License management of field devices in a process control system

At least one non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause at least one processor circuit to at least:

• identify a field device of a plurality of field devices in a process control system;
• determine a first version of a license of the field device;
• and
• in response to a request to change the first version of the license to a second version of the license:
• compare the second version of the license to a current version of the license;
• cause the field device to use the second version of the license by enabling:
• (1) transmission of the second version of the license to the field device when (a) the second version of the license matches the current version of the license and (b) the field device is communicatively coupled to the processor circuitry;
• or
• (2) download of the second version of the license to a transportable memory device when (a) the second version of the license matches the current version of the license and (b) the field device is air-gapped relative to the processor circuitry;
• and
• cause the field device to use the current version by:
• denying either transmission of the second version of the license to the field device or download of the second version of the license to the transportable memory device when the second version does not match the current version;
• and
• enabling (1) transmission of the current version of the license to the field device when the field device is communicatively coupled to the processor circuitry;
• and (2) download of the current version of the license to the transportable memory device when the field device is air-gapped relative to the processor circuitry.

A method comprising:

• identifying a field device of a plurality of field devices in a process control system;
• determining a first version of a license of the field device;
• receiving a request to change the first version of the license to a second version of the license;
• comparing the second version of the license to a current version of the license;
• causing the field device to use the second version of the license by enabling, by executing instructions with a processor:
• (1) transmission of the second version of the license to the field device when (a) the second version of the license matches the current version of the license and (b) the field device is communicatively coupled to the processor circuitry;
• or
• (2) download of the second version of the license to a transportable memory device when (a) the second version of the license matches the current version of the license and (b) the field device is air-gapped relative to the processor circuitry;
• and
• causing the field device to use the current version by:
• denying, by executing instructions with the processor, either transmission of the second version of the license to the field device or download of the second version of the license to the transportable memory device when the second version does not match the current version;
• and
• enabling, by executing instructions with the processor, (1) transmission of the current version of the license to the field device when the field device is communicatively coupled to the processor circuitry;
• and (2) download of the current version of the license to the transportable memory device when the field device is air-gapped relative to the processor circuitry.