License and authentication overview

Related Topics

Every Avaya media server requires a current and correct version of a license file and an Avaya authentication file in order to provide the expected call-processing service.

License file. This file specifies the features and services that are available on your Avaya media server, such as the number of ports purchased. The license file contains a software version number, hardware serial number, expiration date, and feature mask. The license file is reinstalled anytime you want to add or remove call-processing features.

Note: New license files are often required for new software, but there are exceptions.  

Avaya authentication file. Contains the logins and passwords for Avaya services personnel to access the Avaya media server. This file is updated regularly as a provision of your maintenance contract.

Caution:
A valid authentication file must be present on every Avaya media server, or access to Avaya call-processing (ACP) software from any login is blocked.

This topic covers:

Obtain license and authentication files

you can install a new license file and the Avaya authentication file independently of each other or any other server upgrades.

New license or authentication files are available:

Put new files on the server

You can put new license or authentication files from another machine onto the Avaya media server using the following web administration interface screens.

Upload files: If a new license or authentication file is downloaded to the services laptop or another computer on the network:  

Download files: If a new license or authentication file resides at a particular URL on a web server:

Copy files: If a new license or authentication file is on another computer or server accessible from the corporate network:

When the files are present on the server, continue your installation:

License and authentication file operation

This section covers miscellaneous aspects of license and authentication file operation.

RFA website

License files are generated from the Remote Feature Activation (RFA) web interface. This website is available only to Avaya services personnel and business partners.

RFA contains a system record for each Avaya media server. The system record is populated based on what software, features, and capacities are purchased. The license file is transferred from the RFA system to the Avaya media server as described in Obtain license and authentication files. The license must then be installed on the system using the Install License screen.

RFA generates additional licenses over the life of the system. New licenses are needed to support certain software upgrades, hardware additions, or maintenance, such as replacement of the IPSI circuit pack whose serial number is used as the hardware serial number for the system.

License operation on the standby server

Each of the two Avaya media servers has a copy of the same license file. The server in standby mode mirrors the license mode of the active server. When a standby server becomes active, it maintains the license mode and timer value from the other server. An active server entering No-License mode does not cause the standby to take over; see View License Status.

Normally, switching to the standby server does not correct any license errors. However, because the active and standby servers can have different port network connectivity, switching to the standby server under certain conditions could change the license mode.