Overview #
System Frontier operates on a “per node” licensing model. This means that any node—whether virtual or physical—that is managed directly or indirectly requires a license. Server class nodes necessitate a server license, while all other nodes require a non-server (or endpoint) license. Below are examples of various node classes and the corresponding licenses needed.
| Node Class | Examples | License Type |
|---|---|---|
| Server | Windows Server (2019/2016/2012), RHEL, Ubuntu Server, ESXi, Hyper-V, BSD | Server |
| Workstation | Windows Client (Windows 10/7), Ubuntu Desktop, Mac OS | Non-Server |
| Network Device | Router, Switch, Firewall | Non-Server |
| Printer | Network Printer, MFP | Non-Server |
| User | Active Directory User Account, Azure AD User Account, OpenLDAP User Account, 3rd Party Application User Account, Custom Application User Account | Non-Server |
| Other | Any object that does not fit into a server class (e.g., running a script against a desk with an IP address) | Non-Server |
Delegated Users #
Users who log into System Frontier or connect via API or other means to perform tasks (“Delegated Users”) do not require a license. Only user accounts targeted by tools in System Frontier need a license. For instance, if you manage an Active Directory user account, an Office 365 user account, and a user account in a 3rd party application, you only need one license for that user across all environments.
Example Network Topology #
Licensing Scenarios #
#
Scenario 1 #
You have a custom tool that the Help Desk uses to create new Active Directory user accounts. This tool:
- Provisions new accounts
- Adds them to groups based on job titles
- Sets up access to your ticketing system
The tool uses PowerShell to connect to a domain controller with AD cmdlets, then connects to a 3rd party ticketing system via its REST API, and finally provisions access to Office 365 applications.
Licensing Requirement: One non-server license is required per user account created. If you will create 500 users during your license period, you need 500 non-server licenses. A server license is not required for the domain controller since it is not the object being managed.
Scenario 2 #
You have a custom tool that allows an application owner to restart their application in System Frontier. This tool:
- Connects to the vCenter API
- Restarts 4 virtual Windows servers and 3 physical Linux servers
- Updates a change ticket in the ticketing system after the process
Licensing Requirement: Seven server licenses are needed for the 4 virtual servers and 3 physical servers. Even if the VMs reside on a single host, they are the objects being managed.
Scenario 3 #
A development team uses tools to spin up temporary VMs on a 3-node ESX cluster. In an average month, they manage:
- 50 server VMs
- 5 Windows 10 VMs
- Occasionally reboot the host if issues arise
Licensing Requirement: A total of 53 server node licenses and 5 non-server node licenses are required. Hosts need licenses as well as the VMs running on them since they can be managed using System Frontier.
