Installing and Updating a WebLogic Server License

WebLogic Server requires a valid product license to run. The following sections explain how to acquire, install, and update a WebLogic Server license:

 

About WebLogic Server Licenses

WebLogic Server uses an XML-format license file called license.bea. This license file, stored in the BEA Home directory, is used for the BEA WebLogic products installed on the target system. WebLogic Server checks this file at run time to determine which software components you are authorized to use.

 

Development Licenses

The first time you install a BEA WebLogic product, the installation program installs a non-expiring development license in the BEA Home directory so that you can start using the product immediately. Subsequently, when you install additional BEA products that include a license.bea file, the installation program automatically adds the new product licenses to the license.bea file.

The development license enables you to run WebLogic Server on a single server machine with unlimited client connections from a maximum of five IP addresses. IP addresses are tracked from the time the server is started. The limit is enforced for the total number of IP addresses from which a connection originates, not the number of IP addresses from which concurrent connections originate. When you restart the server, the count is reset.

 

Production Licenses

To use Weblogic Server in a production environment, purchase a production license. For information about purchasing a production license, contact your sales representative or see the BEA corporate Web site .

Various license levels are available. In most cases, when you purchase a WebLogic Server production license, you receive a license through e-mail to replace the development license installed with WebLogic Server. After installing the WebLogic Server software and receiving the production license, update the existing license.bea file with the license file you received. See Updating Your license.bea File.

 

Updating Your license.bea File

You must update your license.bea file if at least one of the following is true:

  • You receive a production license to replace the development license.
  • You purchase additional BEA WebLogic software.
  • You obtain a new distribution that includes new products.
  • You possess a license file for an earlier release of WebLogic Server and you want to upgrade to the current version of WebLogic Server. After downloading WebLogic Server from the BEA Web site, convert the license to a license for the current version. To do so, see Upgrading Licenses from Previous WebLogic Server Releases.

In each case, you receive a license update file in an e-mail attachment. You then update your license.bea file by performing the following procedure:

Note: Enabling 128-bit encryption requires that the 128-bit encryption license be present in the license.bea file before you install the WebLogic Server software. For details, see Enabling 128-Bit Encryption.

  1. Save the license update file that you received through e-mail with a name other than license.bea, in the target BEA Home directory. For example, save the file as new_license.bea. Use this file as the license_update_file in step 4 of this procedure.

    Note: Do not overwrite or change the name of the existing license.bea file.

  2. Open a command shell and go to the target BEA Home directory.
  3. If it is not already included, add the JVM to your PATH system variable by entering the following commands:

    • On a Windows system: 
      set PATH=BEA_HOME\jdk141_02\bin;%PATH%
    • On a UNIX system: 
      PATH=BEA_HOME/jdk141_02/bin:$PATH



      export PATH

      Note: If you are using a JVM other than the Sun Java 2 SDK 1.4.1, modify the commands above to fit your environment.

  4. Merge the license update file into your existing license by entering one of the following commands:

    • On a Windows system: 
      UpdateLicense license_update_file
    • On a UNIX system: 
      sh UpdateLicense.sh license_update_file

    license_update_file is the name to which you saved the license update file in step 1.

  5. Save a copy of your updated license.bea file in a safe place outside the WebLogic Server and application installation directories.

    Although no one else can use your license file, you should save it in a place that is protected from both malicious and innocent tampering.

 

Enabling 128-Bit Encryption

Two levels of secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption are available for WebLogic Server: 56-bit and 128-bit. The development license installed with WebLogic Server license comes with only 56-bit encryption enabled. You can purchase a development or production license with either 56-bit or 128-bit encryption enabled.

The installation program must find the 128-bit encryption license in the license.bea file before the installation program enables 128-bit encryption for the WebLogic Server installation. If the installation program does not find a WebLogic Server license in the license.bea file, or finds only a 56-bit encryption license for WebLogic Server in the license.bea file, the installer includes 56-bit SSL plug-ins in the WebLogic Server installation. If the installation program finds a 128-bit encryption license for WebLogic Server in the license.bea file, the installer includes both 56-bit and 128-bit SSL plug-ins in the WebLogic Server installation.

Note: A 128-bit license must be available before installation due to United States Export control laws. BEA is not allowed, by U.S. law, to install 128-bit capable code on any machine that does not have the appropriate license. If you already installed WebLogic Server without the 128-bit encryption license and you want 128-bit encryption, you need to uninstall the software, place the 128-bit encryption license for WebLogic Server in the BEA Home directory, and then reinstall WebLogic Server.

To create a new BEA Home directory for a WebLogic Server installation with 128-bit encryption:

  1. Acquire a 128-bit encryption license for WebLogic Server.

    For details, contact BEA Sales at http://www.bea.com/contact.

  2. Create a new directory that you want use as a BEA home directory and place the 128-bit encryption license in the new directory. The license file must be named license.bea.
  3. Install the WebLogic Server software.

    For instructions, see one of the following installation procedures:

 

Upgrading Licenses from Previous WebLogic Server Releases

The format of the license.bea file changes with each release of WebLogic Server. To upgrade a license.bea file from a previous release of WebLogic Server to a license for the current version, complete the following steps.

For information about upgrading your WebLogic Server installation, see the Upgrade Guide.

  1. Log in to the BEA eLicense Web site at http://elicense.bea.com.

    Note: You need a BEA eLicense account to log in to this Web site. If you do not have a BEA eLicense account click the Register link on the Customer Support site to register for an account.

  2. In the left navigation area of the Web page, click Upgrade/Downgrade and follow the instructions on the page. If the license you want to upgrade is not listed, click the Add a Missing License link in the left navigation area. The BEA Licensing team will research the missing license for you.
  3. You will receive the upgraded license file through e-mail.

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