License Validity

Last updated on 2023-09-05 09:10:20

Termed vs. Non-termed License: How long is a license valid?

The Base license is a non-termed license and runs until the year 2030. All other subscriptions are termed licenses and are valid until expiration date. Only active subscription licenses guarantee functionality of the subscribed add-on features.

All Termed Software (TSF, TSFp) and all Public Cloud licenses (VFC, VFCp) – regardless of whether it is a single or pool license – have all modules of base functionality licensed under the Energize Updates subscription. Also, all Enterprise licenses (pool licenses) – except Virtual Pool, VFp – have all services of the Base license running within the Energize Updates license.

What happens when a license expires?

When a subscription exceeds the expiration date, it enters GRACE mode. When the grace period ends, the license becomes INVALID. Single licenses have a grace period of 15 days, and Enterprise licenses (pool) have a grace period of 60 days (except the VFp – Virtual Appliance Pool). No later than 15 days prior to the expiration date, the Barracuda Firewall Admin application displays a warning message.

As soon as a firewall gets registered via token or connects as a physical unit, the firewall queries the license files from the Barracuda Networks server. Start date and lifetime (subscription period) of a license are defined when you order the license. If you register a firewall after the expiration date, the license will show up as expired.

What happens when a license becomes invalid?

When a license becomes INVALID, the subscribed features/services keeps working but configuration changes and subscription updates are blocked after 24 hours. On the day the license becomes invalid, the Barracuda Firewall Admin application displays a warning message.

Single - Control Center-managed: On firmware versions 7.1.4 or lower, unlicensed services shut down immediately.
Pool and Corporate-Site: On firmware versions 7.2.1 or lower, unlicensed services shut down immediately.

CloudGen Firewall Product	Functionality	Type	Validity	Grace Period of License
Barracuda Hardware F	Base	Single	Non-termed until 2030	None
Barracuda Hardware F	Subscriptions	Single	Termed until expiration date	15 d + 24 h
Barracuda Hardware F Pool	Base	Pool	Termed until expiration date of Energize Updates subscription	60 d + 24 h
Barracuda Hardware F Pool	Subscriptions	Pool	Termed until expiration date	60 d + 24 h
Virtual Appliance VF	Base	Single	Non-termed until 2030	None
Virtual Appliance VF	Subscriptions	Single	Termed until expiration date	15 d + 24 h
Virtual Appliance VF Pool	Base	Pool	Non-termed until 2030	None
Virtual Appliance VF Pool	Subscriptions	Pool	Termed until expiration date	15 d + 24 h
Standard Hardware TSF	Base	Single	Termed until expiration date of Energize Updates subscription	60 d + 24 h
Standard Hardware TSF	Subscriptions	Single	Termed until expiration date	60 d + 24 h
Standard Hardware TSF Pool	Base	Pool	Termed until expiration date of Energize Updates subscription	60 d + 24 h
Standard Hardware TSF Pool	Subscriptions	Pool	Termed until expiration date	60 d + 24 h
Virtual Firewall and Public Cloud Instance VFC	Base & Energize Updates	Single	Termed until expiration date of Energize Updates subscription	15 d + 24 h
Virtual Firewall and Public Cloud Instance VFC	Subscriptions	Single	Termed until expiration date	15 d + 24 h
Virtual Firewall and Public Cloud Instance VFC Pool	Base & Energize Updates	Pool	Termed until expiration date of Energize Updates subscription	15 d + 24 h
Virtual Firewall and Public Cloud Instance VFC Pool	Subscriptions	Pool	Termed until expiration date	15 d + 24 h

Environment and number of files inspected per month

Hardware	# of files	Virtual and Public Cloud	# of files
F18	108000	VFC1	108000
F80	108000	VFC2	216000
F180	108000	VFC4	324000
F280	216000	VFC8	648000
F380	260000	VFC16	750000
F400	324000	VFC48	1000000
F600	540000	-	-
F800	750000	-	-
F900	1000000	-	-
F1000	on request	-	-

To learn more about the services provided by each license, please refer to the CloudGen Firewall Product Overview brochure on https://barracuda.com

What happens when the Base license is removed?

Without a Base license – or without any license – the CloudGen Firewall runs in Demo mode with a reduced feature set and limited functionality, e.g., low encryption, no updates, limited number of VPN clients. As soon base services are correctly licensed, the full functionality of the service is available. When the base license is removed at a later date, the CloudGen Firewall turns back to Demo mode.

For more information about Base licenses, see Base Licensing and Subscriptions.

What happens when an add-on license (subscription) is removed?

Subscriptions or add-on licenses entitle specific add-on features and services. E.g., an Energize Updates subscription is needed for the Barracuda URL Filter and App-Detection; a Malware Protection subscription entitles the Anti-Virus service. When an add-on license is removed, unlicensed services shut down after 24 hours.

For more information about subscriptions, see Base Licensing and Subscriptions.

What is a time stamp?

When you assign a pool license to a box, the Control Center creates a unique child license (float license) for each box and issues a time stamp for validity check. The time stamp needs to be renewed periodically. A pool-licensed box must therefore be reachable by the Control Center to receive time stamp renewals.

For more information about pool licensing, see Enterprise Licensing (Pool).

What happens when a pool license expires?

When a pool license expires, the Control Center stops renewing time stamps of child licenses on boxes, which means you must renew the pool license of all subscriptions to guarantee that the Control Center can update the time stamp on boxes.

What happens when a pool-licensed box does not get a time stamp renewal by the CC?

The time stamp has the same grace period as the pool license itself. This means when the pool license has a grace period of 60 days, the time stamp of the float license (child license) also needs to be renewed within 60 days to stay valid. In case the time stamp of the child license on the box does not get an update within the grace period, it becomes invalid.The service keeps running with an additional grace period of 24 hours. After that, functionality entitled by this license keeps working, but configuration and updates are blocked.

The Base license has an expiration date of 2030. However, all boxes must be reachable by the Control Center to get the time stamp updated. If not, the base float license (base child license) on the box also becomes invalid after the grace period, plus an additional 24 hours. After that, the functionality entitled by the Base license keeps working, but configuration and updates are blocked.

What happens when the pool Base license is removed?

Without a Base license – or without any license – the CloudGen Firewall runs in Demo mode. As soon base services are correctly licensed, the full functionality of the service is available. When the Base license is removed at a later date, the CloudGen Firewall turns back to Demo mode. Please note that for Pool Licensing and Corporate Site Licensing, all base functionality is entitled by an Energize Updates subscription.

What happens when a pool add-on license (subscription) is removed?

Subscriptions or add-on licenses entitle specific add-on features and services. Please note that for pool licenses all base functionality is entitled by an Energize Updates subscription. When an add-on license is removed at a later date, the CloudGen Firewall shuts down this service. That is the main difference from when a license becomes invalid, where the service keeps on running. When removing an add-on license, the service keeps running with an additional grace period of 24 hours until it stops working.

For more details regarding enterprise licensing, see Enterprise and Service-Provider Licensing Whitepaper.