License activation is necessary when you distribute an application that will be locked to a particular end user's machine, or when the expiration date depends on the activation date. Otherwise, license activation is not usually necessary.
Fully automating license activation
We highly recommend using LM-X together with License Activation Center (LAC) for the ultimate solution to license activation, particularly for managing greater numbers of activations.
LAC provides an efficient license activation solution that lets you quickly and easily generate licenses and activation keys for end users. LAC gives end users a means to activate their own licenses, without your intervention.
You can also activate your license manually, or partially automate your license activation, as described in Different approaches to license activation.