Release and license information: adding or updating

License by standard users

The Perforce versioning service is licensed according to how many standard users it supports. There are three types of Perforce users: standard users, operator users, and service users.

  • A standard user is a traditional user of Perforce.

    Standard users are the default, and each standard user consumes one Perforce license.

  • An operator user is intended for human or automated system administrators.

    An operator user does not require a Perforce license.

  • A service user is used for server-to-server authentication, whether in the context of remote depots (see Remote depots and multi-server development) or in distributed environments.

    Service users do not require licenses, but are restricted to automated inter-server communication processes in replicated and multi-server environments.

Limits for unlicensed use depend on the release

2019.2 patch 14, 2020.1 (patch 8), 2020.2 (patch 6), 2021.1 (patch 1), and later 2016.1 and later prior to 2016.1
  • unlimited number of files for 5 users and 20 client workspaces, or
  • unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files
  • unlimited number of files for 5 users and 20 client workspaces, or
  • unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files
  • unlimited number of files for 20 users and 20 client workspaces, or
  • unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files
  • up to three repos for Helix4Git, which leverages the scale of the Helix server for large binary assets while allowing you manage Git repos natively
    		•     
    Important

    Licensing for replica, edge and standby servers:

    Replica servers that are not going to be used for failover and edge servers do not require their own license if they have Helix Core Server (P4D) version 2013.2 or later.

    Standby servers and replicas that might be required to take over from a master server do require their own license file. This can be obtained by filling out the form at https://www.perforce.com/support/duplicate-server-request.

    License information

    You can update an existing license file without stopping Perforce by using the p4 license command. See Adding or updating the license file.

    • If the service is running, any user can use p4 info to view basic licensing information.
    Tip

    We recommend that you hide sensitive information from unauthorized users of p4 info by setting the dm.info.hide configurable.

    • Administrators can use p4 license -u to obtain more detailed information about how many users and files are in use.
    • If the service is down, you can also obtain licensing information by running p4d -V from the server root directory where the license file resides, or by specifying the server root directory either on the command line (p4d -V -r server_root) or in the P4ROOT environment variable.

    The server version is also displayed when you invoke p4d -V or p4 -V.

    Adding or updating the license file

    Note

    When you receive your license file, its name might include the license host, an IP address or MAC address, or other identifying information.

    Rename the new license file to license.txt before you copy it into the P4ROOT directory.

    Important

    If you are licensed for Helix Core version 2021.1 patch 1 or greater, Helix4Git licensing is included at no extra charge.

    Otherwise, if you have purchased Git Connector in addition to Helix Core, you will receive:

    • The email for Git Connector, which contains the license file that enables both Helix Core and Git Connector. You will install this license file.
    • The email for Helix Core, contains a license file that does NOT enable Git Connector. Do NOT install this license file, but do keep it for your records.
    To add or update the license file, use one of the following: Valid for ...

    Copy the license file to the P4ROOT directory. See License file in the P4ROOT directory
    • Server
    • Any replica that you want to enable to become a master through failover

    Issue the p4 license command. See p4 license command

    Server

    Use P4Admin. See Helix Visual Client (P4V) Administration tool

    Server

    License file in the P4ROOT directory

    1. Copy the new license file over any existing license in the P4ROOT directory.
    2. Determine whether you need to restart the server or not:
    Stop and restart the server if ... No server restart required if ...

    Any of the following are true:

    • This is the first time that the license file is being added to the master server P4ROOT directory
    • Server's IP address or MAC address changes
    • Port number in the license file changes
    • You are adding a server license to a previously unlicensed replica to prepare for a possible failover

    All of the following are true:

    • Server's IP address or MAC address remains as-is
    • Port number in the license file remains as-is

    • Any unlicensed replica remains unlicensed, and thus is not prepared to become the new master in case of a failover

      Note

      An edge server is a filtered replica and therefore not eligible to be a standby server.

    If you need to stop and restart the server ...

      Windows

    Linux/UNIX/Mac

    To stop the server 

    p4 -u User -p Server:Port admin stop

    To restart the server

    Open an administrator command prompt and enter
    net start perforce
    or enter services.msc, go to the Services Management Console,
    find Perforce, and select Start.

    Run the server startup script you usually use.
    If you do not have a Perforce startup script, the command to start the server in Daemon Mode in the specified P4ROOT location might resemble the following:
    p4d -r /specify/path/to/P4ROOT -d

    p4 license command

    If a valid license file is already in the server root directory, as a super user, you can update it.

    1. Display your current license with p4 license -o.

    2. Install your new license with cat license.txt | p4 license -i or p4 license -i < license.txt.

      Tip

      If the server IP address, MAC address, or port number has changed in the license file, the p4 license command will not work. For example, if the IP address/MAC address changed in the new license file, you will receive the following message: "Server license IPaddress changed, cannot proceed." In this case, stop and restart the server as detailed above.

      If p4 info does not indicate a license file update, stop and restart the server, then check the log file.

      Tip

      We recommend that you hide sensitive information from unauthorized users of p4 info by setting the dm.info.hide configurable.

    Helix Visual Client (P4V) Administration tool

    If the IP address or port number has not changed,

    1. Launch P4V as a Helix Server superuser.

    2. Choose Tools > Administration.

    3. On the Administration Home page, click Load new license file and browse to the license file on your local disk.

    4. After successful installation, verify that the Administration tool Home page is updated with the new license information.

    Tip

    For more information, see the Support Knowledgebase article, "Moving a Helix Core Server".