H3C VSR & vBRAS & vLNS Series Products Licensing Guide-6W101

HomeSupportNFVH3C VSRInstall & UpgradeLicensing GuidesH3C VSR & vBRAS & vLNS Series Products Licensing Guide-6W101
Download Book

 

H3C VSR & vBRAS & vLNS Series Products

Licensing Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2021-2022 New H3C Technologies Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.

No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written consent of New H3C Technologies Co., Ltd.

Except for the trademarks of New H3C Technologies Co., Ltd., any trademarks that may be mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

The information in this document is subject to change without notice.


Contents

Overview· 1

Obtaining information about license-based features· 1

License types· 1

Preinstalled licenses· 1

Trial licenses· 2

Formal licenses· 2

Concepts· 2

Licensing methods· 3

Technical support 4

Local licensing· 5

About local licensing· 5

Restrictions and guidelines: Local licensing management 5

Management operation restrictions and guidelines· 5

File operation restrictions· 6

Registering and installing a license· 6

Licensing requirements· 7

Obtaining a license key· 8

Identifying the license storage on the device· 8

Compressing the license storage on the device· 9

Obtaining device information from the device· 9

Requesting an activation key or activation file on H3C License Management Platform·· 10

Installing an activation key or activation file on the device· 16

Viewing license information· 17

Remote licensing· 18

About remote licensing· 18

Restrictions and guidelines: Remote licensing· 18

Management operation restrictions and guidelines· 18

File operation restrictions· 19

Registering and installing a license· 19

License registration and installation flowchart 19

Preparation· 20

Obtaining license keys· 21

Obtaining the DID file of the license server 21

Requesting an activation file on H3C License Management Platform·· 21

Installing an activation file and distributing licenses· 28

Configuring a license client to obtain licenses from the license server 28

Viewing license information· 28

Appendix A  FAQ·· 30

License activation· 30

Q: What is a license key and what is an activation key or activation file?· 30

Q: Can I install the license for a feature only on one member device in an IRF fabric?· 30

Q: Can I modify the system time of the device after a license is installed?· 30

Q: Might the DID file for the device change? What impact does a DID file change have?· 30

Q: Do I need to purchase and install new licenses for licensed features on the device after a software upgrade?  31

Q: Will activated license activation files be lost after the device reboots or the device software upgrades?  31

Q: What hardware changes on the license server will cause license invalidation?· 31

Q: How do I deal with license invalidation caused by hardware changes on the license server?· 31

 


Overview

H3C offers licensing options for you to deploy features and expand resource capacity on an as needed basis. To use license-based features, you must purchase licenses from H3C and install the licenses.

Obtaining information about license-based features

To obtain information about license-based features, their licensing status, and license availability, execute the display license feature command on the device. Then, you can purchase and install licenses as needed.

Figure 1 displays a sample output from the display license feature command:

Figure 1 Sample output from the display license feature command

 

License types

H3C offers preinstalled, trial (or temporary), and formal licenses. Support for preinstalled and trial licenses varies by product. For more information about the license options available for a product, see the license matrixes document for that product.

Preinstalled licenses

Preinstalled licenses are built into a system and are available for use on initial startup of the system. Users do not need to activate them.

A preinstalled license is typically time limited.

When a preinstalled license expires, the license-based feature becomes unavailable. To continue to use the feature, you must purchase and install a formal license for it.

Trial licenses

Trial licenses are provided for you to verify the functionality of premium features so you can make an educated purchase decision.

A trial license is time limited.

When a trial license expires, the license-based feature becomes unavailable. To continue to use the feature, you must purchase and install a formal license for it.

To obtain a trial license for a feature:

1.     Contact your H3C sales representative or technical support.

2.     Register the trial license key with H3C License Management Platform to obtain an activation key or file.

3.     Install the activation key or file to activate the feature.

Formal licenses

To gain most from a license-based feature, purchase a formal license for it.

Formal licenses are available with different validity periods. For more information, see the license matrixes document for the product.

To install a formal license for a feature:

1.     Purchase a software license certificate through an official channel.

2.     Access H3C License Management Platform, and then enter the license key in the certificate and the required device information to obtain an activation key or activation file.

3.     Install the activation key or activation file in the target system.

Concepts

The following information describes the basic concepts that you might encounter when you register, install, and manage licenses.

