This article is intended for administrators wishing to understand how the SvHCI and SvSAN licensing model works and behaves.
SvHCI and SvSAN Licensing Model
Expand the sections below to review how StorMagic licensing works, how capacity is sized, how online and offline licensing behaves, and what happens with evaluation, perpetual, and subscription licenses.
License Server and Key Binding
SvHCI and SvSAN license keys are held and managed by a StorMagic hosted licensing server: https://licensing.stormagic.com.
The StorMagic license server can be accessed and modified by StorMagic Technical Services.
Should a list of consumed keys be required, please contact support@stormagic.com.
Licenses are keyed by a license key, for example ABCD-EFGH-IJKL, and then tied to a Serial Number / Discovery ID generated based on the motherboard hardware UUID.
The Serial Number / Discovery ID will change if:
- The VSA is cloned or moved to a new server, causing the VSA to go unlicensed and no longer present storage.
- The motherboard in the node is replaced.
Capacity Brackets, Pool Licensing, and Features
Keys are licensed by capacity brackets of 2TB, 6TB, 12TB, 24TB, 48TB, and Unlimited TB.
A sizing guide is available in the StorMagic partner portal:
Additional sizing information is available from HPE:
https://www.hpe.com/psnow/doc/a50001084enw
In SvSAN, this is the capacity handed to a VSA to manage and present as shared storage as Simple or Mirrored datastores.
In SvHCI, it is the pool of storage available to run VMs and store data on:
https://support.stormagic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/18860860672285-SvHCI-SvSAN-Pool-licensing
Cache capacity does not consume license capacity.
Features are assigned to these keys, such as SSD caching, memory caching, encryption, etc.
Example Sizing
If 2x server systems each node has 12TB raw and used RAID0 for just cross-node resiliency, 1x fault domain, they would need 2x 12TB licenses.
If they used RAID10, they would gain 2 fault domains and could use 2x 6TB licenses; however, they only get 6TB of HA capacity storage.
If RAID5 and it was 6x 1.92TB drives, this would provide 8.7TB usable, so could use a 6TB license but would need a 12TB license to use the full 8.7TB of available hardware storage.
Online and Offline Licensing
SvHCI hosts and SvSAN VSAs license by routing out to https://licensing.stormagic.com.
If the node cannot reach this address due to no DNS, internet access, a closed environment, or similar restrictions, offline license files may be downloaded from a client machine and uploaded to the node manually or through automation.
https://licensing.stormagic.com/license/download/
https://stormagic.com/doc/svsan/6-3/en/Content/system.htm?Highlight=offline#licensing
https://support.stormagic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/5781663751581-Offline-Licence-File
Key type and active support / maintenance are displayed on a VSA WebGUI.
All firmware images are available via the StorMagic support portal.
VSA/SvHCI System page
Customers with active support can request to re-use a key or assign it to a new SvHCI host or SvSAN VSA.
Examples include redeployment, hardware failure replacement, or transitioning an environment to new hardware.
A key is reset or cleared via the licensing server by the support team through a support ticket. This key change history is tracked.
Time Requirements for Licensing
An SvSAN VSA will get time via VMware / Hyper-V tools from the underlying hypervisor, via NTP, or may be set statically.
An SvHCI node will get time from the system BIOS or NTP, defaulting to pool.ntp.org, or may be set statically.
VSA/SvHCI NTP configuration page
NTP setting
VSA/SvHCI Static time configuration page
A node will fail to license unless the time is within one hour of the correct time.
An SvHCI node will fail to cluster with another node if the partner is over an hour different in time.
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page failure
Events regarding evaluation time and maintenance expiry will be sent via event forwarding if configured through SNMP, SMTP, syslog, or vCenter event forwarding.
Evaluation Licenses
Trial keys are available via https://stormagic.com/trial.
A trial request will supply 2x 2TB keys that can be increased in capacity, valid for 15 days of deployed boot time with caching and encryption. These can be extended to a maximum of 90 days, with storage disabled when the license expires.
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page - production feature state
Features will show False with Evaluation Time Remaining on an evaluation key.
