License expired, cluster crashed

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wallewek
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2017 9:13 pm

Sun Dec 03, 2017 1:06 am

Today I discovered that my whole 2-host StarWind and Server 2016 failover cluster was down. The StarWind console showed that iSCSI and heartbeat were down. The iSCSI interface show all targets as "reconnecting" -- even the local one.

I checked the network, nothing had changed, I was able to ping all interfaces without problems. All the normal services were running. After searching fruitlessly for a while, I shut down and restarted both hosts. After I did that, the StarWind console told me the license expired and everything was offline. iSCSI still show all targets as reconnecting.

If it matters, my local DNS and DCs are virtualized on the cluster as well, so when the cluster is down, so are they,

As best I can tell, the StarWind iSCSI target service is refusing to function. I've tried using the PowerShell utilities to get things back on line, but they also get nowhere. So far as I can see, this isn't a matter of marking one host as synchronized. Everything is down, the scripts see nothing.

I'm stuck. I've run log dumps on both servers, I'll send those in, along with some screenshots. Please look for them. I tried to send the logs via the StarWind case submission website. but it crashed with a 500 error after the upload twice in a row. I'll try email instead.

Thanks!

-- Ken
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"In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice they're not." -- Yogi Berra
Michael (staff)
Staff
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:16 am

Thu Dec 07, 2017 3:13 pm

Updating community - StarWind support restored the Production and license issue has been resolved.
wallewek
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2017 9:13 pm

Thu Dec 07, 2017 5:59 pm

Pardon for the delay in updating this thread.
I want to thank StarWind support for being so helpful in resolving this issue. The problem, in short, was due to expiration of a license I didn't realize I was using (see below).

I had originally installed StarWind Free, expecting to have a test cluster fully configured by the time full-function period elapsed. Due to a family emergency I was unable to do so. When I contacted StarWind sales, they were very helpful in providing a replacement license to allow me to complete the configuration, and I am very grateful for that. What I didn't realized was that the replacement license I was provided (for which I was very happy) was not "Free", and when it expired, _all_ StarWind services (not just the GUI) suddenly stopped.

Here are some suggestions for documentation that might help in future:

1. Document license type expiry behavior more clearly. It isn't mentioned in any KB article I could find, including https://knowledgebase.starwindsoftware. ... g-options/

2. It wouldn't hurt for the GUI interface to SAY somewhere what was going to expire, and when. In this case, when the license expired, the VSAN just totally stopped. No GUI, no iSCSI, no cluster shares, nothing.

3. Reminder: Despite what one might expect, StarWind does NOT use the visible iSCSI targets and services for replication between hosts. Just because those iSCSI targets refuse to connect does NOT mean StarWind cannot synchronize its images. I actually don't know what StarWind uses for synchronization: it seems almost completely hidden.

It might not hurt to explain that, if one host is flagged as "synchonized" (even if its partner is not, which seems an odd way to say it) it will still allow iSCSI target connections to the one that is synced. If neither is flagged as synced, they will not replicate until we tell it which to consider synced, and it will sync the other to it. I don't know of a way to diagnose sync issues if that doesn't work, but looking at iSCSI target statuses isn't it.

Due to the nature of this issue, once I had the new license installed, all images were shown as not synchronized. I did have to flag one of the hosts as synchronized so that replication could occur, and then iSCSI service to one of the hosts resumed immediately, the other after it was done. Which, in a cluster configuration, was appropriate.

4. Here is how to apply a new license (couldn't find documentation on this either):
1. Open StarWind Management Console
2. If you have expired license, you will see the pop-up which will give a option to install a new license
3. Specify the path for a new license
4. Click OK to install the license

Another way is:
1) In the StarWind console, connect to the server
2) Click "Configuration tab"
3) Click "Register"
4) Choose "Modify" in top right corner
5) Specify path for a new license
6) Click OK to implement it.
I am now back on the proper license.

But I want to say I was impressed how friendly and helpful the folks at StarWind were. Thanks to all!

-- Ken
------------------------
"In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice they're not." -- Yogi Berra
tiaccadi
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:09 am

Fri Dec 08, 2017 5:58 pm

Hello,

I think I'm in the same situation of wallewek.. will I be able to switch from "trial" license to "free" one without service disruption (before end of trial period, of course)?
Boris (staff)
Staff
Posts: 805
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:18 am

Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:56 am

tiaccadi,

Yes, it is the proper way to follow.
Did you get the key automatically when installing StarWind or was it someone from StarWind account managers that you received the key from?
If you requested the key from anyone of the account managers, please get in touch with that person to request a free key for further use. Be sure to do that before your trial ends.
If the key was received automatically during installation, then no additional actions are required. After the trial period ends, you will simply lose GUI, but everything will continue functioning.
tiaccadi
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:09 am

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:09 am

A mix of what you described :)

I received the free key during the first download (couple of months ago)
I had no time/hardware to do the tests, so an account manager sent me (7-10 days ago) a trial key (expiration on Jan 4th 2018) on which I'm running my PoC in this moment

I think the free features will be enough for me, for now, so I was thinking about switching back to free key.. may I use the first key I received, or is it better to ask for a new one?