H3C License Management Platform

H3C License Management Platform provides product licensing services for H3C customers. You can access this system to obtain license activation key or file.

H3C License Management Platform is accessible at  https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Online_Help/License_Service/.

Software license certificate

A software license certificate allows users to use a license-based feature. It contains license key, license capacity, and other information.

License key

A license key uniquely identifies a license.

·     To obtain a formal license key, purchase a software license certificate. The authorization serial number in the software license certificate is the license key.

·     To obtain a trial license key, contact your H3C sales representative or H3C technical support. Support for trial licenses depends on the product model. For more information, see the license matrixes document for the product.

Device ID (DID) and DID file

A DID is a string of characters that uniquely identifies a hardware device. A DID file stores the DID and other information. The product comes with a DID or DID file. You must provide the DID or DID file when you request a license for the device on H3C License Management Platform.

A DID file is also referred to as a device information file in this document.

Activation key and activation file

An activation key (AK) or activation file (AF) binds a license to a system.

To use a license-based feature on a system, you must perform the following tasks:

1.     Use the license key and the system’s DID information to obtain an activation key or file from H3C License Management Platform.

2.     Install the activation key or file on the system.

License storage

License storage is a persistent storage for storing licensing information. This information includes the licensing state, licensing time, and other related information.

Data in the license storage persists through reboot. This ensures licensing accuracy and continuity.

Stateful failover deployment

A failover deployment contains one master node and one backup node for node redundancy.

In a stateful failover deployment, the backup node instantly backs up data from the master node so the master can take over immediately after the master node fails.

Stateful failover is also called management high availability (HA) or hot backup. The master and backup nodes in a failover pair are also called primary and secondary nodes, respectively.

Licensing methods

The system supports local licensing and remote licensing.

·     With local licensing, you install and manage licenses on the device.

·     With remote licensing, you install and manage licenses on a license server, which allocates licenses to its license clients (nodes on the network).

Local licensing is suitable for small-sized networks, and remote licensing is suitable for large-sized networks, as shown in Table 1.

To identify the support of your device for the licensing methods, verify the availability of the following commands:

·     If the display license device-id command is available, the product supports local licensing.

·     If the display license device client command is available, the product supports remote licensing.

·     If both commands are available, the product supports both local licensing and remote licensing.

Table 1 Licensing methods

Licensing method

License

installed on

License

used on

Applicable scenarios

Local licensing

Local device

Local device

Applicable to small-sized network.

You must activate licenses device by device.

Remote licensing

H3C license server

License clients

Applicable to large-sized network.

You activate licenses on the license server, which then automatically assigns licenses to its clients either proactively or on request.

 

Technical support

To obtain assistance, contact H3C by email or phone or access documents at the H3C website.

·     Email:

¡     China: service@h3c.com

¡     Hongkong, China: service_hk@h3c.com

¡     Other countries or regions: h3cts@h3c.com

·     Technical support hotline:

To find contacts for your local area, access the H3C global contacts page at https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Online_Help/Service_Hotlines/

·     Website: http://www.h3c.com

 


Local licensing

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

The command output in this document is for illustration only. The actual command output varies by device model.

 

About local licensing

Local licensing requires license activation device by device. It is applicable to small-sized networks.

To install a license on a device:

1.     Obtain the license key and the DID information of the device.

2.     Access H3C License Management Platform to request an activation key or activation file based on the license key and the device's DID information.

3.     Install the activation key or activation file on the device to activate the license.

The activation key or file for a license is device locked. You cannot install the activation key or activation file for one device to activate the license on another device.

Figure 2 Local licensing procedure

 

 

 

NOTE:

Support for local licensing depends on the device model. To identify the support of a device for local licensing, access the CLI of the device, and then execute the display license device-id command. If this command is available, the device supports local licensing.

 

Restrictions and guidelines: Local licensing management

Management operation restrictions and guidelines

·     Purchase licenses from H3C authorized channels.

·     To identify the validity periods of the licenses that have been installed on the device, execute the display license command. If the license for a feature is time limited, install a new license for the feature before the old license expires.

Figure 3 Sample output from the display license command

 

·     Licenses are typically device locked. To ensure a successful licensing, use the following licensing guidelines:

a.     When you purchase a license certificate, verify the following items:

-     Make sure the license is compatible with the target device.

