Manage License

Verify License Connectivity

The AhsayCBS server is required to access the Internet and to connect to the Ahsay License Server (lic.ahsay.com) using https protocol for license activation, daily license checks, and license CAL updates. Make sure your firewall settings are configured to allow outbound connections to lic.ahsay.com via port 443 using TLSv1.2. For more information, please refer to the Network and Firewall Settings.

To verify Ahsay license connectivity you can:

• Windows

  Open a web browser on your AhsayCBS and enter the following URL https://lic.ahsay.com the following message is displayed when the connection is successful.

  

• Linux

  Use the telnet command to check the connection on your AhsayCBS server. If the connection is successful, you will see the following message.

  

  Use the openssl s_client command to check whether TLSv1.2 is enabled. The following output is for illustration purposes only.

  

Manage License Key

To manage your AhsayCBS backup server and redirector license keys, do the following:

1. Click the License icon under System Settings from your AhsayCBS web management console.

   

2. There are two tabs on the license page. The Backup tab is for backup server license, while the Redirector tab is for redirector license. You can activate the software on these tabs.

   Please make sure that the AhsayCBS license key is applied on the Backup tab. If you have purchased a Redirector license key, you need to enter the key in the Redirector tab. Do NOT enter the AhsayCBS license key on the Redirector tab or vice versa.

   

3. Enter your “Licensee Name” and “License Key” on the Backup server license page. Both fields are case sensitive. Please enter them exactly as stated in your software receipt.
    
   • If you are using the evaluation license, you will be able to evaluate the AhsayCBS for 60 days. Just accept the default Licensee Name and License Key on the page to activate the license.
   • If you have already purchased a license, copy and paste the licensee name and license key into the relevant fields to activate the license.
4. If a proxy server is required to access the Internet from AhsayCBS, tick the Use Proxy checkbox. Refer to the Proxy section for information on how to set up the proxy server.

5. Click the Test button under “Connection Test” section to test the connection with the license server. You get a dialog box with the testing result. Click OK.

   

License Summary and Requirements

The “License Details” section on the Backup Server license page shows a summary of the quota used and licenses available for each of the modules you have subscribed.

• Client Software - License quota and availability for client backup agents (AhsayOBM & AhsayACB)
• Client Add-on Modules - License quota and availability for add-on modules for AhsayOBM & AhsayACB.
• Server Add-on Modules - License quota and availability for server add-on modules, e.g. Replication module, AhsayUBS, AhsayCBS, etc.
• Support Languages - Supported languages for UI display. The availability of support languages is subject to your license key. For license related inquiries, please contact the Sales team at Ahsay by email at sales-kb@ahsay.com or call our International Sales Hotline +852 3580 8091.

If a Meter license is used for AhsayCBS, then an additional tab will be available which is the Usage tab. This page shows the detail of each user.

The details displayed for the user may be customized which are the following:

• Registration date – date when client software was registered.
• Storage size – displays the largest total value of backup storage size for the selected month.
• Dedupe saving – displays the largest total value of dedupe saving for the selected month.
• Host – hostname of the backup device.
• Microsoft Exchange mailboxes – number of Microsoft Exchange mailboxes add-on module assigned to the user.
• VMware / Hyper V (per guest VM) – number of VMware and/or Hyper V (per guest VM) add-on module assigned to the user.
• VMware / Hyper V (per socket) – number of VMware and/or Hyper V (per socket) add-on module assigned to the us.
• NAS - Synology / QNAP – number of Synology and/or QNAP add-on module assigned to the user.
• Mobile – number of Mobile add-on module assigned to the user.
• Microsoft 365 – number of Microsoft 365 add-on module assigned to the user.
• Open Direct / Granular Restore – number of Open Direct and/or Granular Restore add-on module assigned to the user.
• Replication – number of Replication add-on module assigned to the user.

Upgrade from AhsayOBS v6 or AhsayCBS v7/v8/v9 to v10 and above

If you are upgrading from AhsayOBS v6, you need to purchase one extra AhsayCBS license module for each of your existing v6 backup server license. Make sure you have valid maintenance before you perform the upgrade/migration.

If you utilize only one AhsayOBM across multiple physical/virtual devices in previous v6 version, you will need to purchase supplement AhsayOBM when you upgrade to v10.

In v10 VMware and Hyper-V license modules are based on a per guest VM or per CPU socket basis. For existing v6 or v7 VMware and Hyper-V backup sets using per guest VM licenses, upgrading to v10 will not be affected.

