Aruba HPE Maintenance and Subscriptions

License Types and Usage

Licenses are platform independent and can be installed on any controller. Installation of the feature license unlocks that feature’s functionality for the maximum capacity of the controller. Table 1 lists the license types and describes how licenses are consumed on the controllers.

Table 1: Usage per License Type
License	Usage Basis	What Consumes One License
AP	AP	An AP license is required for each operational LAN-connected, mesh, or remote AP that is advertising at least one BSSID (virtual-AP).
ACR	Client Session	This license enables ArubaOSAdvanced Cryptography (ACR) features. A license is required for each active client termination using Suite-B algorithms or protocols.
PEF	AP	One operational AP using one or more Policy Enforcement Firewall (PEF) features, such as intelligent application identification, policy-based traffic management and controls, or stateful user firewalls. NOTE: The PEF license was called PEF-NG in some previous versions of ArubaOS.
PEFV	Controller	The PEFV license allows a network administrator to apply firewall policies to clients using a VPN to connect to the controller. This license is mandatory for the Aruba VIA VPN client, but optional for all other VPN clients. The PEFV license is purchased as a single license that enables the functionality up to the full user capacity of the controller.
RFprotect	AP	An RFProtect (RFP) license is required for each operational AP using one or more RF Protect features, such as spectrum analysis and Wireless Intrusion Protection (WIP).
VMC	AP	In ArubaOS 8.0.0.0, the VMC license is a non-sharable license required to install ArubaOS as a controller on a VM.
WebCC	AP	The Web Content Classification (WebCC) license is a subscription-based, per-AP license that supports Web content classification features on an AP for the duration of the subscription period (up to 10 years per license.

Sharable vs Controller-Specific Licenses

Many licenses are consumed on a per-AP, or per-user basis, and are not unique to any specific hardware device. These sharable license types can be assigned to a licensing pool and used by any device within a group of managed devices. A non-sharable licenses is generated using a controller serial number, and can only be used by the individual controller for which it was generated. Both sharable and non-sharable licenses are installed using Mobility Master, allowing network administrators with root-level access to remotely add licenses to any licensing pool or managed devices on the network.

Table 2: Sharable Licenses vs Controller-Specific Licenses
Sharable via a Licensing Pool	Controller-Specific License
AP	PEFV
ACR	PEFV
PEF
RF Protect
xSec
VMC
WebCC

Evaluation vs Permanent Licenses

Each license can be either an evaluation or permanent license. A permanent license permanently enables the desired software module on a specific Aruba controller. You obtain permanent licenses through the sales order process only. Permanent software license keys are sent to you via email.

An evaluation license allows you to evaluate the unrestricted functionality of a software module on a specific controller for 90 days (in three 30-day increments). Evaluation licenses are added to Mobility Master and made sharable within a licensing pool. An expired evaluation license will remain in the license database until the controller is reset using the command write erase all, where all license keys are removed. An expired evaluation license has no impact on the normal operation of the controller, but it is kept in the license database to prevent abuse.

To determine your remaining time on an evaluation license, select the Alert flag ()in the WebUI titlebar. The WebUI displays information about evaluation license status. When an evaluation period expires:

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The controller automatically backs up the startup configuration and reboots itself at midnight (according to the system clock).

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All permanent licenses are unaffected. The expired evaluation license feature is no longer available and is displayed as in the WebUI.

Perpetual vs Subscription Licenses

A perpetual license is a purchased license that has no end date; once installed, it does not expire. Most purchased licenses are perpetual licenses. The Web Content and Classification (WebCC) license is a subscription license that enables WebCC features only for the duration of the subscription (1,3,5,7 or 10 years). The subscription time period starts from the time license key is generated from the licensing Web site. Thirty days before the license period expires, an alert appears in the banner in the Mobility Master WebUI, warning the user that the license is ready to expire. After the license expiration date is passed, the license continues to operate as an active license for an extended grace period of 120 days. After this final grace period elapses, the license permanently expires.

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