License Expiration and Limits

Each StorNext feature license has a license expiration date (shown in the Expires column) and a limit shown in the Limit column of the Licenses page of the StorNext GUI. The number displayed is the licensed capacity for files being managed by the StorNext software.

For StorNext MDCs

Following is an explanation of the limit for each feature as it pertains to licensing on StorNext MDCs:

  • File System: The number displayed is the maximum number of SAN clients allowed.
  • LAN Clients: The number displayed is the maximum number of LAN clients allowed.
  • Gateway: The Gateway License does not have an associated capacity.
  • Storage Manager: All data that is written to a Storage disk and/or non-AEL tape library, and is retrievable by any means applies to the Storage Manager capacity license. Raw file capacity is used for these calculations even if the tape drive compresses the data or if the target Storage Disk file system uses deduplication (see the Data Deduplication license). Each copy and each file version applies to the Storage Manager capacity license. Deleted data and expired versions do not automatically free up space towards the licensed capacity. Deleted files and expired versions do not reclaim licensed space until the space is recovered using administrative functions.

The Storage Manager capacity license does not include the primary file system capacity or any data stored on tapes that reside in a vault. Disk-to-disk-relocation stores all data in the primary file system, and therefore there is no impact to the Storage Manager capacity license for using disk-to-disk-relocation as defined in the Storage Manager Policy Class.

Note: The capacity for storage disks does not include “dead space” but does include all data on the file system where the storage disk has been configured, not just files copied to the file system by the Storage Manager. To maximize the licensed Storage Manager capacity, the storage disk file systems should be restricted to Storage Manager data only. If your storage disk contains user data you should consider moving that data to an alternate location prior to performing a StorNext upgrade.

If you are unsure about the location of the Storage Manager data on a file system run the command fsdiskcfg with no arguments. This command produces a report on the configured storage disks and the location of the managed data on each file system. The “Path” column in the command output indicates the directory containing the managed data.

  • Replication: The Replication license, if present, enables the use of replication and does not have an associated capacity (component). You must have a license for both the source and target machines.
  • Deduplication: Data deduplication is licensed based on the disk space used for the deduplication repository not on the raw size of the files that are deduplicated. The number displayed on the StorNext License screen is the size of the blockpool. The capacity is tracked to the nearest terabyte.
  • Vaulting: If a vaulting license is purchased, any data that is stored in a vault does not apply to the Storage Manager capacity license.

Note: Vaulting works with Quantum and supported third-party libraries.

  • Storage Disk: Data stored in a Storage Disk is also “charged” against the Storage Manager license capacity.
  • Object Storage: Data stored in a Lattus system is only “charged” against the Object Storage license capacity, and does not apply the Storage Manager capacity license.
  • Distributed Data Mover (DDM): The number displayed is the maximum number of DDM servers that can be used to run mover processes.
  • Failover (HA): If present, a Failover license does not have an associated capacity.
  • Maintenance: The date displayed is when your Maintenance license expires. You cannot upgrade to a version of software whose release date is later than the Maintenance license expiration date. You can, however, upgrade if the release date is prior to your expiration date.

For example, if your maintenance license expires in December, 2010 and a new version of StorNext is released in November 2010, you can upgrade to this new version at any time, even if you don’t get around to upgrading until some time in 2011.

Xsan and StorNext FX Clients

For Xsan environments, the following applies:

Note: StorNext FX clients are not displayed in the Xsan Admin tool.

  • Xsan Clients: An Xsan customer can use an unlimited number of Xsan clients when connected to an StorNext MDC.
  • StorNext FX Clients: StorNext FX clients require a “per-seat” license.