From d21bde2a9de908cdafacd00465819dd330cd6c8f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jared Kirschner Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:31:51 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 1/4] docs: clarify license expiration behavior Also corrects the grace period between expiration and termination (10 years, not 24 hours). --- website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx | 10 +++++++--- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx index e7717046e..40c83c5a3 100644 --- a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx +++ b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx @@ -62,9 +62,13 @@ Failure to provide a valid license key will result in the Consul server agent no ## Q: Is there a grace period when licenses expire? -A license includes an `expiration_date` and a `termination_date`. An enterprise binary will cease to function once the `termination_date` has passed. -Licenses will now have a 24 hrs grace period. The grace period is the time between license expiry until the time it terminates. -As Consul Enterprise approaches the expiration date, warnings will be issued in the system logs. +**Yes—Consul will continue normal operation after license *expiration*** as defined in +[`expiration_time`](/api-docs/operator/license#getting-the-consul-license). +As license expiration is approached or passed, Consul will issue warnings in the system logs. + +Consul will only cease operation after license *termination*, which occurs 10 years +after license expiration and is defined in +[`termination_time`](/api-docs/operator/license#getting-the-consul-license). ## Q: Does this affect client agents? From d6dcd478a4bfde658d0293e9f8cbfbcbf648a1d7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jared Kirschner Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:43:38 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 2/4] docs: add license renewal FAQ --- website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx | 5 +++++ 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+) diff --git a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx index 40c83c5a3..da6166190 100644 --- a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx +++ b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx @@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ Consul snapshot agents will attempt to retrieve the license from servers if cert Visit [consul.io/trial](/trial) for a free 30-day trial license. +## Q: How can I renew a license? + +Contact your organization's HashiCorp account team or email support-softwaredelivery@hashicorp.com +for information on how to renew your organization's enterprise license. + ## Q: Are the license files locked to a specific cluster? The license files are not locked to a specific cluster or cluster node. The above changes apply to all nodes in a cluster. From 7fc1bf6ec1629ebe4ecc68af1a409c0ff3a88e47 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jared Kirschner Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:52:07 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 3/4] docs: add FAQ for obtaining copy of license For existing enterprise customers who need access to the license. --- website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx | 8 +++++++- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx index da6166190..9dae4dd45 100644 --- a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx +++ b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx @@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ Visit [consul.io/trial](/trial) for a free 30-day trial license. Contact your organization's HashiCorp account team or email support-softwaredelivery@hashicorp.com for information on how to renew your organization's enterprise license. +## Q: I'm an existing enterprise customer but don't have my license, how can I get it? + +Contact your organization's HashiCorp account team or email support-softwaredelivery@hashicorp.com +for information on how to renew your organization's enterprise license. + ## Q: Are the license files locked to a specific cluster? The license files are not locked to a specific cluster or cluster node. The above changes apply to all nodes in a cluster. @@ -139,7 +144,8 @@ Please see the [upgrade requirements](faq#q-what-are-the-upgrade-requirements). **NOTE:** If you are not upgrading Consul or your Helm chart version then no action is required. 1. In order to use Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 or greater on Kubernetes you must use version 0.32.0 or greater of the Helm chart. -1. You should already have a Consul Enterprise license set as a Kubernetes secret. If you do not, then if you are an existing HashiCorp enterprise customer you may contact your organization's customer success manager (CSM) or email support-softwaredelivery@hashicorp.com for information on how to get your organization's enterprise license. Once you have the license then create a Kubernetes secret containing the license as described in [Kubernetes - Consul Enterprise](/docs/k8s/installation/deployment-configurations/consul-enterprise). +1. You should already have a Consul Enterprise license set as a Kubernetes secret. If you do not, refer to [how to obtain a copy of your license](/docs/enterprise/license/faq#q-i-m-an-existing-enterprise-customer-but-don-t-have-my-license-how-can-i-get-it). +Once you have the license then create a Kubernetes secret containing the license as described in [Kubernetes - Consul Enterprise](/docs/k8s/installation/deployment-configurations/consul-enterprise). 