Acquire and install enterprise licenses

To use Pentaho products, you must acquire and install enterprise licenses that can be verified with a license server.

Consider whether the following situations apply to your environment:

• If you cannot use a cloud or local license server in your environment, please review alternatives with your Pentaho representative. You might incur additional charges for manual audits.

• If you are upgrading from any previous Pentaho 10.x version to Pentaho 11.0, then additional entitlements might be required. Please contact your customer support representative for details.

• If you are an existing customer wanting to upgrade from Pentaho 9.x or earlier supported versions, do not start the server before upgrading the licenses. You must install the new version of the product before activating the licenses.

Complete the following steps to acquire and install enterprise licenses:

1. Contact the Pentaho Sales team to purchase enterprise licenses for Pentaho products.

   After you purchase your Pentaho enterprise licenses, you receive an email with an activation ID or cloud license server information that can be used to unlock the product.

   Note: The activation ID is used only for a trial license. For information about a trial license, see Acquire a trial license in the Try Pentaho Data Integration and Analytics guide.

2. Choose the type of license server to use for verifying Pentaho product licenses.

   • If you do not have security restrictions that prevent you from accessing a cloud license server, use the Pentaho cloud license server.

   • If you cannot use the Pentaho cloud license server, install a local license server behind your firewall. See Install and manage a local license server.

     Note: If your environment prevents access to the back office URL, use offline activation. See Activate offline entitlements.

3. Install Pentaho product licenses.

   For instructions, see Install licenses using PUC or Install licenses using the PDI client.

Install and manage a local license server

Use a local license server if your environment cannot reach the cloud license server.

The local license server is a command-line tool. It manages Pentaho license entitlements and related admin tasks.

During setup, you get a base URL that products use to connect. Example: http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~.

Users can also request a license in the browser. Example: http://<server_ip_address>:7070/request.

Consider redundancy to avoid downtime. See Revenera License Server Failover.

In this section

• Requirements

• Install on Linux

• Install on Windows

• Administrative commands and files

• Set up a self-signed certificate (SSL)

• Activate offline entitlements

• Change the Java temporary directory on Linux

• Uninstall on Linux

• Uninstall on Windows

Requirements

• CPU: 2 GHz, 2 cores

• RAM: 4 GB

• Disk: 200 MB

• Set JAVA_HOME.

• Open port 7070.

• Do not deploy the local license server in a Docker container.

You also need:

• Linux: sudo privileges for installation and service management.

• Windows: Administrator privileges for service management.

If you enable SSL, open port 1443. See Set up a self-signed certificate (SSL).

Install on Linux

To use Pentaho software, a user must have a valid entitlement in a cloud or local license server that can be verified by the license manager.

If you cannot access a cloud license server, install a local license server behind your firewall.

The local license server is a command-line tool. It activates acquired licenses and performs administrative tasks.

You can install the local license server on the same server or VM that hosts the Pentaho Server. It requires limited resources.

Before you begin

• Verify the local license server requirements listed in Requirements.

• If you are installing on Red Hat Linux with FIPS mode enabled, configure Java:

  • Configuring Red Hat build of OpenJDK 11 on RHEL with FIPS

  • Configuring Red Hat build of OpenJDK 17 on RHEL with FIPS

Install and activate

1. Download the local license server file from the Support Portal.

   1. Sign in with the support credentials from your Pentaho Welcome Packet.

   2. In the Pentaho card, select Download.

   3. In the 11.0 list, select Pentaho 11.0 GA Release.

   4. Scroll to the bottom of the release page.

   5. Go to Utilities and Tools/Local License Server.

   6. Download the license server file, enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build version>.tar.gz.

2. Set permissions for the license server.

   • For enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build version>.tar.gz:

     chmod 777 enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build_version>.tar.gz

3. Extract the enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build_version>.tar.gz file:

   • tar -xvzf enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build_version>-linux-<jdk_version>.tar.gz -C <destination_folder>

4. Go to the server directory.

   cd /<destination_folder>/enterprise-local-license-server/server

5. Run the installer.

   • If Java can use the default temp directory:

     sudo ./install-systemd.sh

   • If access to Java's temp directory is restricted:

     sudo ./install-systemd.sh --tmpdir=<full_path_to_temp_directory>

     You can also configure this later. See Change the Java temporary directory on Linux.

