Standard License v18 question (not able to connect license server and expires 31-12-2023

[gigaweb]

Hello,

After a disaster recovery of our VMs I recovered the Phone server last month. Now I just get an email (from 3CX) that it was not able to contact the licensing server.Unfortunatelly the firewall and reverse proxy guys are still very busy cleaning up all the mess after our disaster recovery. So I have a few questions so the manager can make a better planning.

Note that we are currently running an v.18.0 Update7 Standard Anual (4sim calls) version. It says it's expiry date is: Active (2023-12-31). When clicking on it, it says it fails to do make a TCP connection to activate.3cx.com.

1. What will happen if we do nothing (so we do not fix connectivity and it will not be able to reach the licensing server) after 2023-12-31?
   Will we loose ring-groups (features), will we loose simulateous calls? Or nothing? (which gives us some headroom).
2. The email I got from 3CX says it will "release the FQDN from our subscription" if it will not contact the licensing server within 10 days.
   Well, what happens if we do not contact that server in 10 days, but AFTER, let's say 30 days? Will we loose any features at the moment it will connect the licensing server and does not have a valid license? (in case we can not renew/refresh at that time).
3. Last question but not least. What would normally happen to our server (even if we get the connectivity back today), after 2023-12-31? Will our license become invalid? Will it auto-renew? Will we loose features? Just asking because if there would be any work anyway, we can plan it better.

Thanks


UPDATE1:
So, after all the forum replies I was still unsure what happens. Some say I would loose all functionality after 2023-12-31 when it can not contact the activation server. 3CX CEO says: 'your system will not work anymore after 31/12'.
In the mean time, my manager is pushing me for an answer so I did a few things:

1. Using Google, I came around a site name 3cxtruth.com, which is not that loyal to 3CX and the great phone system we are using, but it tells a lot about (old) activation servers, v18 Update 8, etc. However, I could not give untested information back to my manager, so I needed to test this myself;
2. Past night, when nobody was at the office or using the system, I did a few things: First I made a snapshot of the server (great to have this new feature after the disaster recovery, we should have this earlier!). Then I changed the clock to 1 year in the future. I logged in to the server and it said that the subscribtion has been expired! But the license still shows active, standard and the expire date is still at 31-12-2023 (in the past). So I tested Ring groups, Call queues and even the Call Flows are all working! I also rebooted a few times and looked at the Logs. All is looking good.
   I can now clearly say nothing happens after 2023-12-31.
3. Since the server is still not able to contact the activation server (because the Firewall and Reverse Proxy team is extremely busy after our outtage), I am afraid they might fix this without telling me this and I am not sure what the server will do, before or after 2023-12-31 when it could contact the 3CX servers. So I installed wireshark and asked my friend ChatGPT v4.0 for some clearification (they even have a very handy wireshark plugin!). Then it came with the following:
   To be sure the 3CX server can not contact the activation server, put this in your C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file:
   

   127.0.0.1 activate.3cx.com127.0.0.1 activation.3cx.com
   127.0.0.1 activate.3cx.us
   127.0.0.1 activation.3cx.us
   127.0.0.1 rps.3cx.com
   127.0.0.1 downloads-global.3cx.com
   127.0.0.1 webmeeting.3cx.com
   127.0.0.1 smtp-proxy.3cx.com

Thanks for all the forum replies and everybodies effort. Now I tested this and can say clearly what happens and can decide ourself when to re-subscribe, re-activate or re-install the system without waking up with feature-less PBX.

UPDATE2: This morning at the coffee machine I asked one of the old guys who is working here from the beginning and he had to laugh a little. He told me that we used to be a 3CX reseller (silver or brons) in the very early days and that this could even been that NFR license which might have been 'reverted' to Standard. I am telling this because it gives our story some context. At least, when 3CX server shows 'Standard Annual' in version 18.0 update 7, nothing happens when it can not reach the activation server after the expire date. TESTED!

 

[TheodorosG_3CX]

For all the above, you need to ensure that the PBX has always connectivity to the activation server. The reason that you now are not able to activate is because you are running under version V18 Update7 while the PBX must be in V18 Update8(Build 939) in order to activate. If the PBX does not activate until the expire date it will be reverted to a Standard license and lose features. If your PBX does not contact to the activation server at all, the FQDN will be released due to inactivity and you will not be able to contact the PBX with FQDN, remote clients will not work etc.
If you update the PBX still FQDN will be lost and there is a possibility someone else to take your FQDN at that time. Keep the PBX up to date to avoid such situations....

 

[SweetAction]

The email I got from 3CX says it will "release the FQDN from our subscription" if it will not contact the licensing server within 10 days.

