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    Is Pfsense License Required for Redundant server?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • A
      anandpeculiar
      last edited by

      I have a redundancy setup, and

      I have a license for my Primay Pfsense Plus,
      so do i need to purchase another license for my secondary (Redundant) Pfsense Plus?

      patient0P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • patient0P
        patient0 @anandpeculiar
        last edited by

        @anandpeculiar Please don't double post.

        You'll get an answer eventually from someone knowledgable.

        In my view you'll need a license for every device. Every pfSense installation generates a NDI (Netgate Device ID). And the license is bound to that.

        GertjanG A 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GertjanG
          Gertjan @patient0
          last edited by

          @patient0 said in Is Pfsense License Required for Redundant server?:

          Please don't double post.

          The other post is actually quiet well hidden, it's under under Packages ... ( why ? ).

          About the license : also very imho : a license is device bound. So x devices need x licenses.

          And, as usual, I hope to be wrong of course 😊

          No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
          Edit : and where are the logs ??

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • A
            anandpeculiar @patient0
            last edited by

            @patient0 , sorry about that, i thought i posted the Question under the wrong category.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • A
              anandpeculiar
              last edited by

              I just wanted to know that the redundant Server will be as a secondary one and not in use until the primary is down for some reason. so how the license would be.

              patient0P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • patient0P
                patient0 @anandpeculiar
                last edited by

                @anandpeculiar said in Is Pfsense License Required for Redundant server?:

                I just wanted to know that the redundant Server will be as a secondary one and not in use until the primary is down for some reason. so how the license would be.

                I understood that, but you can't move a license around, it really is bound to a devices. If you want an official answer you best write to Netgate support.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  The NDI is bound to the specific hardware so yo would need subs for both to be able to access the pkg repos.

                  Is this an HA pair or a cold spare? No difference in terms of NDI but in an HA situation both nodes are expected to be able to update at any time.

                  P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • P
                    Patch @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    I have never understood why a licence for a short duration (1 year) can not readily be moved when the old hardware is not functional (cold spare or hardware failure).

                    Having a licence tied to hardware makes perfect sense for a long term licence (where ongoing company income comes from old hardware dying and being replaced eg Netgate hardware) but makes no sense when an annual licence fee is paid.

                    Perhaps Netgate just dislikes selling software and really only wants to sell hardware.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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