6. If prompted with Install VMUUID license daemon?, choose:

   • y for a VM

   • n for physical hardware

   Note: This prompt can appear for Java version 2025.02.0 or newer.

7. Start the service.

   sudo systemctl start flexnetls-pentaho

8. Go to the enterprise admin tools directory.

   cd /<destination_folder>/enterprise-local-license-server/enterprise

9. Change the admin password.

   ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize <defaultAdminName> {<defaultAdminPassword>|-<passwordConsoleInput>} -users -edit admin {<newAdminPassword>!|-<passwordConsoleInput>}

   Default admin credentials are in producer-settings.xml:

   • Username: admin

   • Password: Password!01

   For details, see FNE_LicenseServerAdminGuide.pdf in /enterprise-local-license-server/documentation.

10. Verify status:

    1. Verify the systemd status:

       sudo systemctl -l status flexnetls-pentaho

    2. Verify the FlexNet server status:

       ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -status

11. Activate licenses using the activation ID emailed by Hitachi Vantara:

    ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize <admin_name> <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -activate -id <activation_id> -count <number_of_entitlements_to_activate>

    <number_of_entitlements_to_activate> must be an integer. It must be less than or equal to the purchased quantity.

    Note: If the license server cannot reach the back office URL, use Activate offline entitlements.

Verify activated licenses

Use this command to confirm what you activated:

./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -licenses -verbose

For instructions on installing a license, see Install licenses using PUC or Install licenses using the PDI client.

Install on Windows

To use Pentaho software, a user must have a valid entitlement in a cloud or local license server that can be verified by the license manager.

If you cannot access a cloud license server, install a local license server behind your firewall.

The local license server is a command-line tool. It activates acquired licenses and performs administrative tasks.

You can install the local license server on the same server or VM that hosts the Pentaho Server. It requires limited resources.

Install and activate

1. Download the local license server file from the Support Portal.

   1. Sign in with the support credentials from your Pentaho Welcome Packet.

   2. In the Pentaho card, select Download.

   3. In the 11.x list, select Pentaho 11.0 GA Release.

   4. Scroll to the bottom of the release page.

   5. Go to Utilities and Tools/Local License Server.

   6. Download the license server file, enterprise-local-license-server-11.0.0.0-<build_version>.zip.

2. Unzip the file to your install folder. Example: <installation_path>\enterprise-local-license-server-<pentaho_version>-<build_version>.

3. Go to the unzipped folder.

4. Install the license server as a Windows service:

   1. Go to <installation_path>\enterprise-local-license-server\server.

   2. Run:

      flexnetls.bat -install

5. Start the service:

   flexnetls.bat -start

6. Change the admin password:

   1. Go to <installation_path>\enterprise-local-license-server\enterprise.

   2. Run:

      flexnetlsadmin -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin <old_password> -users -edit admin <new_password>

      Default admin credentials are in producer-settings.xml in <installation_path>\enterprise-local-license-server\server:

      • Username: admin

      • Password: Password!01

      For details, see FNE_LicenseServerAdminGuide.pdf in /enterprise-local-license-server/documentation.

7. Verify status:

   1. Verify the license server:

      flexnetls.bat -status

      If the server is running, it reports Service running.