1. Follow the [Kubernetes Upgrade Docs](/docs/k8s/upgrade) to upgrade. No changes to your `values.yaml` file are needed to enable enterprise autoloading since this support is built in to consul-helm 0.32.0 and greater. ~> **WARNING:** If you are upgrading the Helm chart but **not** upgrading the Consul version, you must set `server.enterpriseLicense.enableLicenseAutoload: false`. See [Kubernetes - Consul Enterprise](/docs/k8s/installation/deployment-configurations/consul-enterprise) for more details. From 5a084083a38bd08cbe92c28c1e1472f1a6516972 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Jared Kirschner Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2022 10:03:27 -0800 Subject: [PATCH 4/4] docs: clarify trial license FAQ Also use consistent language throughout to refer to the non-production license (just "trial" license, not both "trial" and "evaluation"). --- .../content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx | 18 ++++++++++++------ 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-) diff --git a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx index 9dae4dd45..663a10fcf 100644 --- a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx +++ b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/faq.mdx @@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ The list below is a great starting point for learning more about the license cha ## Q: Do these changes impact all customers/licenses? The license changes introduced in 1.10.0 only affect Consul Enterprise. -This impacts customers that have an enterprise binary (evaluation or non-evaluation licenses) downloaded from https://releases.hashicorp.com. +This impacts customers that have an enterprise binary (trial or non-trial licenses) downloaded from https://releases.hashicorp.com. The license changes do not impact customers with the baked-in licensed binaries. In a later release of Consul Enterprise, baked-in binaries will be deprecated. ## Q: What is the product behavior change introduced by the licensing changes? @@ -54,11 +54,12 @@ The license changes do not impact customers with the baked-in licensed binaries. Starting with Consul Enterprise 1.10.0, a valid license is required on-disk (auto-loading) or as an environment variable for Consul Enterprise to successfully boot-up. The in-storage license feature will not be supported starting with Consul Enterprise 1.10.0+ent. All Consul Enterprise clusters using 1.10.0+ent must ensure that there is a valid license on-disk (auto-loaded) or as an environment variable. -## Q: What is the impact on evaluation licenses due to this change? +## Q: What is the impact on trial licenses due to this change? ((#q-what-is-the-impact-on-evaluation-licenses-due-to-this-change)) -The 6-hour trial period for evaluation licenses will be deprecated as of Consul Enterprise 1.10.0. -This means that any clusters deployed with Consul 1.10.0+ent binaries will need to have a valid license on the disk (auto-loaded) or as an environment variable. -Failure to provide a valid license key will result in the Consul server agent not starting. +Consul Enterprise 1.10.0+ server agents require a valid license to start. +The license can be provided on disk (auto-loaded) or as an environment variable. +There is no longer a 6-hour trial period in which Consul Enterprise server agents +can operate without a license. ## Q: Is there a grace period when licenses expire? @@ -96,6 +97,11 @@ Consul snapshot agents will attempt to retrieve the license from servers if cert Visit [consul.io/trial](/trial) for a free 30-day trial license. +~> **Trial install will cease operation 24 hours after 30-day license expiration**: + Trial licenses are not meant to be used in production. + This is unlike non-trial licenses which provide a 10 year grace period as described in + the answer for [Q: Is there a grace period when licenses expire?](#q-is-there-a-grace-period-when-licenses-expire). + ## Q: How can I renew a license? Contact your organization's HashiCorp account team or email support-softwaredelivery@hashicorp.com @@ -116,7 +122,7 @@ This will not impact HCP Consul. ## Q: Does this need to happen every time a node restarts, or is this a one-time check? -Consul Enterprise binaries starting with 1.10.0+ent, will be subject to EULA check. Release 1.10.0+ent introduces the EULA check for evaluation licenses (non-evaluation licenses already go through EULA check during contractual agreement). +Consul Enterprise binaries starting with 1.10.0+ent, will be subject to EULA check. Release 1.10.0+ent introduces the EULA check for trial licenses (non-trial licenses already go through EULA check during contractual agreement). The agreement to a EULA happens only once (when the user gets their license), Consul Enterprise **will check for the presence of a valid license every time a node restarts**.