To create a virtual server from a template which is based on paid software, such as MS Windows, you must have a valid license. The system verifies if you have a license before allowing the VS to be created, so before creating a VS you must first upload the license keys you've bought to OnApp, or connect to a licensing server.

OnApp supports three license types:

  • MAK licensing: the default licensing type applied to all Windows-based VSs. 
  • KMS licensing: this is applicable to every VS since Windows 7 \ Server 2008 or newer Windows versions.
  • User licenses: allow end users to input a license key when creating a VS. 

Please note that OnApp will support Windows Server 2022 template starting from the 6.6 version.

The template licenses in OnApp are managed in two places:

  • Cloud > Templates > Template Store – where you specify which license types can be applied to templates assigned to the particular template group.
  • Admin > Buckets – where you specify which license types a user on this plan can apply to their Windows-based VSs.
  • To avoid billing issues, do not use different Windows licensing types for the same template in one bucket. In case you assign a template to template groups with different licensing types or different prices, it will be charged at a smaller price.
  • The bucket settings override the template group settings. For example, if the KMS licensing is allowed by template group settings, but is not enabled in bucket configuration, the user will not be able to create VSs using KMS licensing.

The user specifies the license type for a particular virtual server during the VS creation process. The list of available license types depends on the template which is chosen for the VS and the bucket the user is signed up to. 

To enable users to choose the license type:

Create a template group

Specify licenses that can be used within this group

Assign the templates to this group

If you do not assign a template to a template group, the default MAK licensing is applied to that template.

Create a bucket

Specify which license types can be used within this bucket  

Assign template groups to a bucket (optional)

If you do not assign any template group to a bucket, the user can build VSs on any template available in the cloud. The choice of licenses will depend on the settings specified for the template group to which this template belongs.

Assign a user to this bucket

KMS Licensing

To allow your users to create virtual servers (applicable to every VS since Windows 7 \ Server 2008 or newer Windows versions) using KMS licensing:

  1. Log in to your Control Panel as an Admin.

  2. Enable KMS licensing for a particular template group, and attach the templates for which you plan to enable KMS licensing to this group (see Template Store in the next section).

    Windows 2003 and XP templates do not support KMS licensing.

  3. Enable KMS licensing for a bucket, and assign this template group to a bucket.
  4. Sign up a user to this bucket.

MAK Licensing

To add a MAK license to OnApp:

  1. Go to your Control Panel > Cloud > Templates > Software Licenses menu.
  2. Click the Add new License button.
  3. Set the necessary parameters in the form that appears:
    • Distribution – Windows OS distribution (2003, 2008, 7)
    • R2 – move the slider to the right if your license is for the second edition of Windows OS distribution
    • Architecture - select x64 or x86
    • Edition – select the edition of the OS: STD (Standard), ENT (Enterprise), WEB (web), DC (Data Center), PRO (Professional)
    • License – enter the license code, e.g. TZXTC-R4GGG-9TT3V-DYDY4-T628B
    • Total - the total number of servers allowed by the license (the amount of licenses you bought from Microsoft)
  4. Click Save.

To view MAK license details, go to your Control Panel > Cloud > Templates > Software Licenses menu. This screen lists all the licenses you've added to your OnApp installation with their details:

  • Label – the license name specifying the OS distribution, architecture and edition, e.g. Windows 2008 R2 x64 STD/ENT
  • License - the license code
  • Total - the number of VSs allowed by the license
  • Count - the number of licenses used

To edit/delete an existing MAK license:

  1. Go to your Control Panel > Cloud > Templates > Software Licenses menu. This screen lists all the licenses you've added to your OnApp installation.
  2. Click the Edit/Delete buttons next to the license you're interested in.

See also:

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