Chariot License Management
Overview
Chariot® MQTT Server supports several licensing options to accommodate different deployment environments. The licensing model you use depends on factors such as internet connectivity, the number of Chariot instances you plan to run, and whether your deployments are long-lived or ephemeral.
The available licensing models are:
- Online - Node-locked — For Chariot servers with internet access where each license is bound to a specific server.
- Online - Leased — For containerized or auto-scaling deployments where license seats are shared among concurrently running instances.
- Offline - Node-locked — For air-gapped or high-security environments where the Chariot server cannot access the internet.
- Self-Hosted Floating License Server — For closed networks where multiple Chariot instances share a pool of concurrent license seats.
- Marketplace — For Chariot deployments through AWS Marketplace or Azure Marketplace, where licensing is handled automatically as part of the deployment.
For detailed activation instructions, see the following pages:
Licensing Models
Online - Node-locked
Online Node-locked licenses are intended for Chariot servers with internet access. The license is bound to a specific Chariot instance until it is manually deactivated.
Use Online Node-locked licensing when:
- The Chariot host has internet access.
- You are running one or more long-lived Chariot servers.
- Chariot instances will remain in place unless they are manually deactivated.
A license can be purchased through the Chariot UI for a single instance or through Cirrus Link Support for multiple deployments.
During activation, Chariot validates the license key against the Cirrus Link license server.
⚠️ If a Chariot server is terminated, deleted, or destroyed without first deactivating its license, that activation is permanently lost.
For activation and deactivation instructions, see Purchasing and Activation.
Online - Leased
Online Leased licenses are intended for containerized or auto-scaling Chariot deployments where instances are ephemeral.
Unlike a Node-locked license, a Leased license does not remain bound to a specific Chariot instance. Instead, license seats are pooled across all running instances. A Chariot container automatically leases a seat when it starts and releases the seat when it shuts down.
Leased license activation uses the same Online activation process as a Node-locked license.
Use Online Leased licensing when:
- Deploying Chariot in Kubernetes, ECS, or another container orchestrator.
- Using auto-scaling groups where Chariot instance lifecycles follow load.
- Using ephemeral containers where replacing a container could otherwise result in a lost activation.
Purchase enough seats to cover the peak number of concurrently running Chariot containers, including any temporary overlap during rolling deployments. If the number of running containers exceeds the available seat count, additional containers will fail to activate.
Offline - Node-locked
Offline Node-locked licenses are intended for environments where the Chariot host has no outbound internet access.
Use Offline licensing when:
- The Chariot host has no outbound internet access.
- Security policies prohibit the Chariot host from contacting external services.
- You are running a single Chariot server.
Offline activation is completed through an exchange with Cirrus Link Support. Chariot generates a Usage Request, which is sent to Cirrus Link Support. Support then provides a Usage License file that can be uploaded into Chariot.
For activation instructions, see Offline Licenses.
Self-Hosted Floating License Server
A Self-Hosted Floating License Server (FLS) is intended for closed-network environments running multiple Chariot instances that share a pool of concurrent license seats.
The FLS runs inside the local network and manages the available license seats. Each Chariot instance connects to the FLS and leases a seat when it starts. When the Chariot instance shuts down, the seat is returned to the pool.
Use a Self-Hosted Floating License Server when:
- Running multiple Chariot instances inside a single closed network.
- Using short-lived deployments based on concurrent seat count rather than per-server licenses.
- License validation must remain inside a secure network perimeter with no outbound internet access from Chariot or the FLS.
For setup and activation instructions, see Self-Hosted Floating License Server.
Marketplace
When Chariot is deployed through the AWS Marketplace or Azure Marketplace, licenses are pre-installed and pre-activated as part of the Marketplace deployment. No additional activation steps are required, and billing is handled through the cloud provider.
Use Marketplace licensing when:
- You need one-click deployment from a cloud marketplace.
- You prefer consolidated cloud billing through AWS or Azure.
- You do not want to manage license keys directly.
For installation instructions, see: