This article is intended for administrators wishing to understand how the SvHCI and SvSAN licensing model works and behaves.
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Resolution/Information
SvHCI and SvSAN license keys are held and managed by a StorMagic hosted licensing server. https://licensing.stormagic.com
The StorMagic license server is able to be logged in and modified by StorMagic Technical Services.
Should a list of consumed keys be required please contact with support@stormagic.com.
They are licensed by a key (ABCD-EFGH-IJKL) that is 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 new server, causing the VSA to go unlicensed and no longer present storage.
The motherboard in the node is replaced.
Keys are licensed by capacity brackets of: 2TB, 6TB, 12TB, 24TB, 48TB and Unlimited TB with a sizing guide available in the StorMagic partner portal:
and
https://www.hpe.com/psnow/doc/a50001084enw
In SvSAN this is the capacity handed to a VSA to manage, synchronously mirror and present out as shared storage.
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.
Note: Please ensure that evaluation features, not applied to a production key are disabled. e.g. memory caching or encryption
SvHCI hosts and SvSAN VSAs license by routing out to https://licensing.stormagic.com however if the node is unable to reach this address due to no DNS, internet access, closed environment, offline license files may be downloaded
https://licensing.stormagic.com/license/download/
from a client machine and uploaded to the node manually, or through automation, per the manual.
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 is displayed on a VSA webGUI.
VSA/SvHCI System page
Customers, with active support, can request to re-use a key or assign to a new SvHCI host or SvSAN VSA.
Examples of this may be redeployment, hardware failure replacement or transitioning an environment to new hardware.
A key is reset/cleared via the licensing server by the support team via a support ticket. This key change history is tracked.
An SvSAN VSA will get time via VMware/Hyper-V tools from the underlying hypervisor or 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.
Note: Check local vs UTC
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page failure
Events regarding the evaluation time and maintenance expiry will be sent via event forwarding if configured via SNMP, SMTP, syslog or vCenter event forwarding.
License types
Evaluation
Trial key available via https://stormagic.com/trial
A trial request will supply 2x2TB 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, and with the storage being disabled when the license expires.
Note: a feature will show True on a full/Production license,
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page
however features will show False with Evaluation Time Remaining on an evaluation key.
VSA/SvHCI Licensing page
Evaluation keys can be seamlessly converted to a perpetual, subscription or NFR key.
Evaluation time is only counted/ticked during VSA or SvHCI booted/run time. e.g. if a VSA is deployed with an evaluation key and shut down, before shipping to site, it's 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
Note: If a key is assigned to a VSA 30 days into a 90 day evaluation period the VSA will ONLY get 60 days of booted/tick time for the trial
Perpetual
A key that will display associated maintenance however 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
A time based license, similar to the 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, that will also send out via the configured notification methods including SMTP, SNMP and SYSlog:
As can be seen in the 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, now operating in the Grace period.
Events are also fired in the Grace period notifying that the Subscription has expired.
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:
https://support.stormagic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/6397884188829-SvSAN-Online-and-Offline-Licensing
to pick up a subscription extension, and therefore time extension.
Note: Should a subscription be allowed to expire the storage will be disabled, after a 30-day grace period.
Maintenance notification
See Also
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