How to activate F5 License
You should consider using this procedure under the following conditions:
- You want to activate and install a new license using the command line.
- You want to activate and install a license containing one or more add-on registration keys using the command line.
- You want to re-activate and install an existing license using the command line.
Prerequisites
You must meet the following prerequisites to use this procedure:
- You have command line access to the BIG-IP system.
- You are familiar with a Linux text editor, such as vi or nano.
- You know the product registration key that was provided to you when you purchased the F5 product.
The base registration key is a 27-character string that appears similar to the following example:
ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDEFG
The add-on registration key is a shorter string of characters that appears similar to the following example:
ABCDEFG-ABCDEFG
Description
To locate the registration key, or to activate or re-activate a BIG-IP license and install the license file using the command line, perform one of the following procedures.
Note: Traffic processing will be briefly interrupted as the BIG-IP system reloads the new license. F5 recommends that you perform the following procedures on the standby BIG-IP device.
Procedures
Locating the registration key on an unlicensed system
Impact of procedure: Performing the following procedure should not have a negative impact on your system.
1. Log in to the command line on the standby BIG-IP device.
2. Type the following command:
cat /config/RegKey.license
Note: Registration keys for RMA devices will be sent in an email from F5. For more information about F5's RMA process, refer to: SOL12882: Overview of the F5 RMA process.
Note: Registration keys for BIG-IP Virtual Editions are purchased and obtained through the following websites:
Locating the registration key on a previously licensed system
Impact of procedure: Performing the following procedure should not have a negative impact on your system.
1. Log in to the command line on the standby BIG-IP device.
2. Type the following command:
grep -i "Registration Key" /config/bigip.license
Activating and installing a license using the command line
Impact of procedure: Traffic processing will be briefly interrupted as the BIG-IP system reloads the new license. F5 recommends that you perform this procedure on the standby device.
1. Log in to the command line on the standby BIG-IP device.
2. Back up the existing license by typing the following command:
cp /config/bigip.license /config/bigip.license.sol2595
3. Truncate the existing license file by typing the following command:
>/config/bigip.license
Note: The previous command results in an empty /config/bigip.license file. In the following steps, you will populate the empty /config/bigip.license file with an updated copy of the BIG-IP license.
4. Type the get_dossier command in conjunction with the registration key, by using one of the following syntax examples:
- When activating a new license, specify only the base registration key in the get_dossier command.
For example:
get_dossier -b ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDEFG
- When activating a new license that includes an add-on registration key, specify the base registration key and an add-on registration key in the get_dossiercommand.
For example:
get_dossier -b ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDEFG -a ABCDEFG-ABCDEFG
- When re-activating any existing license (including a license with an add-on registration key), specify only the base registration key in the get_dossier command.
For example:
get_dossier -b ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDE-ABCDEFG
Note: In each case, replace the example registration key with the registration key you received when you purchased your F5 product.
5. Your F5 product returns a dossier that appears similar to the following example:
Note: This sample dossier has been truncated for clarity.
b5c602b927380c43351753bb7e47f69f0755d7ffbb1d93622ff94d73337
a157442e6f1a2b98ee27f07c3997d7f0be5e7b4309a4d8c65e110e44304
bc7543f4f3883378536757f24a85a75eecf218767a5c3d43be54a11fd61
7171aefcc881fdd005331e1c18d1f73e3ffaf6df93c0acb1e0a79093cd6
b63a9496524bc8f1ca60c621ee7450924c0fb7d97af8322cdbe5f5ccab2
5c0d15628e972ad907a6e01d207e205a5762dc4684c3a0d7735b10047fe
58672dcd659bbace6d6b94eda0fd8816f2264d522768a19d92944e52ee1
0cf47e1a40fc001cfd0d15fc09e9259bc79953c349fd64774a1dd2a76a6
84598e67e9f7e4abaac060451ccc3e2654d3fb7caac2d698df7461f057a
8e959c6ee827477fd39fde412e6293c7ba15a6603323kj32kjh23jhgkjg
3kg32,hg344
6. Copy the valid product dossier. The dossier will be loaded into the copy/paste buffer.
Note: When copying the dossier, make sure you copy only the dossier contents, and not any part of the command prompt.
7. From a system with Internet access, submit the product dossier to the F5 license server at the following address:
https://secure.f5.com/Infopage/index.jsp
8. The F5 license server returns a license.
9. On the standby F5 product, use the vi text editor to edit the previously truncated /config/bigip.license file, or in the case of activating a new license to create a new/config/bigip.license file.
For example, to edit an existing /config/bigip.license file or to create a new /config/bigip.license file using the vi command, you would type the following command:
vi /config/bigip.license
10. Paste all of the contents of the new license into the /config/bigip.license file.
Note: Make sure that there are no blank lines at the top or bottom of this file.
11. Save and close the file.
12. Reload the license on the BIG-IP system by typing the following command:
reloadlic
Important: Traffic processing will be briefly interrupted while the BIG-IP system reloads the license and configuration.
13. Optional: You can verify that the license has reloaded by reviewing the /var/log/ltm file for entries that appear similar to the following example:
01070424:5: Full configuration initialization phase triggered.
01070427:5: Initialization complete. The MCP is up and running
14. After you receive verification, you can repeat this procedure on each member of the device group, as necessary.