will be used in ArcGIS Online or Portal to ensure that users can access the licenses in the correct software.

Entitlement User: named users that are given to customers as part of their Desktop license.

Environment Variable: a variable maintained by the operating system and shared among programs. Environment variables function as placeholders for environment information, such as drive, path or file name. (GIS Glossary – E)

F
Failover: switching to a redundant or standyby computer server, system, hardware component or network upon the failure or abnormal termination of the previously active application, server, system, hardware component, or network. (Wikipedia - Failover)

Feature: a core product or extended functionality in the software defined by a unique license, for example, the ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced core product and the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

FlexNet Publisher: a software license manager from Flexera Software which implements license management and is intended to be used in corporate environments to provide floating licenses to multiple end users of computer software. (License Manager Guide – Getting Started – License Manager Installation and Startup)

Floating License: a software licensing approach in which a limited number of licenses for a software application are shared among a larger number of users over time. When an authorized user wishes to run the application, they request a license from a central license server. If a license is available, the license server allows the application to run. When they finish using the application, or when the allowed license expires, the license is reclaimed by the license server and made available to other authorized users. (ArcGIS 10 Licensing Concepts and Strategies)

G
Graphical User Interface (GUI): a type of interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and visual indicators such as secondary notation, as opposed to text-based interfaces, typed command labels or text navigation. (Wikipedia – Graphical User Interface)

Group: a collection of ArcWeb Services users who share the same activation code. Group members can transfer credits and share data. (GIS Glossary – G)

Group Administrator: the person who sets permissions for the members of an ArcWeb Services group and who is usually the chief contact for the organization. (GIS Glossary – G)

H
Host: in a computer network, the computer that contains data being accessed by other computers. (GIS Glossary – H)

Hosted Feaure Service: a dataset that is uploaded to ArcGIS Online to be used in a web map or web application. Hosted Feature Services can be tiled mapping services or feature access services.

Hardware Key: a small hardware device that provides the unique number used in the generation of a license file. The key is plugged into either the parallel or USB ports on the License Manager Server. UNIX users of ArcGIS software do not need a hardware key. Hardware keys are also called dongles. (GIS Glossary – H)

Hung License: occurs when either a computer program or system ceases to respond to inputs. (Wikipedia - Hang (computing))

I
Identity: with a unique, secure identity for ArcGIS, the user can unlock maps and apps that can be used on any device, anywhere. An identity opens the door to ArcGIS so that users can join groups, access resources, and share geographic information with other people.

J
JSON: acronym for JavaScript Object Notation. JSON is a lightweight, open standard format that uses human-readable text to transmit data objects consisting of attribute-value pairs. It is used primarily to transmit data between a server and web applications, as an alternative to XML. The ArcGIS web maps the user creates with ArcGIS online are stored in JSON format.

K
Keycode: a unique number in the feature line of a license or authorization file that controls access to software. Keycodes are based on a unique identifier. In ArcEditor Concurrent Use on Windows, for example, the hardware key number provides this unique identifier. The License Manager compares the keycodes in the license file and the unique identifier for a computer to allow access to the software. If the keycode and the unique identifier agree, then software access is granted. (GIS Glossary – K)

L
License: a set of software-based rights that authorize use of ArcGIS products or extensions on end-user machines. (License Manager Guide – Glossary) OR the grant to a party of the right to use a software package or component. A license differs from a sale in that the user does not necessarily purchase the software but is granted the legal right to use it. (GIS Glossary – L)

License Borrowing: allows users of ArcGIS for Desktop, ArcGIS Engine Runtime, and Esri CityEngine to temporarily take concurrent use licenses from the license manager and install them locally on their machines to use when off the network. (License Manager Guide – Administering the License Manager – Configuring License Borrowing)

License File: a file that contains License Manager license data. Each license file contains information such as the SERVER, ESRI_SENTINEL_KEY number (Windows only), Version, the number of seats, and so on. (GIS Glossary – L)

License Manager: a third party utility that holds, manages, and serves licenses to client machines when requested. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

License Server: a system that hosts the License Manager software and serves out licenses. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Licensing Functions (10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2): (ArcGIS Help 10.2, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2 – Desktop – Geoprocessing – Python – Accessing Licenses and Extensions in Python)