-     Make sure its licensed functionality and capacity meet your requirements.

b.     When you obtain an activation key or file, make sure the provided license key and hardware information are correct.

c.     Install the activation key or file on the correct target device.

·     Make sure no one else is performing license management tasks while you are managing licenses on the device.

·     Unless otherwise stated, all character strings entered on H3C License Management Platform are case sensitive. As a best practice to ensure a successful licensing, copy and paste license keys and values for other critical fields as long as possible.

File operation restrictions

When you operate DID files or activation files, follow these restrictions and guidelines:

·     To avoid licensing error, do not modify the file name or edit the file content.

·     Before you install an activation file, download the activation file to the storage media of the device such as flash memory or CF card. When installing an activation file, the device automatically copies the activation file to the license folder in the root directory of the storage media. The license folder stores important files for licensing. For licensed features to function correctly, do not delete or modify the license folder or the files in this folder.

Registering and installing a license

The procedures for registering and installing formal licenses and trial licenses are the same. Figure 4 shows the licensing procedure.

Figure 4 Licensing procedure

 

Licensing requirements

Single-node deployment

You must purchase, register, and install licenses on a per-device basis.

IRF or 1+N node redundancy deployment

In an IRF or 1+N node redundancy deployment, only the licenses installed on the current master node are used. For a license-based feature to take effect after a master/standby switchover, you must purchase, apply for, and install a license of the same specification on each of the member node or IRF member device. The license installation requirements and license installation procedures are the same across the member devices.

1+N node redundancy deployment contains one master device and N backup devices, for example, a stateful failover deployment. The master device processes services. When the master device fails, a backup device immediately takes over to ensure service continuity.

Obtaining a license key

After you obtain a license key, back up it and keep the backup license key in a safe place for future use.

Obtaining a formal license key

1.     Log in to the CLI of the device and execute the display license feature command in any view to identify features that require licensing.

Figure 5  Sample output from the display license feature command

 

2.     To use a license-based feature, purchase a software license certificate for it. The authorization serial number in the software license certificate is the license key.

Obtaining a trial license key

If you need a trial license key to verify the functionality of a feature before you making a purchase decision, contact your H3C sales representative or H3C Support.

Identifying the license storage on the device

To identify the free space of the license storage, execute the display license feature command in any view.

From the command output, view the Total and Usage fields to examine whether the remaining license storage is sufficient for installing new licenses. If the remaining license storage is not sufficient, compress the license storage.

Figure 6 Identifying the license storage

 

Compressing the license storage on the device

About this task

The license storage stores licensing information and has a fixed size.

Before requesting an activation key or activation file, you compress the license storage to delete expired license information to ensure sufficient storage space for installing new licenses.

If no licenses have been installed on the device, you do not need to compress the license storage.

Restrictions and guidelines

If expired licenses exist on the device, the compression operation will make the DID change. You will be unable to install the activation key or activation file obtained by using the old DID on the device. As a best practice, install all activation keys or activation files registered with the old DID before performing a compression.

If you have not installed an activation key or activation file registered with the old DID, take the following actions:

·     If the license storage is sufficient, install the activation key or activation file on the device. For more information, see "Installing an activation key or activation file on the device."

·     If the license storage is insufficient and the activation key or activation file cannot be installed after the compression, contact H3C Support.

Procedure

1.     Execute the system-view command to enter system view.

2.     Execute the license compress command to compress the license storage.

Obtaining device information from the device

Device information is required for license registration on H3C License Management Platform.

To obtain required information for license registration from CLI, log in to the CLI of a device and obtain the DID or DID file. You can execute the display license device-id command in any view to obtain the value of the Device ID field.

·     If the field value is a string of characters, the device supports the DID. You can copy the DID for future use.

Figure 7 Obtaining the DID

 

·     If the field value is a file name, the device supports the DID file. Use FTP or TFTP to upload the DID file to the PC. If FTP is used to transfer the DID file, use the Binary mode.

Figure 8 Obtaining the DID file

 

Requesting an activation key or activation file on H3C License Management Platform

About this task

On H3C License Management Platform, you can use one of the following methods to request an activation key or activation file:

·     Bind one license key to one device in one request.

