Symptoms

For clients with problems establishing consumption-based licensing, for example Flexera or BYOL, a workaround has been established. This workaround has been tested successfully with one client that required consumption-based licensing now. 

Purpose

Below is the workaround that is in place for an existing customer, and should be useable for other customers.

Resolution

Short term workaround in current use by said client,  and that will get other customers up and running:

1. A new “unlimited” license is created and sent to US Signal along with the activation code.
2. Client uses this key and activation code to license their SoftNAS server for their new customer.
3. At the end of each month for each server with an unlimited key applied will do a manual usage sure up:

Sure Up Process:

1. Client will send SoftNAS a screen shot of the “Storage Pools” tab in StorageCenter
   from each server with an unlimited key
2. SoftNAS will use this data to create consumption billing.

Additional Information

The long term plan is for updated “automated” consumption licensing in 3.4.7. This is scheduled for release in late March 2016. Customer will need to upgrade to SoftNAS 3.4.7 to enable the automated consumption reporting using the below steps:

1. A new license key will need to be applied via the Storage Center UI
2. A standard update to 3.4.7 will be required on all the servers running the unlimited key
3. If Object Storage is being used on the updated server, a reboot IS required
4. If Object Storage is NOT being used on the updated server, a reboot is NOT required
5. Client discontinues use of the unlimited license keys

This will enable the automated consumption reporting process going forward and the customer should discontinue use of the unlimited license.

RISK: 

The workaround involves use of an "unlimited" (16PTB) license. It should only be used in cases where we have full confidence that the customer will discontinue use of the "unlimited" license after they upgrade to 3.4.7.