 * CheckExtension: checks to see if a license is available to be checked out for a specific type of extension.
 * Available: the requested license is available to be set.
 * Unavailable: the requested license is unavailable to be set.
 * NotLicensed: the requested license is not valid.
 * Failed: a system failure occurred during the request.
 * CheckInExtension: returns the license so other applications can use it.
 * Noninitialized: no desktop license has been set.
 * Failed: a system failure occurred during the request.
 * CheckedIn: the license has been returned successfully.
 * CheckOutExtension: retrieves the license.
 * Noninitialized: no desktop license has been set.
 * Unavailable: the requested license is unavailable to be set.
 * CheckedOut: successfully set the license.
 * CheckProduct: checks to see if the requested license is available.
 * AlreadyInitialized: license has already been set in the script.
 * Available: the requested license is available to be set.
 * Unavailable: the requested license is unavailable to be set.
 * NotLicensed: the requested license is not valid
 * Failed: a system failure occurred during the request.
 * ProductInfo: returns the current product license.
 * NonInitialized: no license has been set.
 * ArcInfo: an ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced license has been set.
 * ArcEditor: an ArcGIS for Desktop Standard license has been set.
 * ArcView: an ArcGIS for Desktop Basic license has been set.
 * ArcServer: an ArcGIS server license has been set.
 * EngineGeoDB: an EngineGeoDB license has been set.
 * Engine: an Engine license has been set.
 * SetProduct: defines the desktop license.
 * CheckedOut: successfully set the license.
 * AlreadyInitialized: license has already been set in the script.
 * NotLicensed: the requested license is not valid.
 * Failed: a system failure occurred during the request.

Linux: a Unix-like and mostly POSIX-compliant computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open-source software development and distribution. The defining component of Linux is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on 5 October 1991 by Linus Torvalds. It is the leading operating system on servers and other big iron systems such as mainframe computers and supercomputers, but is used on only 1.5% of desktop computers. Linux also runs on embedded systems, which are devices whose operating system is typically built into the firmware and is highly tailored to the system; this includes mobile phones, network routers, facility automation controls, televisions and video game consoles. (License Manager Guide – Getting Started – License Manager Installation and Startup) and (Wikipedia - Linux)

M
Maintenance License: a license that has a current maintenance contract with ESRI Customer Service. ESRI software users who have maintenance licenses are eligible for upgrade to the latest version of the software. (GIS Glossary – M)

Maintenance Renewal: the date a maintenance contract expires for a particular product. Multiple copies of the same product may expire on different dates. (GIS Glossary – M)

N
Named User: a specified user for running ArcGIS Pro through an ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS environment. Named users are specified by the administrator in the Manage Licenses portlet of the ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS Instance. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Network Card: a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network. Modern network interface controllers offer advanced features such as interrupt and DMA interfaces to the host processors, support for multiple receive and transmit queues, partitioning into multiple logical interfaces, and on-controller network traffic processing such as the TCP offload engine. (License Manager Guide – Getting Started – License Manager Installation and Startup)

O
Offline Authorization: used if the machine where ArcGIS for Desktop is installed does not have Internet connectivity. In this case, the authorization process creates a text file which can be uploaded to the Esri authorization server from an Internet-connected machine or can be sent in an email to Esri Customer Service to obtain an authorization response file (*.respc). This authorization response file can be copied to the machine where ArcGIS for Desktop is installed and used to authorize ArcGIS for Desktop without a direct Internet connection. (Set up ArcGIS for Desktop – Installation Guide – Installing ArcGIS Desktop – Authorizing Your Software)

Online Authorization: the Software Authorization Wizard connects directly to the Esri authorization site using secure sockets layer (SSL) from the deployed machine. Online authorization can be used if the machine on which the software has been installed is connected to the Internet and is able to connect to https://service.esri.com. Online authorization can be performed by directly entering the authorization code in the Software Authorization Wizard or by creating a provisioning file (*.prvc) at My Esri. (Set up ArcGIS for Desktop – Installation Guide – Installing ArcGIS Desktop – Authorizing Your Software)

