Requesting and installing a licence
A licence is issued for one deployment. An instance with no usable licence does not run the product, so get one early.
Your instance ID
Section titled “Your instance ID”The instance ID identifies this deployment. It looks like otbw-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX. It is generated on first boot. It is not a secret: it authenticates nothing, and a licence still has to be signed by OTB.
You can find it in three places:
- The container log on first boot, on a line starting
instanceId:. - The Licence step of the setup wizard, with a Copy button.
- Account menu, then Licence, under This instance.
The ID stays the same across restarts, upgrades and container rebuilds that keep the data volume. A restore from backup is the same deployment and keeps its licence.
Request a licence
Section titled “Request a licence”- Copy the instance ID.
- Ask Outside The Box for a licence, by email to hello@outsidethebox.io or through the contact form on outsidethebox.io.
- Quote the instance ID.
- You receive a licence file, which you install as described below.
Install a licence
Section titled “Install a licence”Only a person who holds the permission instance.operate can open the Licence page or install a licence. The shipped System administrator role holds it. The Admin role does not.
- Sign in as a System administrator.
- Open the account menu and choose Licence. During first-run setup, use the licence step instead.
- Under Install a new licence, choose Choose licence file, or paste the whole contents of the file into the box.
- Select Install licence.
If the file is refused, the message says which check failed, and your existing licence is left as it was. A refused install never removes a working licence.
Licence states
Section titled “Licence states”| State | What it means | What is allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | The licence verifies and the term has not ended. | Everything the edition and modules include. |
| Grace | The term has ended, but fewer than 30 days ago. | Everything continues, with a warning. |
| Lapsed | The 30-day grace period has also passed. | Read-only. |
| Revoked | OTB has withdrawn the licence. | Read-only. |
| Not installed | No licence file. | Nothing. |
| Invalid | A file exists but does not verify. | Nothing. |
| Instance mismatch | The file is genuine but names a different deployment. | Nothing. |
Read-only
Section titled “Read-only”When a licence is lapsed or revoked, every read and export still works, including modules you had licensed. Nothing is deleted. Writes are refused, with these exceptions:
- Signing in, and setting or resetting a password.
- Installing a licence.
- Exporting the board pack, including through your own template.
- Turning the update feed off.
- Applying a security fix and the update controls around it, and reverting an update. Feature releases are refused.
- Your own display preferences and unsaved drafts.
Everyone sees a banner saying the instance is read-only.
Nothing allowed
Section titled “Nothing allowed”When the licence is not installed, invalid, or for another instance, the product shows a screen saying the instance is not running. Only these still answer: sign-in, the first-run setup, the Licence page and the licence install, and the account lookup that carries the message. Install a valid licence and the instance recovers immediately. Nothing is deleted.
Installing a licence issued for a different instance is refused with a message naming both instance IDs. It says the licence is genuine and belongs elsewhere. Ask OTB to reissue it for the ID under This instance.
Expiry warning and grace
Section titled “Expiry warning and grace”From 30 days before the end date, the Licence page shows how many days are left. After the end date you have a 30-day grace period during which everything works and a warning shows the days remaining. After that the instance becomes read-only.
The page also shows the end date as Renews, or Expired once it has passed.
Moving or rebuilding a deployment
Section titled “Moving or rebuilding a deployment”- Moving with the data volume or a backup of it: the instance ID and licence move with the database. No action.
- Rebuilding from scratch without the database: the new deployment gets a new instance ID, and the old licence will not install. Send OTB the new ID and request a reissue.
- Copying a licence between production and test: refused. Each deployment needs its own licence.
Editions and add-on modules
Section titled “Editions and add-on modules”There are three editions: Deliver, Assure and Enterprise. All five main sections are in every edition. What differs is specific modules, and some modules are sold as add-ons on any edition. There is no seat or user limit in the licence.
The full table of editions and modules is on Editions and modules.
Revocation
Section titled “Revocation”A withdrawn licence is learned in two ways: from a later licence file you install, or, if an administrator has switched on the update-feed check, from OTB’s public feed (every six hours by default). With the check off, a withdrawn licence stops working only at the next install or at its own expiry.