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Installing a WebLogic license

New XML format and directory with version 4.0.3
Location of the license files
What you will need to install your WebLogic license
Adding an entry to the license file
Adding an entry to an existing class format license file
Transferring a license to another IP address
Checking your WebLogic license and troubleshooting problems Verifying your license from the command line
Installing a new release
How license files are found

New XML format and directory with version 4.0.3

Beginning with version 4.0, the format of the license file has been changed from a Java class file that you had to compile, to an XML-format

file, text-based, that you can edit in any text editor. The WebLogicLicense.xml file can be used with the old-style class files; the class file is read first, the XML file second. You should have only one XML file, with your most recent, most permissive keys at the top; both files are parsed from the top, and the first license read for a particular service is the license that is enforced.

Beginning with version 4.0.3, the default location of the license files has been changed to the /license directory in your WebLogic home directory. This will require a change in the CLASSPATH that you use to start the Server. For more information, see Setting up and Starting WebLogic Server.

Always keep a copy of your license files (either the old-style Java or the newer-style XML) in a safe place, out of the distribution.

Note that if you are depending upon an older-style class license file and the XML-format file for keys, you should delete less-permissive keys from your WebLogicLicense.XML file.

We encourage you to use the licenseConverter utility to convert your old-style class file licenses to the newer XML license files. You should then save the new converted license file in the /license directory. These will be easier and faster to maintain.

Location of the license files

By default, the license files (both class format and XML-format) are located in the /license directory in your WebLogic home directory.

This directory is to be included in the CLASSPATH that you use to start the Server.

What you will need to install your WebLogic license

The WebLogic distribution kit that you download is enabled for a 30-day evaluation period, so you can start using WebLogic immediately. To use WebLogic beyond that 30-day evaluation period or to use WebLogic's new clustering features, you will need to contact sales about further evaluation or purchasing a license for each IP address on which you intend to use WebLogic.

All WebLogic products are licensed for use on a single server with up to 3 IP addresses and cannot be used beyond the 30-day evaluation period without a license for that particular IP address. (This does not include applets that use WebLogic classes, which may run from a HTTP server that has the WebLogic classes installed.)

When you receive license keys, you will receive keys in the new XML format, which can be used with any purchased WebLogic licenses in the older class format. Keys will be emailed to you; upon receipt, save the keys into a new (or your existing) XML-format license file as WebLogicLicense.xml in your license directory (by default, in /weblogic/license).

If you purchase more than one product from WebLogic, you will have more than one entry in your license file. If you have purchased licenses for versions previous to 4.0, you may also have more than one license file. All of your license files can be used together; WebLogic will look for multiple license files in both formats in the license directory when the server starts up.

What you will need to begin:

A set of one or more license keys obtained in email to you, after purchase
An installed WebLogic product distribution

Adding an entry to the license file

You need to add new keys to your existing license file if you have purchased more software, if you have applied for and received an extension to your 30-day evaluation, or if you get a new distribution that includes new products.

You will receive a set of non-expiring license keys by email as an attachment after purchase. If you are evaluating WebLogic's clustering feature, you may receive a set of evaluation keys for clustering.

Open the message containing the key(s) you received by email when you purchased a license from BEA Systems, Inc.
Open the WebLogicLicense.xml file in a text editor. (Make sure you do not edit this file in Microsoft Word, or any other word-processing program that will save the file as a binary.)

Copy the keys from the email and paste them at the top of the XML file.

For example, if you have received a key for clustering, it'll look something like this:

  <LICENSE PRODUCT="WebLogic/ClusterII"
        IP="000.000.900.900"
        UNITS="5"
        EXPIRATION="31-Mar-1999"
        KEY="w20f8s08480v0adpup3485paprtnp8ac"
  />

Save the WebLogicLicense.xml file into your WebLogic license directory (if you have installed with defaults, that will be /weblogic/license).
Save your license key information and a copy of your WebLogicLicense.xml file in a safe place outside the WebLogic distribution, preferably someplace you will remember. Although no one else will be able to use your license keys, you should probably save this information in a place protected from either malicious or innocent tampering by others. Please note that when you upgrade your WebLogic classes, you will want to keep your original WebLogicLicense.xml and add new keys to it for any new services you purchase.

If you also have purchased licenses prior to version 4.0, you will have a WebLogicLicense.class file, which must be located in either the /weblogic/license or /weblogic/classes directories (or in some directory in your CLASSPATH).

The server looks first for the older-style class file, and second for the XML file. It accepts the first license key it comes to for any particular product. If you have multiple keys in either your older Java license file or the newer XML-format license file, the most permissive, newest keys should be at the top of the license.