Thank you Boris!
Boris (staff)
Staff
Posts: 805
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:18 am

Mon Dec 11, 2017 9:45 am

You can use the initial free key. No need to request anything additionally.
muhunal
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 10:03 am

Wed Aug 28, 2019 7:38 pm

Hi I have an intresting problem with the new semi annual update,
I have got an license expired error. so I try to reapply my license but it gives me error of "Free license can't be used after trial license installation."
then I uninstall my license and then reapply, but nothing changed.I have been using my license over 8 months. and I belive it was free license.
I am currently have only a single server with LFSF deduplicated disk with 2 tb for my university lab environment.
what can we do for going on?
thanks in advance.
Dr. Muhammet UNAL
I belive this is a software error. so I am attaching my server log file.
Attachments
127.0.0.1-3261-service-starwind-20190827-160327.zip
Server log file small version
(78.28 KiB) Downloaded 293 times
Michael (staff)
Staff
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:16 am

Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:22 am

Hello muhunal,
Thank you for your post.
May I ask you to share with Support team StarWind VSAN license keys which you have applied on the setup?
muhunal
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 10:03 am

Thu Aug 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Michael (staff) wrote:Hello muhunal,
Thank you for your post.
May I ask you to share with Support team StarWind VSAN license keys which you have applied on the setup?
here you are. by the way after a restart of service problem gone, but error is error. I dont want it to be repeated again. because it is painfull. thanks for your kind concern.
Attachments
StarWind_Virtual_SAN_Free_License_Key.zip
key used before for about 9 months
(916 Bytes) Downloaded 327 times
StarWind_Virtual_SAN_Free_License_Key(1).zip
key taken yesterday
(952 Bytes) Downloaded 310 times
Michael (staff)
Staff
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:16 am

Fri Aug 30, 2019 11:09 am

Unal,
Thank you for the license files.
I see that one of them (1st one) got expiration date: 20181125 and it was applied on the setup. See log record:
8/27 16:03:29.474472 1dbc Srv: Licensed to: 'Muhammet UNAL', 'Gazi University', (#2, 0, 20181125).
The 2nd license should work fine.
Please let me know if you got any other questions.
Alexey Sergeev
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:48 pm

Mon Sep 30, 2019 4:29 pm

Hi, we had a serious crush today, because of license expiration too.
We've been using Starwind vSAN free license for a long time without any problems.
But this evening all connections with iSCSI targets were lost and our Hyper-V cluster was shut down.
I checked the logs and found possible cause maybe: "Srv: iSCSIServer::listenConnections: License expired. Refreshing..."
Then it began to disconnect all target sessions.
I shutdown second host and tried to restart Starwind service on the first one where all devices were in 'synchronized state'.
When service started they become 'unsynchronized ' so I had to mark them as 'synchronized' again and after that iSCSI connection was restored.

Now I'm synchronizing with the second host and all's going well.
By the way yesterday I've installed last build 13182 on both servers with no errors.
In the license file I found this: '<expdate>20170515</expdate>'. If I'm not mistaken it disables GUI and not everything else.
Here's the link to the logs: https://drive.google.com/open?id=17wn2s ... dqv1Vkxau5
The crush occurred at 9/30 17:06:19 (starwind-20190929-155818.log).
Could you tell me what's happened? Should we request a new license?
Attachments
sw8_14557_Sergeev Alexey_SSC.7z
(914 Bytes) Downloaded 295 times
Alexey Sergeev
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:48 pm

Tue Oct 01, 2019 8:26 pm

Hello again, another crash happened today. Same reason - license expired, all storage is down.
What's happening guys? Our license just suddenly broke or it has something to do with the new build?
Because for more than 2 years since we using vSAN there was no problem at all!
Boris (staff)
Staff
Posts: 805
Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:18 am

Wed Oct 02, 2019 8:36 am

This is related to how the latest build treats licenses that have got expiration date indicated in them. To avoid the issue, you need to downgrade to this build [ ... ] Feel free to report any issues after the downgrade.
Alexey Sergeev
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:48 pm

Wed Oct 02, 2019 11:34 am

Already did that. Previous build 12767 run perfectly since the release, so I've installed it and have my fingers crossed.
Is it a new feature or just a bug with license expiration check?
Or gentle reminder for us to actually buy your great product?
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