# Customer Key File Management

Capstorm licensing is implemented using a unique Customer Key. The purpose of a Customer Key is to uniquely identify a customer to the Capstorm licensing system, so the licensing system can implement policies unique to a customer.

The Customer Key is associated with a single organization’s use of Capstorm software and is used to determine which applications and features may be used.

## Obtaining and Installing a Customer Key

The only way to acquire a customer key is to contact your Account Executive or <sales@capstorm.com>. They will provide you with a customer key contained in a file named:

* CapstormCustomerKey.txt

You have a number of choices when determining where to install the customer key file:

![](/files/sRaYZLV8WMAVeSxEQZFQ)

### Option 1: A Directory At the Same Level as Capstorm Products

If you have followed [best practices](/best-practices/copystorm-directory-structure.md) and installed your Capstorm products in a directory structure like:

* /opt/Capstorm/CopyStorm/
* /opt/Capstorm/CopyStormRestore/
* /opt/Capstorm/CopyStormMedic/
* /opt/Capstorm/CapstormConfig/

The key file can be stored at:

* /opt/Capstorm/CapstormConfig/CapstormCustomerKey.txt

Once installed, all Capstorm applications will find it and use it.

### Option 2: Capstorm Product Directory

If the customer key file is stored in the root directory of any Capstorm application, the application will find it and use it when talking to the Capstorm license server.

For example, if CopyStorm is installed at “/opt/Capstorm/CopyStorm”, the key file can be stored at:

* /opt/Capstorm/CopyStorm/CapstormCustomerKey.txt

### Option 3: User Home Directory

The key file may also be installed in the user’s home directory:

* Windows: C:\Users\*Username\*\CapstormCustomerKey.txt
* Linux: /home/*Username*/CapstormCustomerKey.txt


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