The answer to this question is 100% dependent on if you are using a 3CX FQDN or not.

 

[gigaweb]

We are not using the FQDN. We do not use (web) meetings or anything like that. Just the SIP trunk, ring groups, queues and Call Flow for some custom stuff.

So, just to understand it correctly:

1. If our PBX will never ever check the activate server anymore. We will loose our FQDN (which we are not using). But it wil not loose any other functionality (because we run v18 update 7, it will not activate)
   However, I agree this would not be a future proof scenario, because it means we are also tied to this 18.x release and would not be able to upgrade anymore.
   
   
2. We are already running 'Standard Anual (4sim.calls), so it won't revert to any other version after 31-12-2023 when we do nothing (as long as it is not able to contact any activation server) ?
   
   
3. Are we lucky we are on v18 Update7 (and not Update8 or higher) because something is changed in Update8 that it 'needs' an activation server, otherwise it will revert to a version without features? (if so, that would be the only luck we have after this disaster recovery )

I think my manager will decide to have the 3CX just run as is... until far after 2023-12-31. Then if we have time available (and a need) for an update, we would probably buy a license again and then do the upgrade.

 

[N_G]

Well, your system will not work anymore after 31/12 , thats when the subscription expires - I suggest you look for another solution if you have no intention of buying a pro license by that time.

 

[Alphabetic]

We are not using the FQDN. We do not use (web) meetings or anything like that. Just the SIP trunk, ring groups, queues and Call Flow for some custom stuff.

So, just to understand it correctly:

1. If our PBX will never ever check the activate server anymore. We will loose our FQDN (which we are not using). But it wil not loose any other functionality (because we run v18 update 7, it will not activate)
   However, I agree this would not be a future proof scenario, because it means we are also tied to this 18.x release and would not be able to upgrade anymore.
   
   
2. We are already running 'Standard Anual (4sim.calls), so it won't revert to any other version after 31-12-2023 when we do nothing (as long as it is not able to contact any activation server) ?
   
   
3. Are we lucky we are on v18 Update7 (and not Update8 or higher) because something is changed in Update8 that it 'needs' an activation server, otherwise it will revert to a version without features? (if so, that would be the only luck we have after this disaster recovery )

I think my manager will decide to have the 3CX just run as is... until far after 2023-12-31. Then if we have time available (and a need) for an update, we would probably buy a license again and then do the upgrade.

You would be better to migrate your PBX to 3CX Hosted.

Take a backup, log in to your customer portal and "Switch to hosted".

Change your VM to a 3CX Debian SBC.

You'll keep your FQDN, stay updated and it will be free*

 

[AWS2P]

You'll keep your FQDN, stay updated and it will be free*

Well, agree for free but with a lot of features missing for them, as OP said they use Qs, CFD

 

[Alphabetic]

Well, agree for free but with a lot of features missing for them, as OP said they use Qs, CFD

oh, didnt read 2nd post...

Guy needs to pay for it then.

 

[SteveITS]

We are not using the FQDN

Also to clarify this point, all installs will use the FQDN for phone provisioning etc. as it will be required:
https://www.3cx.com/docs/creating-fqdn-split-dns/

 

[SweetAction]

We are not using the FQDN.

Don't be so sure. Are you using SMS? How about mobile apps?

If our PBX will never ever check the activate server anymore. We will loose our FQDN (which we are not using). But it wil not loose any other functionality (because we run v18 update 7, it will not activate)

You are running an annual license, right? If it doesn't check the activation server it can't get a new expiration date. If it can't get a new expiration date then the license expires. I can't say for sure what happens on a PBX that expires with an annual license, but I would suspect it stops working or downgrades to a free edition that is feature limited.

We are already running 'Standard Anual (4sim.calls), so it won't revert to any other version after 31-12-2023 when we do nothing (as long as it is not able to contact any activation server) ?

What it reverts to will depend on when the license was acquired.

Are we lucky we are on v18 Update7 (and not Update8 or higher) because something is changed in Update8 that it 'needs' an activation server, otherwise it will revert to a version without features? (if so, that would be the only luck we have after this disaster recovery )

No, not lucky at all.

You would be better to migrate your PBX to 3CX Hosted.

Take a backup, log in to your customer portal and "Switch to hosted".

Change your VM to a 3CX Debian SBC.

You'll keep your FQDN, stay updated and it will be free*

Doesn't 3CX hosting have a cost per year that is separate from the 3CX software?

 

[N_G]

This is a free edition but not correctly registered. So if customer registers correctly as per the blog articles then it will be renewed no issue. Of course there are no queues etc in the free edition