   2. Run services.msc.

   3. Confirm that FlexNet License Server - <admin_name> is started.

8. Activate licenses using the activation ID emailed by Hitachi Vantara:

   1. Go to <installation_path>\enterprise-local-license-server\enterprise.

   2. Run:

      flexnetlsadmin.bat -authorize <admin_name> <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -activate -id <activation_id> -count <number_of_entitlements_to_activate>

Verify activated licenses

Use these commands:

• Server status:

  flexnetlsadmin.bat -authorize admin <password> -server <licenseServer_baseURL> -status

• Activated licenses:

  flexnetlsadmin.bat -authorize admin <password> -server <licenseServer_baseURL> -licenses -verbose

For instructions on installing a license, see Install licenses using PUC or Install licenses using the PDI client.

Administrative commands and files

You can use CLI commands to perform basic license management operations.

If security is enabled (it is enabled by default), include credentials with each command:

-authorize admin <password>

Default credentials:

• Username: admin

• Password: Password!01

Logs

File	Location	Description
access_request.log	/var/opt/flexnetls/<identityName>/logs	Server endpoint request logs
flexnetls.log	/var/opt/flexnetls/<identityName>/logs	Server logs

Common commands

Command	Description
./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -status	Check service status
./flexnetlsadmin -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -config	Check server configuration
./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -licenses -verbose	List activated entitlements
./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server <licenseServer_baseURL> -activate -id <activation_id> -count <count>	Activate entitlements

Other files and commands

File/command	Location	Description
local-configuration.yaml	/opt/flexnetls/pentaho	Local license server configuration
producer-settings.xml	/opt/flexnetls/pentaho	Server configuration set up by Hitachi Vantara
sudo systemctl daemon-reload	Not applicable	Run after you update the service configuration
sudo systemctl stop flexnetls	Not applicable	System-wide command
sudo systemctl enable flexnetls	Not applicable	System-wide command
sudo systemctl disable flexnetls	Not applicable	System-wide command
sudo systemctl status flexnetls	Not applicable	System-wide command

Set up a self-signed certificate (SSL)

You can configure SSL for the local license server.

Refer to Components Reference for the supported Java version.

Open port 1443 for communication with the local license server.

1. Go to the Java security folder:

   cd /usr/lib/jvm/<java_installation_folder>/lib/security

   Example: /usr/lib/jvm/java-<version>-openjdk-amd64/lib/security

2. Generate the self-signed certificate:

   sudo keytool -genkey -keyalg RSA -alias selfsigned -keystore keystore.jks -storepass changeit -validity 3600 -ext san=ip:<ip_address>,ip:<local_host>

3. Export the certificate:

   sudo keytool -export -alias selfsigned -keystore keystore.jks -rfc -file server_cert.cert

4. Import the certificate:

   sudo keytool -import -trustcacerts -keystore /usr/lib/jvm/java-<version>-openjdk-amd64/lib/security/cacerts -storepass changeit -alias selfsigned -file server_cert.cert

5. Update /opt/flexnetls/pentaho/local-configuration.yaml:

   # HTTPS server mode
   https-in:
     # Set to true to enable
     enabled: false
     # HTTPS listening port
     port: 1443
     # Path to keystore
     keystore-path: <path-to-your-keystore>
     # Keystore password. You can obfuscate this with java -jar flexnetls.jar -password <your-password>
     keystore-password: changeit
   
     # Choice of TLS cipher suites. One of MODERN, COMPATIBLE or WEAK.
     tlsCipherSuites: COMPATIBLE
   
   # HTTPS client mode. You generally don't need to specify this, unless you have an in-house CA chain.
   https-out:
     # Set to true to enable
     enabled: false
     # Path to truststore containing server certificate.
     truststore-path: <path-to-your-truststore>
     # Truststore password. You can obfuscate this with java -jar flexnetls.jar -password <your-password>
     truststore-password: changeit
     # Switch off if you're having host validation problems (not recommended)
     host-verify: true
     # Set to true if you're using self-signed certificates (not recommended)
     self-signed: false

SSL is now configured.

