Step D: Set up licenses

At this point, the software is installed but it is not yet enabled.

You must now generate and install the license file on each node.

The license generation procedure works as follows:

• You receive an email with activation codes, one for each instance of the product (Elemental Live) that you purchased. At each Elemental Live hardware unit, you use one activation code to generate a key file. The key file incorporates the specific activation code and the specific hostname of the hardware unit. The key file works only with this activation code's product (Elemental Live) and with this hardware unit.

• You copy the key file from the node to your workstation. At your workstation, you open the AWS Elemental Support Center console and generate a license using each key file. Like the key file used to generate it, the license file is valid only for this product (Elemental Live) and this specific hardware unit.

• After you generate the license file, you copy it to the hardware unit that it belongs to, and use the CLI to install the license.

Organize your activation codes

To organize the activation codes:

1. Locate the email you received from AWS Elemental. This email contains an activation code or codes, one for each Elemental Live software instance that you have purchased. The activation code looks like this:

   LVE-111-222-333

   If you didn't receive this email or have lost it, contact AWS Elemental Support through the AWS Elemental Support Center.

2. If you have more than one activation code, each activation code specifies the hardware configuration that the code applies to. For example, it specifies that the code is for hardware that is comparable to an L820 appliance.

   Identify the hardware unit that applies for each access code. For example, identify the hardware unit (and its hostname) that is comparable to the L820 appliance. Make a note of the assignments. For example, you might assign as follows:

   LVE-111-222-333 with the hardware unit that has the hostname SystemA.

   LVE-111-222-444 with the hardware unit that has the hostname SystemB.

Generate a key file

You must generate a key file using a utility that always exists on the operating system of the hardware unit.

To generate a key file

Perform this step at each Elemental Live hardware unit.

1. Using an SSH client such as PuTTY, log in to the hardware unit with the elemental user credentials.

   You are logged in at the home directory (/elemental).

2. Enter this command:

   [elemental@hostname ~] ./keygen

3. At the prompt, enter the activation code that belongs to this hardware unit. The following key file is created in the home directory: activation_<hostname of the system>.key.

   For example, activation_SystemA.key

4. Copy the key file from the hardware unit to your workstation. We recommend that you copy all the key files to a specific folder on your workstation. Give the folder a suitable name such as elemental_live_license_keys. Make a note of the path because you will need it in the next step.

5. Repeat these steps for each Elemental Live hardware unit. Make sure that you use a different activation code on each hardware unit.

Generate a license

You must log on to the AWS Elemental Appliances & Software console, and use the key file to generate a license.

Note

This procedure assumes that an administrator in your organization has set you up as an AWS IAM user, with the permissions that you need to generate licenses. For more information, see AWS Elemental Appliances and Software Service Getting Started Guide.

It also assumes that you have your IAM credentials (user name and password). If you don't have these credentials, speak to an administrator in your organization. AWS Elemental can't provide you with these credentials.

To generate a license

Perform this step at your workstation.

1. Open the AWS Elemental Appliances & Software console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/elemental-appliances-software/.

2. On the navigation pane of the AWS Elemental Appliances & Software home page, choose Activations. The Activations List page appears. Choose the Ready to license tab.

   The Ready to license tab shows one entry for each product that you purchased. Each product is identified by a product name and a unique activation code. The activation code is the code that you received in the email. Following from our example, you might see two lines:

   LxxxPNL LVE-111-222-333 Live product 2021-11-01

   LxxxPNL LVE-111-222-444 Live product 2021-11-01

3. Choose the Generate license button (at the top-right corner of the tab). The Generate new license page appears.

4. On the Generate new license page, choose the Choose files button, and navigate to the folder that you copied the key files to. For example, /elemental_live_license_keys.

   In the dialog box that appears, select all the key files that you generated, then choose Open.

   On the Generate new license page, one entry appears for each key file. For example:

   activation_systemA.key
   15.39 KB
   11/04/2021, 2:02:01 PM
   
   activation_systemB.key
   15.39 KB
   11/04/2021, 2:32:22 PM

5. Choose Generate license. A license is generated for each entry. After the License generated message appears, the product for each license moves to the Activations tab.

Download the license files

1. On the Activations tab, choose one of the entries you want to set up. The Product details page appears for this product.

2. Choose the Software tab and look for the License file link.

3. Choose the License file link and follow the prompts to download the file.

4. Repeat these steps to download all the license files that you generated.

5. Follow the procedure that applies to your browser to open the folder that contains the downloaded license files. Make a note of the folder where the license files are located.

About the License Files

Each license file is named as follows: lic-download-<hostname>.tgz

For example: lic-download-systemA.tgz

Each tgz license file contains the main license for Elemental Live and licenses for all the add-on packs that you purchased.

The licenses work only with the specific product and the specific hardware unit.

Install the license files

When you downloaded the license files, you should have made a note of the folder where these files were downloaded to on your workstation. You must now transfer each file to its hardware unit and install it.

To transfer the license to the hardware unit

• Use a method such as SCP to move the license file (the .tgz file) from your workstation to a location on the Elemental Live hardware unit. We recommend that you copy the file to a folder with a name like elemental_licenses.

  Make sure that you put the correct license on each hardware unit. The license only works on a specific hardware unit.

To install the license on the hardware unit

On each hardware unit, you must set up Elemental Live to use the license file.

1. Using an SSH client such as PuTTY, log in to the hardware unit with the elemental user credentials.

   You are logged in at the home directory (/home/elemental).

2. Navigate to the directory that contains the license file, and extract the .lic files from the .tgz file. Place the .lic files in these folders:

   /home/elemental

   /opt/elemental_se

3. Enter the following command to restart the Elemental Live service:

   [elemental@hostname ~]$ sudo service elemental_se restart