·     Bind multiple license keys to one device or multiple devices in one request.

Adding license keys

1.     Open a Web browser and access H3C License Management Platform at https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Online_Help/License_Service/.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

As a best practice, use Chrome 62 or above, IE 10 or above, or Firefox 60 or above.

 

2.     Access the License Activation Requests page as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9 License Activation Requests page

 

3.     Use one of the following methods to add license keys:

¡     To add license keys one by one:

# Enter or copy and paste a complete license key in the empty License Key box as shown in Figure 9, and then click Search & Add. The platform will automatically obtain the information associated with the license key.

# Repeat this step to add multiple license keys.

¡     To add license keys by uploading the QR code images for the license keys:

# Click the  icon next to the License Key box as shown in Figure 9, and then upload the QR code image for a license key as shown in Figure 10.

# Click Search & Add in Figure 9. The platform will automatically obtain the information associated with the QR code image.

# Repeat this step to add multiple license keys.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

Make sure the uploaded image is complete and clear for the platform to correctly recognize it.

 

Figure 10 Uploading the QR code image for a license key

 

¡     To add license keys in bulk:

# As shown in Figure 9, click Import & Add.

# In the dialog box that opens, you can use one of the following methods to import license keys in bulk to H3C License Management Platform:

-     Click the Download Excel License Key Import Template link to download the Excel license key import template, as shown in Figure 11. The contents in the template are as shown in Figure 12. Enter license keys in the template, save the template, and then upload it to the platform. The license keys in the template are all imported to the platform.

-     Click Select as shown in Figure 11 to upload a license key list file to the platform if an electronic license key list file is available. The license keys in the file are all imported to the platform.

Figure 11 Uploading a file

 

Figure 12 Contents in the Excel license key import template

 

4.     Select license keys to be activated, and then click Next, as shown in Figure 13.

Figure 13 Finishing adding license keys

 

Binding license keys to devices

1.     Verify that the license keys to be activated are all added.

¡     To add a license key on the page as shown in Figure 14:

-     Click Add.

-     Enter or copy and paste a complete license key in the License Key column, or click the  icon in the column to upload the QR code image for a license key.

-     Click the plus icon (+) to add the license key.

¡     To remove a license key, select that license key, and then click Remove.

Figure 14 Adding or removing license keys

 

2.     Enter device information as instructed by H3C License Management Platform:

To obtain device information, use the method as described in "Obtaining device information from the device."

Use one of the following methods to bind license keys to devices:

¡     To bind one license key to one device:

# Click the  icon next to the Custom device ID box in the license key entry, as shown in Figure 14.

# In the dialog box that opens, set the device ID and upload the device information file of the device as instructed, and then click Yes.

Figure 15 Entering device information

 

# Repeat the steps to bind multiple license keys to different devices.

¡     To bind multiple license keys to the same device:

# Select the license keys on the page as shown in Figure 14, and then click Bulk Bind.

# In the dialog box that opens, set the device ID, upload the device information file of the device, and then click Yes.

¡     To add license key and device bindings in bulk:

-     Select the target license keys as shown in Figure 14, and then click Export to export the selected license keys to an excel file.

-     Open the excel file, and then enter device information for each license key.

-     Click Import to import the Excel file.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

·     The custom device ID field is optional. The value for this field is user defined, and it is used to identify a device. As a best practice to facilitate device management and location, use the combination of the device model, IP address, physical position, and other information as the custom device ID. This custom device ID takes effect only on the current license activation request. It cannot take effect after you leave the license activation request page and re-open the page. If you do not define a custom device ID, the device automatically defines it.

·     When you add license key and device bindings in bulk, some devices do not support importing or exporting device information because they require device information files for license key binding. The exported Excel file contains information to help you identify such devices.

 

3.     Review the bindings carefully.

Each license key will be locked to the device to which each of them is bound.

4.     Make sure you understand the impact of the binding operation. Select the option that explicitly states so, and then click Next, as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16 Finishing binding license keys to devices

 

Specifying user information

As shown in Figure 17, enter user information, and then click Next. Table 2 describes the parameters.

Figure 17 Entering user information

 

Table 2 User information configuration parameters

Parameter

Description

End Customer Company/Organization

(Required.) Company or organization that uses the licenses.

