Managing Riverbed Licenses
This chapter describes the Riverbed licensing methods and how to manage Riverbed licenses. It includes these sections:
Riverbed licensing methods
A license is a string issued by Riverbed that embeds information that ties the license to data to prevent tampering. After you install the license, the system saves it in the configuration database and enables the functionality associated with the license. Riverbed employs the following licensing methods:
• Automatic licensing - After you connect your SteelHead to the network, the appliance automatically contacts the Riverbed Licensing Portal and downloads and installs the licenses. This option requires Internet access from the SteelHead.
• Manual licensing - You can manually fetch and activate licenses for Riverbed products using the Riverbed Licensing Portal. To retrieve license keys, follow the instruction at the following location:
https://licensing.riverbed.com/index.htm. • Token method - You use tokens to activate Riverbed software. For detailed information, see the installation guides for these products.
• Factory licensing - You can have all your Riverbed licenses installed at the factory for a small fee.
Automatic licensing
Automatic licensing allows the SteelHead, once connected to the network, to automatically contact the Riverbed Licensing Portal to retrieve and install license keys onto the appliance. Automatic licensing simplifies inventory management and provides an automated mechanism of fetching licenses for Riverbed products without having to manually activate individual appliances and licenses.
If you are behind a firewall, you can retrieve licenses at the Riverbed Licensing Portal using the email option or by downloading and XML file to the SteelCentral Controller for SteelHead. For detailed information, see
Retrieving licenses using the Riverbed Licensing Portal.
Automatic licensing also works over a web proxy. For details on setting up a web proxy, see the SteelHead Management Console User Guide.
Note: If automatic licensing fails, an error message is displayed in the Management Console. Go to the Riverbed Licensing Portal and follow the instructions for retrieving your licenses.
To view licenses on a new SteelHead
• Connect the new SteelHead to the network.
The SteelHead automatically contacts the Riverbed Licensing Portal, which downloads and installs the licenses. The Management Console Licensing page displays a success message, or the Alarm Status page reports an actionable error message.
To replace expired licenses
• Purchase new downloadable licenses to replace the expired license.
At the time of the next scheduled automatic license fetch, the SteelHead automatically contacts the Riverbed License Portal and downloads the new licenses. The Management Console Licensing page displays a success message or the Alarm Status page reports an actionable error message. You do not need to delete the expired license. The system uses the license with the latest expiration date.
To fetch a license on demand
1. In the Management Console, choose Configure > Maintenance: Licenses to display the Licenses page.
2. Click Fetch Updates Now.
The Management Console Licensing page displays a success message or the Alarm Status page reports an actionable error message.
Note: Only administrator users can fetch and install licenses. For detailed information on administrator and monitor users, see the SteelHead Management Console User Guide.
Manual licensing using the Riverbed Licensing Portal
You can retrieve and manage Riverbed licenses using the Riverbed Licensing Portal. Once you retrieve a license from the Riverbed Licensing Portal, you need to install it.
Retrieving licenses using the Riverbed Licensing Portal
The Licensing Portal requires a unique product identifier to retrieve a license. Depending on the product, the identifier can be a serial number, a license request key (activation code), or a token. The steps to retrieve a license vary based on the product identifier. Online instructions guide you through the process.
To retrieve your licenses for an appliance using a serial number
2. Enter your appliance serial number as your unique product identifier.
The serial number is on a label located on your appliance, and it also appears in the Support tab of the Management Console.
3. Click Next.
4. Provide the contact information for the license, including your name and email.
5. Click Submit.
The Licensing Portal displays license information for all the products purchased with the serial number you specified.
6. Optionally, if you are behind a firewall, type the email address in the Email address text box and click Email Keys to have the license keys emailed to you.
7. Optionally, if you are behind a firewall, click Download XML to download an XML file. The XML file can be imported by the SteelCentral Controller for SteelHead.
Note: Click New Search to look for additional license records.
Installing your license keys
Because each license key is generated for a specific appliance, ensure that you install your license key on the appropriate appliance.
To install a license using the CLI
1. Connect to the CLI of the appliance and enter configuration mode.
For details see the Riverbed Command-Line Interface Reference Manual.
2. At the system prompt, enter the following commands:
license install
write memory
where <license-key> is the license key you retrieved from the Riverbed Licensing Portal
To install a license using the Management Console
1. Connect to the Management Console of the appliance.
For details, see the SteelHead Management Console User Guide.
2. Choose Administration > Maintenance: Licenses to display the Licenses Page.
3. Copy and paste the license key provided by Riverbed Licensing Portal into the text box. Separate multiple license keys with a space, Tab, or Enter.