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License Activation Service

December 4, 2024
Contributed by: 
C

The License Activation Service (LAS) is a new cloud-based licensing solution that provides an alternative to the traditional Citrix legacy licensing. LAS introduces new modules for activation, ensuring a seamless and modern approach to license management.

The LAS simplifies the Citrix Licensing experience. There are no longer license access codes or files to generate, download, or install on the license server. You only need to upgrade your license server and register with Citrix Cloud. Once the compatible products are pointed to the license server, they can be activated automatically.

After activation, the License Server regularly communicates with the License Activation Service to keep its activation up to date. The LAS is built with cloud technology, which improves performance and ensures that there is no downtime. If, for any reason, the License Server or LAS is unreachable, the system enters license caching mode, which is designed to protect the system from being unlicensed and avoid an outage. For more information, see License caching mode.

For more details on LAS, see the Licensing documentation License Activation Service.

Prerequisites

  • Install or update the License Server to version 11.17.2 build 51000 or later.
  • Reliable and continuous internet connection for the License Server.

Considerations

  • All Delivery Controllers must be compatible with LAS before the Web Studio prompts for activation. A single site can use either legacy licenses or LAS.
  • You can have multiple License Servers registered with the same Citrix Cloud ID (CCID) or OrgID. However, a site can be configured to point to only one license server.

Limitations

  • If a License Server is registered with Citrix Cloud for LAS, you might see alerts in the Director or Citrix License Manager indicating a failure to upload compliance data. To resolve this issue, download the certificates for Baltimore CyberTrust Root from https://www.digicert.com/kb/digicert-root-certificates.htm/ and then install them in the Trusted Root Certification Authority store on the License Server.
  • Migrating to LAS sets the Product Edition to Platinum and the License Model to Concurrent but this might change in the future. Do not modify the license configuration using PowerShell as this might impact registration and session launch.
  • You can migrate your Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site from the existing legacy license to LAS using only Web Studio.

Key steps

  1. Install or upgrade the License Server to version 11.17.2 build 51000 or later and configure LAS as per the instructions mentioned in How to Configure License Server for License Activation Service.

  2. Install Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops version 2411 or later. Install the core components, such as Citrix Delivery Controller, Citrix Studio, Web Studio, and Citrix Director.

    Note:

    All Delivery Controllers in the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site must be compatible with LAS.

  3. After you install the required components, use Citrix Site Manager to create a site. For information on creating a site, see Create a site. If the License Server is configured to use LAS, the Metainstaller displays the entitlements. The entitlements are provided along with their corresponding license expiration dates.

    Metainstaller displays the LAS entitlements

    Note:

    If the License Server is not upgraded to the latest License Server version, you get an error message.

  4. Check licensing details.
  5. Migrate legacy licensing to LAS.

Check licensing details

After creating the site, check the licensing details using Web Studio.

  1. On Web Studio, select the Licensing node.

  2. On the Licensing Overview page, check if the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site has the appropriate license or if the license has expired while using LAS features.

    Check licensing details

    If the LAS is not reachable, you might see an error message:

    LAS not reachable

    If your License Server is still using an old legacy license and the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site is LAS-aware, then the Web Studio prompts you to register your License Server with Citrix Cloud.

    Register License Server to use LAS

Migrate legacy licensing to LAS

If you have already registered your License Server with Citrix Cloud and have the necessary entitlement, then the Web Studio prompts you to migrate your existing Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site from legacy licensing to LAS. To migrate, click Migrate to LAS.

Migrate from legacy license to LAS

Note:

The License Edition of the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops site is set to Platinum, and the License Model is configured to Concurrent once you migrate to LAS.

Important considerations for upgrade

When you upgrade from any earlier Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops version to 2411 and later, upgrade the License Server to the latest version (version 11.2.17 build 51000 or later).

  • You get the following errors on the Licensing Errors page while upgrading using the metainstaller UI:

    • If you do not upgrade to the latest License Server version:

      Version error

    • If there are any incompatibilities, such as an outdated License Server or unavailability of licenses:

      Outdated License Server or unavailability of licenses

  • If you are upgrading using the command-line, run the following commands to avoid upgrade failure (assuming you are inside the \x64 folder in the mounted ISO):

  1. Run the following:

    \x64\Licensing\CitrixLicensing.exe /quiet 
<!--NeedCopy-->

    If you have copied the Licensing binaries to any of the local drives, then run the following command:

    \x64\Licensing\CitrixLicensing.exe /quiet /l install.log
<!--NeedCopy-->

  2. Run the following:

    \x64\XenDesktop Setup\XenDesktopServerSetup.exe  /components "CONTROLLER,DESKTOPSTUDIO,DESKTOPDIRECTOR" /CONFIGURE_FIREWALL
<!--NeedCopy-->

Uninstall core components

During upgrade, if you have installed License Server first using the commands \x64\Licensing\CitrixLicensing.exe /quiet or \x64\Licensing\CitrixLicensing.exe /quiet /l install.log and then installed the core components, then follow the same order to uninstall:

  1. Uninstall License Server using the command line:

    CitrixLicensing.exe /quiet /uninstall /l uninstall.log
<!--NeedCopy-->

  2. Uninstall components using the GUI or command line. For information, see Remove components.

If you uninstall the License Server and components using the command line XenDesktopServerSetup.exe or removeall, then clean up the registry entry and the remaining files.

To clean registry entries :

  1. Search for the registry key Citrix Licensing and delete that entry. Mostly, you can find the entry in the following location:

    "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
<!--NeedCopy-->

  2. Delete the folder pointed by the Uninstall String in the registry key.

License Activation Service
December 4, 2024
Contributed by: 
C
December 4, 2024
Contributed by: 
C

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