Update to Adobe application licensing technology (enterprise)

[plugsnpixels]

Anybody heard about this or seen its ramifications discussed online? It was announced May 8 but I just got the word... I work in higher ed IT where we use Adobe CC 2018.
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Adobe is updating its application licensing technology to better support the increased integration of cloud services and desktop applications.
All new versions of Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Document Cloud (Acrobat), eLearning (Adobe Captivate, Adobe Presenter) and Technical Communication products (Adobe Framemaker, Adobe Robohelp), as well as Adobe ColdFusion released as part of this update, will no longer be activated using serial numbers.

We plan to release Adobe products, applications, and services using the updated licensing technology starting in late 2018. The rollout is planned as follows:
• Creative Cloud for enterprise: late 2018
• Acrobat and Document Cloud for enterprise: late 2018
• eLearning and Technical Communication products: early 2019
• ColdFusion: early 2020

Action Required
Any software application deployed to faculty, staff, or students via a serial number must transition to named user licensing.
For multi-user lab environments, we plan on providing a solution in early 2019. Until that solution is available you may continue to use serial numbers, however, your existing serial numbers will not provide access to the most recent versions based on the updated licensing technology.

Benefits
The benefits of the updated application licensing technology and named- and multi-user licensing for your IT department include:
• Increased network security, which provides the ability to examine and validate all licensing traffic from your networks to Adobe at your institutional firewall.
• Support for modern OS and App platforms, including Apple Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
• Access to the latest desktop apps, new apps (e.g., Adobe XD and Adobe Dimension), and cloud collaboration services to enable personalized experiences and increased collaboration – including in labs.
• The ability to entitle and manage all licensing from a single web console, called the Adobe Admin Console.
• Uninterrupted access to applications due to serial number elimination.
• Integration with a range of identity systems, including Active Directory.

Key changes and dates by solution:

Adobe Solution
Serial numbers no longer issued
Latest apps on updated licensing technology
Serial numbers End of Life
Creative Cloud for enterprise
January 2017
Late 2018
Starting end 2019
Acrobat and Document Cloud for enterprise
September 2017
Late 2018
Starting spring 2020
eLearning and Technical Communication products
July 2018
Early 2019
Starting spring 2021
ColdFusion
Spring 2019
Early 2020
Starting spring 2021

[russellsnr]

Now why did I stop using Adobe after P/S CS6?

[loosecanon]

I am so pleased they are implementing this for our benefit rather than to reduce fraud abd make more money for Adobe.

On the other hand maybe soon colleges will teach the use of alternative software which is the key step for Adobe to lose thier monopoly.

[plugsnpixels]

I was thinking that too, if Adobe is not used in schools for this or some other reason, students will be using and getting "hooked" on other titles.

[Manfred M]

I was thinking that too, if Adobe is not used in schools for this or some other reason, students will be using and getting "hooked" on other titles.

Actually it works the other way 'round. Courses are offered when there is sufficient demand on a subject. I have yet to see courses on any office suite other than MS Office for exactly the same reason; it's the software everyone uses.

Adobe is in very much the same position; it offers a complete "package" for the graphic arts; drawing, photo editing, electronic publishing, video editing, compositing, etc. Much like the MS Office solution, the Create Cloud Suite offers a full scale solution that is even more extensive than MS Office. With the possible exception of Corel, there is no other integrated solution provider out there.

Back in the day when Apple's Final Cut Pro was the main video editing suit in use, this was being taught, but with Apple's disastrous launch of Final Cut Pro X, they pretty well exited the pro market and courses on that suit are much more difficult to find. Adobe Premiere Pro and Avid Media Composer have taken over as the software being taught.

[plugsnpixels]

I understand, and ironically enough, in some cases I argue for certain classes to use the Adobe collection we already have rather than pursue other even more annoying to acquire and maintain apps such as those from Avid (PITA to deal with).

From what I read in what I quoted above, there will be an enterprise solution, but lets hope it works better than Adobe's current installers (did you ever get bit by the expiring certificate bug in the 2017 collection?).

[Manfred M]

From what I read in what I quoted above, there will be an enterprise solution

My experience with Adobe in an enterprise environment was not good, but in my view that was as much a problem with the IT department's inexperience with the Adobe solution than anything else. We had perhaps a couple of dozen Adobe users and thousands of MS product users. Guess who got priority.

[plugsnpixels]

I've got 400 Macs to take care of (just about to hit 20 years!). We have a person who does our Adobe installer builds (which I understand is lots of fun – not!).

We also make use of the "Microsoft solution"... Office 365, Outlook, etc., even on the Macs.

[RandyRFJP]

I also work in higher education. During my last subscription year I had my own Creative Cloud license, I purchased through some arrangement between the university and Adobe for, if I remember correctly, $15. This subscription year I have a free license because the university became an enterprise client. There was a problem, however, in getting access to the My Portfolio app. I could view the portfolio, but I couldn't modify it. It was because I was still signed in with my Adobe ID from the previous year, rather than with my university enterprise ID. It took a few service agents to figure out that was the problem, but all is good now.