Options File: allows the license administrator to control user access to licenses on the license manager. Currently, only concurrent use licenses support use of the options file; ArcGIS Pro named user licenses via Portal for ArcGIS are not supported. (License Manager Guide – Advanced Topics – The Options File)
 * Supported Options
 * DEBUGLOG: write debug log information for this vendor daemon to the specified file.
 * EXCLUDE: deny a user access to a feature.
 * EXCLUDE_ENTITLEMENT: deny a user the ability to activate single use licenses held on the license server.
 * EXCLUDEALL: deny a user access to all features served by the ARCGIS daemon.
 * GROUP: define a group of users for use with any options.
 * GROUPCASEINSENSITIVE: set the option to treat user names and host names as case sensitive or not.
 * HOST_GROUP: define a group of hosts for use with any options.
 * INCLUDE: allow a user to use a feature.
 * INCLUDE_ENTITLEMENT: allow a user to activate single use licenses held on the license server.
 * INCLUDEALL: allow a user to access all features served by the ARCGIS daemon.
 * LINGER: this causes licenses to be held by the vendor daemon for a specified period of time after the application checks them in or exits.
 * MAX: limit usage for a particular feature/group – prioritize usage among users.
 * NOLOG: turn off logging of certain items in the debug log file.
 * REPORTLOG: specifies the report log file for this vendor daemon. It is recommended to preceded the report_log_path with a + character to append logging entries *Note: this is not an available option for version 10.0 or 10.x
 * RESERVE: reserve licenses for a user or group of users/hosts.
 * TIMEOUT: this releases Hung licenses only, not inactive licenses.

Oracle: a database company that produces a relational database management system (also called Oracle), which allows data and other objects to be stored in tables. Oracle provides client/server access to data and uses indexes, sequences, and other database objects to facilitate rapid data creation, editing, and access. ESRI uses Oracles’s RDBMS to store vector and raster data for use by ArcSDE. (GIS Glossary – O)

Owner: in ArcWeb Services, the person responsible for creating and maintaining a layer or service. The owner determines who has access to the content and the content permissions. (GIS Glossary – O)

P
Permanent License: a license that has a time-out date listed as permanent, indicating that the license for a particular product does not expire. (GIS Glossary – P)

@ Function: this method is not constrained by architecture because a license server defined by @ communicates directly to the ARCGIS daemon through the specified TCP/IP port, working around the limitation of architecture-specific license files. The value is found in the SERVER line of the service.txt file in the License Manager installation path. The TCP/IP is indicated at the end of the SERVER line. The value is the name of your license manager. (License Manager Guide – Advanced Topics – Defining Port@Host to One or More License Servers)

Portal: a Web resource that provides access to a broad array of related resources and services.

Portal for ArcGIS: License Manager can be configured for use with an on-premise Portal for ArcGIS to allow ArcGIS Pro named user licenses to be served. Portal for ArcGIS manages the access of ArcGIS Pro sessions to specified named users where ArcGIS License Manager manages the number of named user sessions allowed, and the expiry of named user licenses per the maintenance agreement. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Product Activation: a license validation procedure required by some proprietary computer software programs. When the user installs the application it requests that the user enter their product serial number, and checks it with the vendor’s systems over the Internet. The application obtains the license limits that apply to that user’s license, such as a time limit or enabling of product features, from the vendor’s system and optionally also locks the license to the user’s system. One activated, the license continues working on the user’s machine with no further communication required with the vendor’s system. (Wikipedia – Product Activation)

Provisioning File a simple text file that can be used to prefill the authorization information in the Software Authorization Wizard to save time by avoiding manual entry. It is a useful way to deploy enterprise single use licenses in large organizations. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

R
Registration: the step in the install process during which users are required to contact ESRI Customer Service and notify them of their single use, server, or developer product registration number. (GIS Glossary – R)

Registration Number: a three-letter, nine-digit number (ABC123456789, for example) that authenticates software with ESRI. Every single use and server product, including their extensions or options, has a unique registration number. (GIS Glossary – R)

Registry: stores information about system configuration for a Windows machine. COM uses the registry extensively, storing details of COM components including ProgIDs and ClassIDs, file location of the binary code, marshalling information, and categories in which they participate. (GIS Glossary – R)

Registry File: a file containing information in Windows Registry format. Double-clicking a .reg file in Windows will enter the information in the file into the system registry. Often used to register components to component categories. (GIS Glossary – R)

Registry Key: container objects similar to folders that may contain values or further keys. Keys are referenced with a syntax similar to Windows’ path names, using backslashes to indicate levels of hierarchy. Keys must have a case insensitive name without backslashes. All Registry keys may be restricted by access control lists (ACL’s) depending on user privileges, or on security tokens acquired by applications, or on system security policies enforced by the system. (Wikipedia – Windows Registry)

Repair: used when too many identifiers are changed. The license technology uses multiple machine identifiers when authorizing on a specific machine. If you change the machine configuration by upgrading one or two components of the machine, the license should still be valid. Too many identifiers will trigger a “repair” request. Repairs, though uncommon, are available up to two times per year. (ArcGIS 10 Licensing Concepts and Strategies)

REST API: a platform used to develop ArcGIS Online web services. Using the ArcGIS REST API, the user can consume ready-to-use ArcGIS Online services hosted by Esri, consume services published by the user or by other organization's, publish web services, create and share items on ArcGIS Online or a private portal, and configure and automate parts of the ArcGIS system, such as ArcGIS for Server and Portal for ArcGIS.

