Future Citrix Products Might Not Function Depending on the Date in the License File

Summary

Future Citrix products might not function depending on the version of the license file on the license server.

Background

Citrix is using what is called Date Based Versioning for all future Citrix products. Each Citrix product has a hard coded date called a burn-in date which corresponds to that particular product’s release/build. The burn-in date for a product is likely around the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) date for that release.

For example:

The burn-in date for MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 is 2/27/04. Date Based Versioning is based on a comparison between the burn in date of a product and the Subscription Advantage (SA), date listed in a license file on the license server.

Excerpt from Sample license file:

INCREMENT MPS_ENT_CCU CITRIX 2005.0327 01-apr-2004

SA date: 2005.0327

• The SA date is the “version” of license file.

• In retail licenses the SA date is usually 1 year from the date the license file is generated.

• If the SA date is earlier than the product burn-in date, the product will not function.

For Example: MetaFrame Presentation Server’s burn in date is 02/27/2004, assume Feature Release 1 for MetaFrame Presentation Server has a burn-in date is 04/10/2005. If a license file has an SA date of 03/27/2005 MetaFrame Presentation Server 3.0 will function but features in Feature Release 1 will not function.

• A new license file that reflects the proper SA date will need to be downloaded and placed on the license server.

• Expiration Date: 01-apr-2004

– Evaluation licenses usually have an expiration date. The license server looks at the expiration date and if it is in the past, it ignores this license file and the Citrix product will not accept connections from a non-administrative user. A license file that does not expire has “permanent” in the INCREMENT line.

More Information

CTX107789 – How to Find Out the Subscription Advantage Eligibility Date

CTX107980 – License Files with Expired Subscription Advantage Dates Prevent Connections to Newer Versions of Citrix Products

CTX111618 – Citrix Product Subscription Advantage Eligibility Dates