Ok even that part of applying a license is becoming a tremendous confusing complexity of all issue. That is the truth.
1/ Running a SAS-base (foundation) there is a setinit being applied that is ( one of the many) license protections.
To view and update that information you can use "proc setitnit". When you get the SID you can recognize that as some part of it.
2/ The SID is coming in for the installation with usage of that special "software depot" to be able to use that you to update that one.
3/ With some/several Solutions there is the license being registered in the SAS-metadata. The midtier solutions of SAS can check that one.
4/ Additional tools like LSF and SPD (server) have their own license with a connection by the sid in the same way.
5/ Yep it can be copied to some SASHOME\... location so an additional check can be made is possible,
Someone claiming the deployment of SAS (see gartner BI/Analytic reports feb 2015) would be easy is not knowing the real situation
Check the product/version you have and use those instructions guidelines until you know all of the SAS products how they are related.
---->-- ja karman --<-----