diff --git a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/overview.mdx b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/overview.mdx index 377137248..8652f357f 100644 --- a/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/overview.mdx +++ b/website/content/docs/enterprise/license/overview.mdx @@ -6,49 +6,39 @@ description: Consul Enterprise License Overview. # Consul Enterprise License -## Licensing +## Licensing Overview All Consul Enterprise agents must be licensed when they are started. Where that license comes from will depend -on which binary is in use, whether the agent is a server, client or snapshot agent and whether ACLs have been +on which binary is in use, whether the agent is a server, client or snapshot agent, and whether ACLs have been enabled for the cluster. --> ** Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 removed temporary licensing.** In previous versions Consul Enterprise +-> ** Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 removed temporary licensing.** Prior to 1.10.0, Consul Enterprise agents could start without a license and then have a license applied to them later on via the CLI or API. That functionality has been removed and replaced with the ability to load licenses from the -agent's configuration or environment. Also prior to 1.10.0 server agents would automatically propagate -the license between themselves. This no longer occurs and the license must be present on each server -when they are started. +agent's configuration or environment. Also, prior to 1.10.0, server agents would automatically propagate +the license between themselves. This no longer occurs and the license must be present on each server agent +when it is started. -> Visit the [Enterprise License Tutorial](https://learn.hashicorp.com/tutorials/nomad/hashicorp-enterprise-license?in=consul/enterprise) for detailed steps on how to install the license key. -### Binaries with Built In Licenses +### Applying a License -If you are downloading Consul from Amazon S3, then the license is included -in the binary and you do not need to take further action. This is the -most common use case. - -In the S3 bucket you will find three Enterprise zip packages. The packages with `+pro` and -`+prem` in the name, are the binaries that include the license. The package -with `+ent` in the name does not include the license. - -When using these binaries no further action is necessary to configure the license. - -### Binaries Without Built In Licenses - -For Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 or greater, binaries that do not include built in licenses a license must be available at the time the agent starts. +For Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 or greater, a license must be available at the time the agent starts. For server agents this means that they must either have the [`license_path`](/docs/agent/config/config-files#license_path) configuration set or have a license configured in the servers environment with the `CONSUL_LICENSE` or `CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH` environment variables. Both the configuration item and the `CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH` environment variable point to a file containing the license whereas the `CONSUL_LICENSE` environment -variable should contain the license as the value. If multiple of these are set the order of precedence is: +variable should contain the license as the value. If multiple variables are set, +the following order of precedence applies: 1. `CONSUL_LICENSE` environment variable 2. `CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH` environment variable 3. `license_path` configuration item. -Both client agents and the snapshot agent may also be licensed in the very same manner. However to prevent -the need to configure the license on many client agents and snapshot agents those agents have the capability -to retrieve the license automatically under specific circumstances. +Client agents and [snapshot agents](/docs/enterprise/backups) +may also be licensed in the very same manner. +However, to avoid the need to configure the license on many client agents and snapshot agents, +those agents have the capability to retrieve the license automatically under the conditions described below. #### Client Agent License Retrieval