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page - evaluation feature state
Evaluation keys can be seamlessly converted to a perpetual, subscription, or NFR key.
Evaluation time is only counted during VSA or SvHCI booted / run time. For example, if a VSA is deployed with an evaluation key and shut down before shipping to site, its full evaluation time will still be valid.
The below VSA was created on the 17th April 2023:
VSA/SvHCI Events page
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page
Perpetual Licenses
A perpetual key will display associated maintenance but will stay live even if maintenance expires.
VSA/SvHCI Home page
The VSA / SvHCI will persist in a Warning state should maintenance expire, until re-licensed.
Subscription Licenses and Expiry Behavior
A subscription is a time-based license, similar to perpetual. However, when a subscription expires, after a 30-day grace period the storage is disabled.
Warning events will post at 90, 60, 30, and every day for 7 days. These will also be sent out via configured notification methods including SMTP, SNMP, and syslog.
Subscription warning events
Subscription warning banner
Subscription expiry event output
As can be seen below, regular events are triggered and fired out to the configured notification mechanism alerting of upcoming subscription license expiry.
Below is a live customer output of the notifications starting at 90 days, to inform of the upcoming expiry.
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-08-11 23:51:49' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 2161 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-08-18 23:52:07' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1993 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-08-25 23:52:25' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1825 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-09-01 23:52:44' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1657 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-09-08 23:53:03' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1489 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-09-15 23:53:21' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1321 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-09-22 23:53:39' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1153 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-09-29 23:53:59' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 985 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-06 23:54:19' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 817 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-10 23:54:29' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 721 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-11 23:54:31' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 697 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-12 23:54:34' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 673 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-13 23:54:37' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 649 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-14 23:54:39' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 625 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-15 23:54:42' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 601 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-16 23:54:44' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 577 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-17 23:54:47' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 553 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-18 23:54:49' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 529 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-19 23:54:52' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 505 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-20 23:54:55' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 481 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-21 23:54:57' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 457 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-22 23:55:00' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 433 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-23 23:55:03' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 409 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-24 23:55:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 385 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-25 23:55:08' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 361 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-26 23:55:30' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 337 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-27 23:55:32' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 313 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-28 23:55:35' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 289 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-29 23:55:37' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 265 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-30 23:55:40' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 241 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-10-31 23:55:43' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 217 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-01 23:55:45' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 193 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-02 23:55:48' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 169 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-03 11:55:49' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 157 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-03 23:55:51' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 145 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-04 11:55:52' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 133 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-04 23:55:53' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 121 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-05 11:55:55' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 109 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-05 23:55:56' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 97 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-06 11:55:57' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 85 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-06 23:55:58' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 73 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-07 11:56:00' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 61 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-07 23:56:01' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 49 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-08 11:56:02' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 37 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-08 23:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 25 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 00:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 24 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 01:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 23 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 02:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 22 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 03:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 21 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 04:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 20 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 05:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 19 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 06:56:04' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 18 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 07:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 17 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 08:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 16 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 09:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 15 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 10:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 14 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 11:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 13 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 12:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 12 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 13:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 11 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 14:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 10 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 15:56:05' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 9 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 16:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 8 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 17:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 7 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 18:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 6 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 19:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 5 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 20:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 4 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 21:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 3 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 22:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 2 hour(s)'}
'Type': 'Informational' 'Time': '2023-11-09 23:56:06' 'text': 'The subscription for this system is due to expire within 1 hour(s)'}
Once expired, the SvHCI / VSA node Home page will display a banner that the subscription has expired and is now operating in the Grace period.
Subscription expired grace period banner
Events are also fired in the Grace period notifying that the subscription has expired.
Subscription expired grace period event
Aside from these alerts, StorMagic staff will reach out relating to the renewal, and a 30-day grace period is built into the software before disabling the storage.
An SvHCI host or SvSAN VSA will need to be re-licensed, per the below, to pick up a subscription extension and therefore time extension:
https://support.stormagic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/6397884188829-SvSAN-Online-and-Offline-Licensing
Maintenance notification
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