Update your on-premises Contrast license

You may occasionally need a new license file. There are two ways to update this file:

  • As a SuperAdmin, you can log in to the application and update the license in Contrast.

  • You can replace the license file on the local file system. (If the license is expired, you must use this method.)

To replace the license in the Contrast web interface:

  1. Log in as SuperAdmin.

  2. Select Licensing in the left navigation.

  3. Click Update this license at the bottom of the panel.

  4. Enter your Contrast Hub credentials to download and apply the latest license from the Contrast Hub.

  5. If you don't have access to the Contrast Hub, click Upload license and paste your license in the field provided.

  6. Select Update.

  7. Restart Contrast to apply the new license changes.

To replace the license in the Contrast file system:

  1. Obtain a new license from the Contrast Hub, your account manager or the technical support team.

  2. Rename the new license file contrast.new.lic.

  3. Stop the Contrast application service.

    • Windows: Use the service control panel

    • Linux: Execute sudo service contrast-server stop or another appropriate command for the distribution configuration. Execute ps aux | grep contrast to verify that all Contrast application processes have stopped, and confirm there are no processes listed. If myslqld is still running, it may take a few minutes to terminate on its own after stopping the service. If it doesn't terminate, contact Support. Do not kill the processes.

    Important

    Don't move the current contrast.lic file. Contrast needs both the old and new license files to upgrade the license.

  4. Place the new license file in the <contrast_home>/data directory.

    On Linux, confirm that the new license file has the same owner, group and permissions as other files in that directory. (Execute ls -l to list the directory contents with permissions and owners.) A backup of the current license called contrast.lic.bak will be created in the same directory when the new one is consumed during startup.

    Execute sudo chown contrast_service:contrast_service contrast.new.lic to change the owner and group.

    Execute sudo chmod 644 contrast.new.lic to change the permissions.

  5. Start the Contrast application as normal.

    • Windows: Use the service control panel.

    • Linux: Execute sudo service contrast-server start or another appropriate command for the distribution configuration.

  6. The new license takes effect.

To update all instances of the Contrast application, follow the steps for the file system method described above for each application instance that's running.

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