Your Company/Organization

(Required.) Company or organization with which the license applicant works.

Contact Person

(Required.) Name of the contact person.

Phone Number

(Required.) Contact phone number.

Email Address

(Required.) Contact email address.

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT:

H3C License Management Platform will send the generated activation keys or activation files to this email address. Make sure the email address is correct and available.

Zip/Postal Code

(Optional.) Zip code or postal code for the contact address.

Address

(Optional.) Contact address.

Project Name

(Optional.) Project name.

Verification Code

(Required.) The verification code is case insensitive.

 

Reviewing information and activating the licenses

1.     Review the license key and device information, select I accept all terms and conditions of H3C License Service Portal Legal Statement, and then click Confirm & Activate, as shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18 Reviewing information and activating the licenses

 

2.     Double-check the license key and device information, and then click OK in the dialog box as shown in Figure 19.

Figure 19 Confirmation dialog box

 

The platform automatically generates an activation key or activation file for each binding and sends them to the specified email address.

3.     Perform one of the following tasks to obtain activation keys or activation files:

¡     If one license key is bound to one device, the platform generates an activation file for the device. To download the activation file, click Get Activation Info in the Get Activation Info column for the license key, as shown in Figure 22.

¡     If multiple license keys are bound to one device, the platform generates a compressed activation file package for the device. To download the compressed activation file package, click Get Activation Info in the Get Activation Info column shared by the license keys, as shown in Figure 22.

¡     To obtain all activation files generated for this request, click Bulk Get Activation Info as shown in Figure 22. The activation files are as shown in Figure 20 and the activation information sheet is as shown in Figure 21.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

As a best practice, click Bulk Get Activation Info to obtain all activation files generated for this request. The activation information sheet provided by this method facilitates you to record and manage activation files.

 

Figure 20 License file information

 

Figure 21 Activation information sheet

 

¡     Access the email box at the specified address to obtain the activation keys or activation files.

Figure 22 Downloading activation files

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

·     It takes some time for H3C License Management Platform to generate multiple activation files. In this scenario, you cannot download the activation files from the webpage. To obtain the activation files, you must access the email box at the specified address.

·     If you do not receive an activation key or activation file for a license key from the platform and cannot use the license key to re-apply for license activation, contact H3C Support.

 

Installing an activation key or activation file on the device

About this task

CAUTION

CAUTION:

Back up an activation key or activation file before you install it. If the activation key or activation file is inadvertently deleted or becomes unavailable for some other reason, you can use the backup activation key or activation file to restore the license.

 

To use a license-based feature, install an activation file for the feature on the device.

Prerequisites

Use FTP or TFTP to upload the activation file to be installed to the device. If FTP is used to transfer the activation file, set it in binary mode.

Procedure

1.     Execute the system-view command to enter system view.

2.     Execute the license activation-file install command to install the activation file.

Viewing license information

Use one of the following commands in any view to display license information:

·     Use the display license feature command to display brief license information for features.

Figure 23 Sample output from the display license feature command

 

·     Use the display license command to display detailed information about licenses, including information about the licensed features, the validity periods of the installed licenses, and the date and time when the licenses were installed.

Figure 24 Sample output from the display license command

 


Remote licensing

About remote licensing

Remote licensing is based on the client-server architecture and applicable to large-sized networks. Remote licensing simplifies license installation and management. With remote licensing, you install licenses for all license clients from the license server.

 

 

NOTE:

Support for remote licensing depends on the device model. To verify the support of a device for remote licensing, access the CLI of the device, and then execute the display license client command in any view. If this command is available, the device supports remote licensing.

 

The following is the procedure to set up remote licensing:

1.     Install the H3C license server on a host.

2.     Install the licenses required by license clients on the license server.

3.     Enable a license client on each managed device and configure the parameters for communicating with the license server. The parameters include the IP address and port number of the license server and the username and password for accessing the license server.

The managed devices can then connect to the license server to obtain licenses as license clients.

Figure 25 Remote licensing

 

Restrictions and guidelines: Remote licensing

Management operation restrictions and guidelines

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

Remote licensing uses activation files for license activation. It does not support activation keys.

 

·     Purchase licenses from H3C authorized channels.

·     Identify the validity periods of the licenses that have been installed on a license client from the Web interface of the license server. If the license for a feature is time limited, install a new license for the feature before the old license expires.