Activate offline entitlements

Use offline activation if a security restriction prevents the license server from reaching the back office URL.

1. Obtain the activation ID from the sales support team.

2. Create a request file (capabilityRequest.bin) on the license server:

   cd /<destination_folder>/enterprise-local-license-server/enterprise
   
   # Linux:
   ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -server http://<license_server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin Password!01 -activate -id <activation_id> -count <number_of_entitlements_to_activate> -o capabilityRequest.bin
   
   # Windows:
   ./flexnetlsadmin.bat -server http://<license_server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin Password!01 -activate -id <activation_id> -count <number_of_entitlements_to_activate> -o capabilityRequest.bin

3. Send capabilityRequest.bin to Pentaho customer support.

   Customer support generates capabilityResponse.bin and sends it back.

4. Load capabilityResponse.bin:

   • Linux:

     ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -server http://<license_server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin Password!01 -activate -load capabilityResponse.bin

   • Windows:

     ./flexnetlsadmin.bat -server http://<license_server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -authorize admin Password!01 -activate -load capabilityResponse.bin

5. Verify activated licenses:

   ./flexnetlsadmin.sh -authorize admin <password> -server http://<server_ip_address>:7070/api/1.0/instances/~ -licenses -verbose

Your entitlements are now activated.

Change the Java temporary directory on Linux

The local license server must be able to access Java's temporary directory.

If access is restricted, create a new temp directory and configure the service to use it.

1. Create a new temp directory:

   sudo mkdir /<temp_directory_name>
   sudo chmod 777 /<temp_directory_name>
   sudo chown root:root /<temp_directory_name>

2. Stop the service:

   sudo systemctl stop flexnetls-pentaho

3. Open the service config file:

   sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/flexnetls-pentaho.service.d/flexnetls.conf

4. Add -Djava.io.tmpdir=<full_path_to_temp_directory> to the end of the JVMOPTS value.

   Example:

   Environment="JVMOPTS=... -Djava.io.tmpdir=/<full_path_to_temp_directory>"

5. Save the file.

6. Verify SELinux is permissive.

   If it is not permissive, see Change SELinux to permissive mode.

7. Reload and restart the service:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl start flexnetls-pentaho

Uninstall on Linux

To uninstall the local license server from Linux, complete these steps.

If a device is associated with your machine in FlexNet Operations and you have activated entitlements, set the device state to obsolete before reinstalling. Otherwise, activation might fail due to an activation ID mismatch.

1. Stop the service:

   sudo systemctl stop flexnetls-pentaho

2. Disable auto-start:

   sudo systemctl disable flexnetls-pentaho

3. Remove service files:

   sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/flexnetls-pentaho.service
   sudo rm -r /etc/systemd/system/flexnetls-pentaho.service.d

4. Optional clean reinstall cleanup:

   • Trusted storage: rm -rf /var/opt/flexnetls/pentaho

   • Logs: rm -rf /var/opt/flexnetls/pentaho/logs

Uninstall on Windows

To uninstall the local license server from Windows, complete these steps.

1. Stop the service:

   flexnetls.bat -stop

2. Uninstall the service:

   flexnetls.bat -uninstall

3. Clean up the service entry:

   sc delete FNLS-pentaho

4. Delete the files in the license server installation directory.

5. Optional clean reinstall cleanup:

   • Trusted storage: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\flexnetls\pentaho (.ks, .db, and .0)

   • Logs: C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\flexnetls\pentaho\logs

Trusted storage and log file locations are defined by server.trustedStorageDir and logging.directory. Your server might use different paths.

Install licenses using PUC

To use Pentaho products, you must install enterprise licenses that can be verified by your organization's license server. You can install licenses using the Pentaho User Console (PUC).

Before installing Pentaho Server licenses using PUC, you must complete the following prerequisites:

• Obtain the URL for requesting a license from the license server. Your organization might use the Pentaho license server or a local license server.

• Download the Pentaho Server to your environment.

