(Solved)When pfSense CE reaches Netgate TAC end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?

tman904

Hi.
I have registered for both the home and lab versions of pfSense+ as I thought I would need to download two ISO files then install them on hardware or a hypervisor. But I see that these are meant for migration from pfSense CE to pfSense+.

My questions are

Once pfSense CE is no longer viable/supported on 12/31/2022 will pfSense+ be distributed as an ISO image for installations on hypervisors and bare metal In addition to buying an appliance?
Will buying a TAC support plan be the only way to download a pfSense+ ISO in the future?
Is pfSense+ one codebase regardless of if it is home/lab editions etc.

SteveITS

@tman904 Where have you heard anything about pfSense CE going away?

re: codebase, I believe it's basically all the same, except the ARM appliances I'd expect have some tweaks for that platform. I've heard exactly nothing about there being any differences in Plus license options other than the license name.

bingo600

@steveits said in When pfSense CE reaches end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?:

re: codebase, I believe it's basically all the same, except the ARM appliances I'd expect have some tweaks for that platform. I've heard exactly nothing about there being any differences in Plus license options other than the license name.

Cough .. Cough
https://forum.netgate.com/topic/169833/can-pfsense-utilize-client-certs-for-authentication-with-ldap-server

And so it begins

tman904

@steveits I did not say pfSense CE was going away. TAC Support from Netgate for pfSense CE is ending later this year.

This is what I read.
Taken from here:
https://www.netgate.com/pfsense-plus-software/software-types

I'm asking when there will be an installation path for pfSense+ using a native pfSense+ ISO file just like TNSR has. Not just a path involving migrating from an existing pfSense CE installation to pfSense+.

bingo600

@tman904

My guess is yes.
Customers running on Netgate HW, already have to contact support today to get a download link for an install image.

I do expect the same procedure, once you have a licensed plus on a non Netgate box.

tman904

@bingo600 So you mean once you migrate there is a stand alone ISO file that is downloadable?

I'm thrown off because I was under the impression in mid 2021 that pfSense+ was going to be an ISO file for 3rd party hardware that was freely available to download? Is that what you thought too or no?

SteveITS

@bingo600 said in When pfSense CE reaches Netgate TAC end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?:

And so it begins

I wasn't saying Plus didn't have differences from CE, I was addressing the question about whether the Plus home license was different than the lab or commercial licenses. :)

@tman904 said in When pfSense CE reaches Netgate TAC end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?:

TAC Support from Netgate for pfSense CE is ending later this year

I see. I didn't know they offered that!

re: ISO for Plus, as long as there is a path to go from CE to Plus by entering your key or whatever there's probably not a need for a separate download? I don't know. If it was to be available bingo600's guess seems logical. Over time as Plus diverges it seems more likely a separate ISO would be useful.

tman904

@steveits I hope that a separate ISO is what happens since I think that would be much less confusing.

DLFerguRD

I too hope for an ISO to download.
Ever since the 2.5ce series started, every time i upgraded from the gui, my thermal sensors quit working. If I did a clean install from an ISO the thermal sensors worked.
The sensors quit working after I entered the license key and the system upgraded to 21.1.
Its not a big deal but I would rather have them working.

stephenw10

@tman904 said in When pfSense CE reaches Netgate TAC end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?:

So you mean once you migrate there is a stand alone ISO file that is downloadable?

There isn't currently. To get to Plus on whitebox hardware you need to install CE and upgrade.

I couldn't tell you what the situation will be by the end of year but I anticipate there may be changes to meet subscribers requirements as those become clear.

One of the great things about pfSense is how easy it has always been to get back up and running in the event of hardware failure.

Steve

tman904

@stephenw10 said in When pfSense CE reaches Netgate TAC end of support will a pfSense+ ISO be available to download?:

I couldn't tell you what the situation will be by the end of year but I anticipate there may be changes to meet subscribers requirements as those become clear.

Fair enough that answers my question. I will just wait and see what happens later on. Netgate does have good informational blog posts etc so I assume if/when a pfSense+ ISO for x86_64 hardware becomes available Netgate will let us know.

Thank you for the help.