Adobe® Creative Cloud for enterprise White Paper
Licensing and deploying
Adobe Creative Cloud for enterprise
Navigating the deployment and licensing options available to
Creative Cloud for enterprise organizations
Introduction
Enterprise organizations have two choices for deployment of Adobe Creative Cloud. These options are not mutually exclusive, but each has implications for enterprise users of Creative Cloud and their supporting IT staff. This white paper is intended to help you decide which method of deployment will be best for your organization.
Definitions
Named user deployment
Named user deployment refers to a software deployment where the user is associated with a license. This license is allocated from the Creative Cloud for enterprise member organization’s pool. Users log in with a credential upon starting Creative Cloud software, and this credential activates the software. In a named user deployment, two types of credentials can be used: an Adobe Enterprise ID or an Adobe ID. An Adobe Enterprise ID is hosted by Adobe and managed by the enterprise organization conducting the deployment. An Adobe ID is Adobe hosted and user managed. For an Adobe ID to be included in a named user
deployment, IT staff conducting the deployment must invite the Adobe ID, thereby granting the user access to the member organization’s entitlements..
Anonymous deployment (with serial numbers)
Anonymous deployment refers to a software deployment where a member organization’s serial numbers are installed into the software at package and deployment time. Software in this type of deployment does not have to be associated with a user. The license is valid for the device on which it is installed. This deployment method matches the way previous versions of Adobe’s creative applications were deployed. It allows for use of Creative Cloud applications, but users in this model do not have access to Creative Cloud services nor can their accounts be managed using the Adobe Enterprise Dashboard.
Adobe ID
Adobe ID refers to an authentication service that allows users access to Creative Cloud applications and services. The account itself is hosted by Adobe, but control of the account is managed by the user. Individual customers of Creative Cloud or Creative Cloud for teams have this type of account. Adobe ID accounts can be invited to use licenses and other entitlements by the IT team of a member organization. Users of these accounts have access to whichever applications and services their Adobe ID originally had access, in addition to whatever entitlements the member organization grants them. This account is appropriate for free-lancers and other temporary or loosely affiliated employees who need access to organization-provided software, storage or service, and already have access to a Creative Cloud membership. Table of contents 1: Introduction 1: Definitions 2: Comparison of deployment choices 2: Anonymous deployment 3: Named user deployment 5: Summary 5: Conclusion
Adobe Enterprise ID
Adobe Enterprise ID refers to an authentication service that allows users access to Creative Cloud
applications and services. The account itself is hosted by Adobe, but in contrast to Adobe ID, control of the account is managed by the IT staff of the Creative Cloud for enterprise member organization.
Adobe Enterprise ID accounts are appropriate for full-time staff members of a member organization. These accounts require setup by IT staff using the Adobe Enterprise Dashboard. IT Staff must enter user
information like names and email addresses for these accounts. The accounts only have access to the Creative Cloud applications and services that IT staff grant to them.
Creative Cloud services
Creative Cloud services refer to a number of Adobe-hosted services that Creative Cloud users can access. Access to these services is determined by the ETLA terms. As of May 2014, they include:
• Individual Storage and Sync/Store/Share • Sync Settings
• Adobe Story CC Plus • Kuler
• Edge Inspect
• Typekit Desktop Font Sync • PhoneGap Build
• Behance • Behance ProSite
More cloud services may be added in the future.
Creative Cloud storage
Creative Cloud storage refers to optional cloud storage space hosted by Adobe and available to Creative Cloud customers. It is accessible through the website http://creative.adobe.com. Additionally, users may choose to sync the contents of a specially designated folder on their computers to Creative Cloud storage.
Creative Cloud Packager
Creative Cloud Packager is an IT tool that allows administrators to create packages containing Creative Cloud apps, services, and updates. These packages can then be deployed to the users’ machines in member organizations.
Adobe Enterprise Dashboard
Adobe Enterprise Dashboard is an online tool, hosted by Adobe, that allows IT staff to create and manage Adobe Enterprise ID accounts, configure storage and grant access to Creative Cloud applications and services, as well as entitlements. It also provides access to Help and Support for issues concerning licensing, deployment, and account management.
Creative Cloud Desktop
Creative Cloud Desktop is an application that runs on user systems. It manages the syncing and sharing of information used in Creative Cloud Services. It delivers notifications for shared file updates and other service broadcasts, along with keeping a record of these notifications.
