@ -6,49 +6,39 @@ description: Consul Enterprise License Overview.
# Consul Enterprise License
## Licensing
## Licensing Overview
All Consul Enterprise agents must be licensed when they are started. Where that license comes from will depend
on which binary is in use, whether the agent is a server, client or snapshot agent and whether ACLs have been
on which binary is in use, whether the agent is a server, client or snapshot agent, and whether ACLs have been
enabled for the cluster.
-> ** Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 removed temporary licensing.** In previous versions Consul Enterprise
-> ** Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 removed temporary licensing.** Prior to 1.10.0, Consul Enterprise
agents could start without a license and then have a license applied to them later on via the CLI
or API. That functionality has been removed and replaced with the ability to load licenses from the
agent's configuration or environment. Also prior to 1.10.0 server agents would automatically propagate
the license between themselves. This no longer occurs and the license must be present on each server
when they are started.
agent's configuration or environment. Also, prior to 1.10.0, server agents would automatically propagate
the license between themselves. This no longer occurs and the license must be present on each server agent
when it is started.
-> Visit the [Enterprise License Tutorial](https://learn.hashicorp.com/tutorials/nomad/hashicorp-enterprise-license?in=consul/enterprise) for detailed steps on how to install the license key.
### Binaries with Built In Licenses
### Applying a License
If you are downloading Consul from Amazon S3, then the license is included
in the binary and you do not need to take further action. This is the
most common use case.
In the S3 bucket you will find three Enterprise zip packages. The packages with `+pro` and
`+prem` in the name, are the binaries that include the license. The package
with `+ent` in the name does not include the license.
When using these binaries no further action is necessary to configure the license.
### Binaries Without Built In Licenses
For Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 or greater, binaries that do not include built in licenses a license must be available at the time the agent starts.
For Consul Enterprise 1.10.0 or greater, a license must be available at the time the agent starts.
For server agents this means that they must either have the [`license_path`](/docs/agent/config/config-files#license_path)
configuration set or have a license configured in the servers environment with the `CONSUL_LICENSE` or
`CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH` environment variables. Both the configuration item and the `CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH`
environment variable point to a file containing the license whereas the `CONSUL_LICENSE` environment
variable should contain the license as the value. If multiple of these are set the order of precedence is:
variable should contain the license as the value. If multiple variables are set,
the following order of precedence applies:
1. `CONSUL_LICENSE` environment variable
2. `CONSUL_LICENSE_PATH` environment variable
3. `license_path` configuration item.
Both client agents and the snapshot agent may also be licensed in the very same manner. However to prevent
the need to configure the license on many client agents and snapshot agents those agents have the capability
to retrieve the license automatically under specific circumstances.
Client agents and [snapshot agents](/docs/enterprise/backups)
may also be licensed in the very same manner.
However, to avoid the need to configure the license on many client agents and snapshot agents,
those agents have the capability to retrieve the license automatically under the conditions described below.
Jared Kirschner
2 years ago
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