Adding an entry to an existing class format license file

The steps for adding keys to your existing class format license file and creating the new WebLogic.class file are similar to those for adding an entry to an existing XML format license or installing a new release.

When you receive your new license keys by email from WebLogic, paste them at the top of your existing WebLogicLicense.java file (along with the old keys). Save the .java file and then recompile it, creating a new WebLogicLicense.class file. Put this file in the /weblogic/license directory that's in the CLASSPATH for your WebLogic Server.

If you need more information, see adding an entry for step-by-step instructions on this process.

Transferring a license to another IP address

You may need to transfer a permanent license to another machine during upgrades or network moves. The trivial solution, of course, if the old machine is being decommissioned, is to set the IP address of the new machine to the IP address of the decommissioned machine. Then your permanent license will work without any changes.

If you are just moving the WebLogic installation to another machine and the old machine will continue to exist, you will need to change your license file to match the IP address of the new machine. There is a simple process for this.

Contact us at distribution@bea.com for instructions.
We'll send you a form that you must sign. It includes the new IP address.
We'll email you new license keys that you will add to your existing XML license file, following instructions in this document.

Checking your WebLogic license and troubleshooting problems

The most common problem with licenses is a mismatched IP address; a mismatch occurs, for example, when you apply for a license key for an IP address that is different from the IP address of the machine on which the product is installed.

Also check that your license has not expired. If your evaluation license has expired, or if you want an evaluation license for clustering features, follow the instructions on the BEA web site at http://www.bea.com/purchase.html.

Verifying your license from the command line

You can use a command-line WebLogic utility to verify your license file installation, the utility showLicenses. Use this facility with the command:

  $ java utils.showLicenses -Dweblogic.system.home=path

In version 4.0 and later, when XML-format licenses were introduced, you must either run the showLicenses application from your WebLogic home directory (by default, the root directory of your distribution, where the global properties file is located), or you must set the Java system property weblogic.system.home with a -D option on the command line.

For example, if you have installed the WebLogic distribution in the directory c:\weblogic, and you are currently at the command line in the directory c:\myapps, you can still run the showLicenses utility, with this command:

  $ java utils.showLicenses -Dweblogic.system.home=c:\weblogic

The utility shows only those licenses for the machine from which you issue the command. Adding the parameter -a will show all the licenses in your license file.

If the showLicenses command gives you an error or gives you no output, your license file is not properly installed. We have collected tips on the Technical FAQ based on email from our users to help you debug your problems.

If support requests you to send them license output, use the utility writeLicense, which writes output to a file that you can email to support.

Installing a new release

If you keep your WebLogicLicense.XML file with your WebLogic distribution class files, or if you have an old-style class license and have purchased a newer license that is to be added to the WebLogicLicense.xml file, then you should do one of the following when installing an upgrade or new release:

Copy your WebLogicLicense.xml file to a safe place before you uninstall or delete the old installation. Then, after installing the new release, replace the evaluation license with your own WebLogicLicense.xml file in the /weblogic/license (WebLogic home/license) directory.

-- or --

Copy your WebLogicLicense.class and your WebLogicLicense.xml file to a safe place before you uninstall or delete the old installation. Then, after installing the new release, replace the evaluation license (in XML format) found in /weblogic/license.
Put both your old-style class file and newer XML-format files in the /weblogic/license (WebLogic license) directory of the distribution.
Both files will be respected. Newer licenses are always added to the top of the XML file.

-- or --

Re-enter your license keys at the top of the WebLogicLicense.xml file found in /weblogic/license that you receive in the new distribution and save the file.

-- or--

Use the licenseConverter utility to convert your old-style class file licenses to the newer XML license files. You should then save the new converted license file in the /license directory.

You should keep a copy of your edited WebLogicLicense.xml and -- if you have old-style licenses -- your WebLogicLicense.java file, along with the original key information you received from WebLogic, outside your working Java space. If you inadvertently delete a license file, you will be able to replace the file.

How license files are found

License files are searched for in this order:

WebLogicLicense.class in the CLASSPATH
WebLogicLicense.xml from the WebLogic home directory (the directory specified by the weblogic.system.home property)
WebLogicLicense.xml in the CLASSPATH
License.class in the CLASSPATH (Type 4 drivers only)

If your configuration uses multiple servers and a globally shared properties file, placing the XML license file in the /license directory in the WebLogic home directory will make it accessible to all of the servers. For more information, see Setting up multiple properties files .

Placing the file there will prevent it from being accidentally erased if you delete any of your class directories.

Note that only the first .class or .xml license files found are the licenses which will be read.