·     Licenses are device locked. When you apply for and install a license, perform the following tasks to ensure licensing accuracy:

a.     Identify the target license client and license server to be licensed.

b.     Identify the feature that requires a license.

c.     Verify that the purchased license capacity meets your requirements.

d.     Verify that the license key is bound to the target license server.

e.     Verify that the activation file is installed on the target license server.

·     Make sure no one else is performing license management tasks while you are managing licenses on the license server.

·     Unless otherwise stated, all character strings entered on H3C License Management Platform are case sensitive. As a best practice to ensure a successful licensing, copy and paste instead of manually entering license keys.

File operation restrictions

To ensure a successful licensing, do not edit the name of a DID file or activation file, or edit the file content.

Registering and installing a license

License registration and installation flowchart

The procedures for registering and installing formal licenses and trial licenses are the same, as shown in Figure 26.

Figure 26 License registration and installation flowchart

 

Preparation

Installing the H3C license server

To obtain the up-to-date installation guide for the H3C license server, access the H3C website at https://www.h3c.com.

Adding a client to the license server

1.     Log in to the license server and open the client configuration page.

2.     Click Add Client.

3.     Configure the client parameters such as the username and password for accessing the client, and then click OK.

Configuring routing parameters

Configure network and routing parameters on the license server and each license client to ensure that they can reach each other successfully.

Obtaining license keys

CAUTION

CAUTION:

Back up your license keys, and keep the backup license keys in a safe place for future use.

 

Obtaining a formal license key

1.     Log in to the CLI of a license client and execute the display license feature command in any view to identify features that require licensing.

Figure 27 Sample output from the display license feature command

 

2.     To use a license-based feature, purchase a software license certificate for it. The authorization serial number in the software license certificate is the license key.

Obtaining a trial license key

If you need a trial license key to verify the functionality of a feature before you making a purchase decision, contact your H3C sales representative or H3C Support.

Obtaining the DID file of the license server

1.     Log in to the license server and open the activation file management page.

2.     Click Export DID.

The DID file of the license server will be saved to the local disk.

Requesting an activation file on H3C License Management Platform

About this task

On H3C License Management Platform, you can use one of the following methods to request an activation file:

·     Bind one license key to one license server in one request.

·     Bind multiple license keys to one license server or multiple license servers in one request.

Adding license keys

1.     Open a Web browser and access H3C License Management Platform at https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Online_Help/License_Service/.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

As a best practice, use Chrome 62 or above, IE 10 or above, or Firefox 60 or above.

 

2.     Access the License Activation Requests page as shown in Figure 28.

Figure 28 License Activation Requests page

 

3.     Use one of the following methods to add license keys:

¡     To add license keys one by one:

# Enter or copy and paste a complete license key in the empty License Key box as shown in Figure 28, and then click Search & Add. The platform will automatically obtain the information associated with the license key.

# Repeat this step to add multiple license keys.

¡     To add license keys by uploading the QR code images for the license keys:

# Click the  icon next to the License Key box as shown in Figure 28, and then upload the QR code image for a license key as shown in Figure 29.

# Click Search & Add in Figure 28. The platform will automatically obtain the information associated with the QR code image.

# Repeat this step to add multiple license keys.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

Make sure the uploaded image is complete and clear for the platform to correctly recognize it.

 

Figure 29 Uploading the QR code image for a license key

 

¡     To add license keys in bulk.

 

# As shown in Figure 28, click Import & Add.

# In the dialog box that opens, you can use one of the following methods to import license keys in bulk to H3C License Management Platform:

-     Click the Download Excel License Key Import Template link to download the Excel license key import template, as shown in Figure 30. The contents in the template are as shown in Figure 31. Enter license keys in the template, save the template, and then upload it to the platform. The license keys in the template are all imported to the platform.

-     Click Select as shown in Figure 30 to upload a license key list file to the platform if an electronic license key list file is available. The license keys in the file are all imported to the platform.

Figure 30 Uploading a file

 

Figure 31 Contents in the Excel license key import template

 

4.     Select license keys to be activated, and then click Next, as shown in Figure 32.

Figure 32 Finishing adding license keys

 

Binding license keys to license servers

1.     Verify that the license keys to be activated are all added.

¡     To add a license key on the page as shown in Figure 33:

-     Click Add.