Creative Cloud applications
Comparison of deployment choices
There are two major choices to make for deployment and each comes with a set of trade-offs. The next two sections will explore those trade-offs. It’s important to note that these choices can coexist within the same organization.
Anonymous deployment (with serial number)
Installation
An IT staff member creates an anonymous deployment package by using the Creative Cloud Packager and choosing “Serial Number License” This creates an installation package of Creative Cloud applications that includes the organization’s serial number.
This process is the same as deployments for previous versions of Creative Cloud for enterprise and Adobe Creative Suite.
Services
No Creative Cloud services are available as part of an anonymous deployment.
Administration
No administration is required for user accounts under this model. Users get access to the software by having access to a device that has a valid serial number embedded into it.
User experience
Users open the desired application on a licensed device and the applications starts up without requiring a login.
Security
Creative Cloud applications cannot access Creative Cloud services under this type of deployment.
Named user deployment
Installation
IT staff installation
An IT staff member creates a named user deployment package by using Creative Cloud Packager and choosing “Named License.” This creates an installation package of Creative Cloud applications that will prompt users to login with their Adobe IDs or Adobe Enterprise IDs in order to activate the local installation of Creative Cloud applications.
Self-service installation
Alternatively,, organizations favoring a less centralized strategy can take advantage of the self-service option for installations. Users who are administrators on their own systems can download and install Creative Cloud from the Adobe.com website. They can then use their Creative Cloud for enterprise credentials to use Creative Cloud applications and services as well as access cloud storage.
Services
Named user deployment is a prerequisite for users to take advantage of Creative Cloud services. Access to these services requires that the member organization purchased them as part of their ETLA.
Administration
Named user deployment allows access to a member organization’s tools and services using either an Adobe ID or an Adobe Enterprise ID. Access is granted by IT staff using the Adobe Enterprise Dashboard. There are two ways that administrators can include users in their Creative Cloud for enterprise plan.
Using an Adobe ID
In this scenario, IT staff can invite users with existing Adobe IDs into their Creative Cloud for enterprise plan.
Once user are included in the organization’s deployment, IT staff can grant access to software and services entitlements. The most likely use of this scenario in Creative Cloud for enterprise is for granting access to specific creative applications to a freelance or contract employee.
Using an Adobe Enterprise ID
In this scenario, IT staff can create a user account in their organization. Once the account is included in the organization’s deployment, IT staff can grant access to software and services entitlements. Regular full-time staff would likely be set up in this manner.
IT staff have the ability to remove entitlements as well as reset the password of an Adobe Enterprise ID. Doing so allows IT staff to take over a user’s account and access files stored in the user’s Creative Cloud storage in the event of a user leaving the organization.
User experience
When a Creative Cloud user starts any Creative Cloud application for the first time, the user is prompted to sign in to Creative Cloud.
Security
Creative Cloud applications communicate with Adobe licensing services for the purpose of exchanging licensing information. The initial authentication prompts a login, requiring users to enter their Adobe Enterprise ID or Adobe ID and password for authentication. After this initial activation, users remain logged in. Additionally, applications perform a license status check periodically (every 30 days) to confirm authentication. Missed status checks have a 99-day grace period during which license status checks continue daily until successful or until 99 days have elapsed. After 99 days have elapsed without a login, the applications do not run. Connecting to the Internet and logging in restores access to the applications.
Adobe, the Adobe logo, Behance, Creative Cloud, the Creative Cloud logo, Creative Suite, Illustrator, InDesign, Kuler, PhoneGap, PhoneGap Build, and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their Using Creative Cloud Storage with Sync/Store/Share enabled causes user files, in selected folders to be synced to storage on Adobe-controlled servers.
Summary
This table summarizes the differences between the two types of deployment.
Anonymous deployment Named user deployment Clients require Internet
connection
No
Clients are not required to check into Adobe licensing services.
Yes
Clients must check in with Adobe licensing services periodically. Users require administration No
User administration is not required.
Yes
Users must either be invited or created by IT staff.
Users must authenticate No
Users don’t have to log in.
Yes
Users must log in the first time they use Creative Cloud applications. Users have access to
Creative Cloud services
No
Users have no access to Creative Cloud services.
Yes
Users with accounts can access Creative Cloud services.
Conclusion
The two options for deployment provided by Adobe — anonymous and named user — are not mutually exclusive. Your organization can start with anonymous deployment to proceed the way you are familiar with, while you pilot groups of named user deployments. Contact Enterprise Support through the Adobe Enterprise Dashboard if you need further assistance or have questions.