Return: the process of returning borrowed concurrent use licenses to a license manager. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

S
Seat: in software licensing, the number of simultaneous instances of software that can be used at one time. Most often, seats represent software users at individual computers. Seats may, however, also represent the simultaneous number of servers or connections in use. (GIS Glossary – S)

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL): ensures that an organization's data as well as any temporary identification tokens that allow access to data are encrypted during communications over the Internet. Turning on SSL may affect the performance of the sire. SSL is intended for organizations that only access their own content or content from other SSL organizations. It is also possible for an organization to enable SSL and have its users access additional non-HTTPS content from outside the organization. However, not all applications support consuming maps with mixed content, and this may result in a compromised user experience in the various map viewers.

Server: a computer that manages shared resources, such as disks, printers, and databases, on a network. (GIS Glossary – S)

Server Product: products that can be used on one enterprise server machine. Each server product required a unique registration number used to generate the authorization file. The Software Authorization Wizard is then used to enter the authorization file and unlock the software for use. (GIS Glossary – S)

Simultaneous Session: more than one but limited to three, sessions of ArcGIS Pro run simultaneously by a named user. ArcGIS Pro named users are allowed up to three simultaneous sessions of ArcGIS Pro at any time, irrespective of running the software online or offline. Portal for ArcGIS manages the number of simultaneous sessions a user can have.


 * Note: Simultaneous sessions differ from concurrent use in that only specified named users can run ArcGIS Pro software. In the concurrent use environment, any installation of Desktop, Engine, or Esri CityEngine can access a concurrent use license if the License Manager is specified. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Single Use License: this license environment is where licenses for core products and extensions are authorized locally on the end-user machine. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Site License: a type of software license that allows the user to install a software package in several computers at a particular site or facility. Depending on the amount of fees paid, the license may be unlimited or may limit simultaneous access to a certain number of users. The latter is called a concurrent site license (Wikipedia - Site License)

Software as a Service (SaaS): ArcGIS Online uses a SaaS model for licensing and delivery.

Software Authorization Wizard: this utility allows users to install licenses on their machines from Esri Customer Service on product purchase or obtain enterprise single use licenses from an in-house license manager. (License Manager Guide – Glossary)

Software Metering: tracking and maintaining software licenses. One needs to make sure that only the allowed number of licenses are in use, and at the same time, that there are enough licenses for everyone using it. This can include monitoring of concurrent usage software for real-time enforcement of license limits. Such license monitoring usually includes when a license needs to be updated due to version changes or when upgrades or even rebates are possible.

T
TCP/IP: acronym for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. The most common protocol for Internet traffic. The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a communication protocol layered above the Internet Protocol (IP), which is a suite of nonproprietary communication protocols, or sets of rules, that allow computers to send and receive data over networks. (GIS Glossary – T)

Token: a line of encrypted code generated by an authenticating service that allows a client to access a Web service. In ArcWeb Services, a token must be regenerated by passing in a valid user name and password each time it expires. (GIS Glossary – T)

Trusted Storage: a secured, encrypted database which holds authorizations for ArcGIS for Desktop products.

U
UNIX: a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix. Unix systems are characterized by a modular design that is sometimes called the “Unix philosophy,” meaning that the operating system provides a set of simple tools that each perform a limited, well-defined function, with a unified filesystem as the main means of communication and a shell scripting and command language to combine the tools to perform complex workflows. (Wikipedia - Unix)

V
Verification: the process, using formal methods, of evaluating a system or software component to determine whether it satisfies the requirements imposed at the start of development. (GIS Glossary – V)

Version: in databases, an alternative state of the database that has an owner, a description, a permission (private, protected, or public), and a parent version. Versions are not affected by changes occurring in other versions of the database. (GIS Glossary – V)

W
Wizard: an interactive user interface that helps a software user complete a task one step at a time. Wizards are often implemented as a sequence of dialog boxes that the user can move through, filling in required details. Wizards are usually used to simplify long, difficult, or complex tasks. (GIS Glossary – W)