-     Enter or copy and paste a complete license key in the License Key column, or click the  icon in the column to upload the QR code image for a license key.

-     Click the plus icon (+) to add the license key.

¡     To remove a license key, select that license key, and then click Remove.

Figure 33 Adding or removing license keys

 

2.     Enter device information as instructed by H3C License Management Platform:

To obtain device information, use the method as described in "Obtaining the DID file of the license server."

Use one of the following methods to bind license keys to license servers:

¡     To bind one license key to one license server:

# Click the  icon next to the Custom device ID box in the license key entry, as shown in Figure 33.

# In the dialog box that opens, set the device ID and upload the device info file of the license server as instructed, and then click Yes.

Figure 34 Entering device information

 

# Repeat the steps to bind multiple license keys to different license servers.

¡     To bind multiple license keys to the same license server:

# Select the license keys on the page as shown in Figure 33, and then click Bulk Bind.

# In the dialog box that opens, set the device ID, upload the device information file of the license server, and then click Yes.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

·     The custom device ID field is optional. The value for this field is user defined, and it is used to identify a license server. As a best practice to facilitate license server management and location, use the combination of the license server model, IP address, physical position, and other information as the custom device ID. This custom device ID takes effect only on the current license activation request. It cannot take effect after you leave the license activation request page and re-open the page. If you do not define a custom device ID, the license server automatically defines it.

·     The Import and Export buttons are not available for bulk binding.

 

3.     Review the bindings carefully.

Each license key will be locked to the license server to which each of them is bound.

4.     Make sure you understand the impact of the binding operation, and then select the option that explicitly states so, and then click Next, as shown in Figure 35.

Figure 35 Finishing binding license keys to license servers

 

Specifying user information

As shown in Figure 36, enter user information, and then click Next. Table 3 describes the parameters.

Figure 36 Entering user information

 

Table 3 User information configuration parameters

Parameter

Remarks

End Customer Company/Organization

(Required.) Company or organization that uses the licenses.

Your Company/Organization

(Required.) Company or organization with which the license applicant works.

Contact Person

(Required.) Name of the contact person.

Phone Number

(Required.) Contact phone number.

Email Address

(Required.) Contact email address.

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT:

H3C License Management Platform will send the generated activation files to this email address. Make sure the email address is correct and available.

Zip/Postal Code

(Optional.) Zip code or postal code for the contact address.

Address

(Optional.) Contact address.

Project Name

(Optional.) Project name.

Verification Code

(Required.) The verification code is case insensitive.

 

Reviewing information and activating the licenses

1.     Review the license key and device information, select I accept all terms and conditions of H3C License Service Portal Legal Statement, and then click Confirm & Activate, as shown in Figure 37.

Figure 37 Reviewing information and activating the licenses

 

2.     Double-check the license and device information, and then click OK in the dialog box as shown in Figure 38.

Figure 38 Confirmation dialog box

 

The platform automatically generates an activation file for each binding and sends them to the specified email address.

3.     Perform one of the following tasks to obtain activation files:

¡     If one license key is bound to one license server, the platform generates an activation file for the license server. To download the activation file, click Get Activation Info in the Get Activation Info column for the license key, as shown in Figure 42.

¡     If multiple license keys are bound to one license server, the platform generates a compressed activation file package for the license server. To download the compressed activation file package, click Get Activation Info in the Get Activation Info column shared by the license keys, as shown in Figure 42.

This document binds two license keys to one license server. The generated compressed activation file package contains two activation files, as shown in Figure 39.

Figure 39 License file information

 

¡     To obtain all activation files generated for this request, click Bulk Get Activation Info as shown in Figure 42. The activation files are as shown in Figure 40 and the activation information sheet is as shown in Figure 41.

 

IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT:

As a best practice, click Bulk Get Activation Info to obtain all activation files generated for this request. The activation information sheet provided by this method facilitates you to record and manage activation files.

 

Figure 40 License file information

 

Figure 41 Activation information sheet

 

¡     Access the email box at the specified address to obtain the activation files.

Figure 42 Downloading activation files

 

 

NOTE:

·     When you activate multiple license keys in bulk for a license server, H3C License Management Platform generates multiple activation files. After you install all generated activation files on the license server, you can use all of the licenses.

