Borrowing Licenses when offline via a virtualised server

[gkolln]

Hello,

During the last license outage we tried to use licenses offline. Following a few post it was apparent that we had to disable the internet, or disconnect the network cable to allow the offline license to be issued.

As we are using virtualised servers disconnecting the network cable is not possible and when we tried to disconnect the internet via DNS, or even disabling our internet at the router, the "borrow license" process failed. This meant that we simply had to wait and not use Vray which was a very big impact for our production team.

So this is a 2 part question:

1: If we encounter a situation in the future when the license server is down how can we borrow licenses without disconnecting cables in a virtualised server environment?

2. Are you planning any change to how the online licensing works - i.e. it only checks against the server once per day when licenses are issues, instead of the current frequency?

Grant

[ivan.slavchev]

Hello,

During the last license outage we tried to use licenses offline. Following a few post it was apparent that we had to disable the internet, or disconnect the network cable to allow the offline license to be issued.

License server's priority for engaging licenses is borrowed licenses->online licenses, meaning that if you have borrowed licenses they will be used with priority over online - obtainable license.

As we are using virtualised servers disconnecting the network cable is not possible and when we tried to disconnect the internet via DNS, or even disabling our internet at the router, the "borrow license" process failed. This meant that we simply had to wait and not use Vray which was a very big impact for our production team.

Most hypervisors allow you to simulate disconnecting a network cable. Besides that - testing in production is not something I'd recommend. You can set up a separate license server machine with the same login, borrow a single license there and test that way.

So this is a 2 part question:

1: If we encounter a situation in the future when the license server is down how can we borrow licenses without disconnecting cables in a virtualised server environment?

Yes, that's the easier way to borrow licenses. See https://docs.chaosgroup.com/display/...or+Offline+Use
The latest license server will re-borrow the licenses automatically. The older versions have an "automatic renew" slider that should be enabled for this functionality.

2. Are you planning any change to how the online licensing works - i.e. it only checks against the server once per day when licenses are issues, instead of the current frequency?

No. That's effectively what borrowing does currently (checks 1 in 2 weeks). If you use the licenses in Online mode you have a single point of synchronization - our backend, which enables you to use the same licenses form different license servers (remote offices, working from home etc) or to just have more than 1 license server machine for failover.

[gkolln]

So are you suggesting that your customers who have a single license server work off borrowed licenses all the time to avoid loosing licenses if the server goes down in the future?

[ivan.slavchev]

So are you suggesting that your customers who have a single license server work off borrowed licenses all the time to avoid losing licenses if the server goes down in the future?

Some people do work that way, others don't - depending on their workflow and internet connection stability. Fixing problems on our backend is, of course, our job and a solution is being implemented to prevent failures in the future. Nevertheless - internet connection outages on client side can happen, so borrowing licenses is a tool to prevent loss of functionality in such cases.