The invention relates to a furnace for firing products to be fired, in particular dental ceramics, comprising a control unit for controlling the furnace. The control unit has a release portion which can be activated be means of an individualized control command, in particular be means of an encoded activation code. The release portion is designed such that one or more firing processes can be carried out in an activated state of the release portion and no firing processes can be carried out in a deactivated state of the release portion.