Extra License for Replication Server

If you are going to replicate the Backup Server to another Replication Server, you need to purchase additional AhsayCBS license module for the replication server. Please refer to the Replication section for further information.

License for Standalone Redirector

Since the AhsayCBS Redirector license does not come with an AhsayCBS module, for a standalone AhsayCBS Redirector, you will need to purchase one extra AhsayCBS license module with a Backup Server license. Please refer to the Redirection section for further information.

License Requirements for Software and Modules

Software

• AhsayCBS - per running instance.
• AhsayOBM - per device to back up.
• Ahsay Mobile - per AhsayOBM/AhsayACB account that needs to back up mobile device. Ahsay Mobile licenses are free of charge and each license key has unlimited quota. However, each individual AhsayOBM/AhsayACB user account support a maximum of 10 mobile backup device licenses.
• AhsayACB - per device to back up.
• AhsayUBS - per installation.

Module

• VMware Backup Module - per Guest VM to back up and per CPU socket.
• Hyper-V Backup Module - per guest VM to back up and per CPU socket.
• Microsoft 365 Backup Module - per account to back up.
• MS Exchange Individual Mailbox Backup Module - per mailbox to back up.
• OpenDirect / Granular Restore - per backup set.
• NAS – Synology / NAS – QNAP Backup Module - Per AhsayOBM account that needs to back up Synology / QNAP NAS device.
• Replication Module for AhsayOBM - per device to replicate.
• Replication Module for AhsayACB - per device to replicate.
• Redirection Module - per device to redirect.

Automatic License Renewal

If the AhsayCBS is under a monthly leasing plan (meter key), the license key will have an expiry date of 30 days from the current date, the license key is renewed automatically.

In the event of any problems during the license renewal process, i.e. AhsayCBS is not able to connect to the Ahsay License server, the expired license key will have a grace period of 14 days. AhsayCBS can still function normally using the expired license for an extra 14 days before the service is automatically shut down. The 14-day grace period is to allow sufficient time to resolve any license related problems.

License Evaluation Expiry

After the evaluation period expires (60 days after activation), the AhsayCBS service will automatically stop working. Although the service is still active, the AhsayOBM and AhsayACB clients will not be able to connect to perform any backups or restores.

Offline License Activation

Offline License Activation is used to activate the license keys on AhsayCBS servers that do not have an Internet connection.

1. Open the License page of AhsayCBS. The two relevant sections are: “Offline License Request” and “Import License”.

   

2. Click the Generate button to generate an offline license request file, req.olr.
3. The req.olr file is an encrypted file that contains all the information required for the activation process, for example, MAC address and local IP address. The system will prompt for the location to save the offline license request file.
4. When the offline license request file is ready, please send it to Ahsay Support team. An offline license file, license.olr, will be generated and sent back to you. This file is used to activate offline the license key of your AhsayCBS server.
5. After you have received the offline license file, you would need to import it to the AhsayCBS server to complete the offline activation process.
6. Click the Choose File button under the “Import License” section to select the offline license file (license.olr) from AhsayCBS system home. Click the Off-line Update button to complete the license activation process.

License Management Portal

The Ahsay License Management Portal is for partners to:

• Consolidate purchased Backup Server licenses into License Pool(s).
• Flexibly generate and update Backup Server license(s) as requirements change.
• Improve efficiency on use of Backup Server licenses by sharing CALs (Client Access License) in license pool among multiple Backup Server instances.

With the Ahsay License Management Portal, partners can place purchased Backup Server licenses (Poolable License) into a pool to be shared among multiple Backup Server instances. This process is called converting Poolable License into Pooled License.

Example:

If you have the following 2 licenses:

• LICENSE001 – 50 AhsayACB and 80 AhsayOBM
• LICENSE002 – 20 AhsayACB and 30 AhsayOBM

You can put these 2 licenses into a single license pool so that you can generate a new license with a maximum of 70 ACB and 110 OBM license CALs or any number of new licenses within these available license CALs.

For more information about the Ahsay License Management Portal, please refer to the following articles and video:

• Ahsay License Management Portal Overview
• How to create a Pool Key from a License Pool?
• How to provision a Pool Key for AhsayCBS backup server?

Active Pool Key

After you applied a pool key on your AhsayCBS server, please make sure your AhsayCBS server has an Internet connection and is able to connect to the Ahsay License Server at (https://lic.ahsay.com). If AhsayCBS service cannot connect to the Ahsay License Server after 14 days, the license key will be deactivated and the AhsayCBS service will be automatically stopped.