Newbie - dev. key capabilities / uses

Newbie questions...

Any documentation or guidelines for capabilities of using development key remotely to make changes to IFIX running production equipment. I have seen many ebooks but not on using development key.

I have a machine with a dev key running IFIX 4.0. I can access production machines over the network to make changes. I have modify the Tag databases in run mode. I can open pictures of production machines across the network, while they are in run mode and make changes. Just because I can and have, and not been burnt, is this the proper use for a dev key?

Thanks in advance for pointing me in the right direction.