SOL10245: BIG-IP UCS installation and licensing behavior

SOL10245: BIG-IP UCS installation and licensing behavior

---

Updated: 7/30/09 2:23 PM

A user configuration set (UCS) is an archive of configuration files contained on a BIG-IP system, including the system license.

Note: For more information about the contents of a UCS file, refer to SOL4423: Overview of UCS archives.

When you use the bigpipe config save command to save the BIG-IP system configuration to a UCS file, the system also saves the existing license to the UCS file. When you use the bigpipe config install command to restore the UCS file on the BIG-IP system, the UCS installer uses the following logic to determine whether to install the license from the UCS file, or retain the system's existing license file:

• The license file is only installed when the hostname in the UCS file matches the system hostname
• If there is no /config/bigip.license on the system, the license from the UCS file is installed to the system
• If there is a /config/bigip.license on the system, the BIG-IP system performs the following checks to determine whether to install the license from the UCS, or retain the system's existing license file:
  
  
  • If neither license is time limited (neither license file contains a License end date), the BIG-IP system uses the LATEST_ONE.
    
    Note: For more information, refer to the following LATEST_ONE section.
  • If both licenses are time limited (both license files contain a License end date), the BIG-IP system uses the license that expires last. If the time limited date is the same, the BIG-IP system uses the LATEST_ONE.
    
    Note: For more information, refer to the following LATEST_ONE section.
  • If one license is time limited:
    • If the license has expired, use the other license
    • If the license is still valid, use the LATEST_ONE

LATEST_ONE

Select the service check date in both bigip.license files for the following conditions:

• If only one license contains a service check date, use that license
• If both licenses contain a service check date, use the license with latest service check date
• If the service check dates match or do not exist, use the license check date for comparison, and use the license with latest license check date

Note: For more information about the license check date, refer to SOL7727: A service check date that is earlier than the license check date now requires you to relicense the system before upgrading.

Note: For more information about saving and restoring BIG-IP configurations, refer to SOL3499: Backing up and restoring BIG-IP LTM, ASM, GTM, Link Controller, or WebAccelerator configuration files.