• Verify that you have administration privileges.

Complete the following steps to install Pentaho Server licenses by using PUC.

1. Log in to the Pentaho User Console. See the Pentaho Business Analytics document for instructions on logging in to PUC.

2. If you do not have valid licenses, the License page appears the first time you log in.

   
3. Click the plus sign (+) to open the Add License window.

4. Select License Server, enter either the cloud license server URL or the local license server URL, and then click OK.

   The URL for requesting a license from the local license server looks like the following example:

   

   Note: The Activation Code option is only for activating a trial license.

5. Review the license summary to see which components you are now entitled to use, and then click Close.

   

Install licenses using the PDI client

To use Pentaho products, you must install enterprise licenses that can be verified by your organization's license server. You can install licenses using the PDI client.

Before installing licenses using the PDI client, you must complete the following prerequisites:

• Obtain the URL for requesting a license from the license server. Your organization might use the Pentaho license server or a local license server.

• Download the PDI client to your environment.

Complete the following steps to install your licenses using the PDI client (also called Spoon).

1. Start the PDI client.

   See the Pentaho Data Integration document for more information about the PDI client. If no valid license for the PDI client exists, the Pentaho License Manager dialog box appears.

2. In the Pentaho License Manager, click the plus sign (+) to open the Add License window.

3. Select the License Server option, enter either the cloud license server URL or the local license server URL, and then click OK.

   The URL for requesting a license from the local license server looks like the following example:

   

   Note: The Activation Code option is only for activating a trial license.

4. Review the license summary to see which components you are now entitled to use, and then click Close.

   

Manage licenses using the command line interface

You can set the license path environment variable, or you can install, update, list, or remove license files.

Setting the license path environment variable

To ensure that the Pentaho Server uses the same location to store and retrieve your Pentaho licenses, you must create a PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH system environment variable for your Pentaho user account if it does not exist. It does not matter what location you choose; however, the location needs to be available to the user account(s) that run the Pentaho Server.

Set the license path environment variable on Linux

Perform the following steps to set the environment variable for the license path in Linux.

1. Open the /etc/environment file with any text editor.

2. Add this line in a convenient place (changing the path if necessary):

   export PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH=/home/pentaho/.elmLicInfo.plt

   The license information file is saved in the /home/user/…/.pentaho folder.

3. Log out and log back into the operating system for the change to take effect.

4. Verify that the variable is properly set using the following command.

   env | grep PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH

The PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH variable is now set.

Set the license path environment variable on Windows

Perform the following steps to set the environment variable for the license path in Windows.

Move the installed license .elmLicInfo.plt file from where it was installed (C:\Users\<user>\.pentaho) to C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\.pentaho or to the location where you are running the Windows service.

1. Under Windows settings, locate and open the Windows system environment variables file for editing.

2. In the System Variable section, click New.

   A dialog box will ask for a variable name and value.

3. Type PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH into the Name field and specify the directory where you intend to install the licenses. Type .elmLicInfo.plt in the Value field, then click OK.

   C:/pentaho/.elmLicInfo.plt

   By default, the license information file is saved in the C:\Users\<user>\.pentaho folder.

4. In the parent window, click Apply Changes.

5. Restart your computer for the change to take effect.

6. Verify that the variable is properly set, using the following command at the command prompt:

   echo %PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH%

The PENTAHO_LICENSE_INFORMATION_PATH variable is now set.

If you run Tomcat automatically as a Windows service, you must also configure it to run on the Windows user account where the .elmLicInfo.plt file is located.

Install or update license files from the command line

To install or update license files, follow the steps below.

1. Navigate to the /license-installer/ directory where the Pentaho PDI tool is installed (the license-installer subfolder).

2. Run the license installation script as follows to see examples of how to use it:

   • Linux:

     install_license.sh --help

   • macOS:

     install_license.sh --help

   • Windows:

     install_license.bat --help