·     It takes some time for H3C License Management Platform to generate multiple activation files. In this scenario, you cannot download the activation files from the webpage. To obtain the activation files, you must access the email box at the specified address.

·     If you do not receive an activation file for a license key from the platform and you cannot use the license key to re-apply for license activation, contact H3C Support.

 

Installing an activation file and distributing licenses

CAUTION

CAUTION:

Back up an activation file before you install it. If the activation file is inadvertently deleted or becomes unavailable for some other reason, you can use the backup activation file to restore the license.

 

For more information about the procedures, see the documents for the license server.

Configuring a license client to obtain licenses from the license server

1.     Log in to the CLI of the device.

2.     Enter system view.

system-view

3.     Specify the IP address and port number of the license server.

license server

4.     Specify the username and password for the license client to connect to the license server.

license client

Make sure the specified username and password on the license client are the same as those configured on the license server.

5.     Enable the license client.

license client enable

6.     (vBRAS products.) Apply for a standard license from the license server and install it.

license client install standard

7.     (vLNS products.) Repeat the following command to apply for multiple vLNS licenses from the license server, set the license capacity, and install the licenses.

license client install l2tp lns

8.     (VSR products.) Execute the following commands in sequence to apply for standard and feature licenses from the license server and install them:

a.     license client install standard

b.     license client install feature

After you configure the license client, it will establish a connection to the license server to obtain license information.

Viewing license information

To view information about all licenses installed on the license server, access the Web interface of the license server. For more information about the procedures, see the documents for the license server.

To view information about licenses assigned to a client, access the CLI of that client and execute the display license client command in any view. This command displays license client configuration and license information on the license client.

Figure 43 Sample output from the display license client command

 


Appendix A  FAQ

License activation

Q: What is a license key and what is an activation key or activation file?

A: A license key uniquely identifies a license. An activation key or activation file uniquely binds a license key to a device. To use a license-based feature on a device, you must install the activation key or activation file for that license on the device.

·     To obtain a license key, purchase a software license certificate from an H3C approved sales channel.

·     To obtain an activation key or activation file, access H3C License Management Platform at https://www.h3c.com/en/Support/Online_Help/License_Service/. Then, request an activation key or activation file based on the license key and hardware information of the target device.

Q: Can I install the license for a feature only on one member device in an IRF fabric?

A: No. Licenses are device locked. To make sure a license-based feature can take effect after a master/standby switchover, install a license of the same specification on each of the member devices for that feature.

Q: Can I modify the system time of the device after a license is installed?

A: It depends on the license validity period.

·     For a permanent license or a days-restricted license, modifying the system time does not affect the license validity period.

·     For a date-restricted license, system time modification might shorten the license validity period. As a best practice, do not modify the system time after the activation file is installed.

Q: Might the DID file for the device change? What impact does a DID file change have?

A: The DID file would change if you compress the license storage area by using the license compress command.

The DID file change does not affect the activated licenses on the device. However, you will be unable to install the activation keys or activation files obtained by using the old DID on the device. To resolve the issue, contact H3C Support.

To obtain a new activation file, you must export the new DID file from the device.

Q: Do I need to purchase and install new licenses for licensed features on the device after a software upgrade?

A: No, you do not need to do this. Unexpired licenses will continue to take effect after the device software upgrades.

Q: Will activated license activation files be lost after the device reboots or the device software upgrades?

A: No, they will not.

Q: What hardware changes on the license server will cause license invalidation?

A: The following hardware changes on the license server might result in DID file change that causes license invalidation:

·     NIC changes, including NIC damage, disabling a NIC, starting a new NIC, and replacing a NIC.

·     CPU replacement.

Q: How do I deal with license invalidation caused by hardware changes on the license server?

A: Contact H3C Support.

 

  • Cloud & AI
  • InterConnect
  • Intelligent Computing
  • Security
  • SMB Products
  • Intelligent Terminal Products
  • Product Support Services
  • Technical Service Solutions
All Services
  • Resource Center
  • Policy
  • Online Help
All Support
  • Become a Partner
  • Partner Resources
  • Partner Business Management
All Partners
  • Profile
  • News & Events
  • Online Exhibition Center
  • Contact Us
All About Us
新华三官网