Installation: License a RavenDB Docker Image

• This page explains how to pass a license to a RavenDB server that runs in a Docker container or under a Linux or a Unix system.

• A license can be passed to RavenDB in one of the following methods:

  • A path to the license file can be passed to the server via CLI.
  • The license can be provided to the server in the settings.json configuration file.
  • A RAVEN_License environment variable can be set.

• In this page:

  • Prerequisites
  • Licensing a RavenDB docker image
    • Passing a Path to the License File via CLI
    • Providing a License in settings.json
    • Setting a RAVEN_License Environment Variable
  • Licensing RavenDB under Linux

Prerequisites

• Docker images of RavenDB versions up to 5.x require no special permissions since they are installed and handled by the root user, that is innately allowed to access any RavenDB property, including its license.
• Docker images of RavenDB 6.0 and on are executed by a regular user for security reasons, requiring that this user would be explicitly permitted to access RavenDB properties, including any mounted license folder.
• Read more about this in the dedicated migration page.

Licensing a RavenDB docker image

Please find below a few methods to license a RavenDB server that runs in a Docker container.

Passing a Path to the License File via CLI

Store the license in a folder that can be accessed by the host machine that runs Docker.
RavenDB, within Docker, will have no direct access to the license.
Allow RavenDB to access the license by mounting the license folder when you run RavenDB using Docker's CLI.

• From Docker's CLI, use this syntax:

docker run -v <host_dir>:<container_dir> -e <env.var>

The -v option points at the host directory.
The -e option sets the Docker RAVEN_License_Path environment variable with the license.

• Example:

docker run -v "C:\docker-license\config:/ravendb/license" -e RAVEN_License_Path=/ravendb/license/license.json  

When RavenDB is executed this way, the license folder will be mounted and the environment variable set with the license.
RavenDB will fetch the license from the environment variable the first time it accesses a database.

To verify that the server is licensed run it as shown above, create a new database or access an existing one, and then open the About view.

Providing a License in settings.json

Provide the license as a property of the settings.json configuration file in one of the following ways.

• Add settings.json the full license string as the value of the "License" key as explained here.
  Mount settings.json as explained above, using the location of settings.json instead of the location of a license file.
• Alternatively, add settings.json the license path as the value of the “License.Path” key and mount the license directory.

Setting a RAVEN_License Environment Variable}

The full license string can also be added as a docker RAVEN_License environment variable when the server is executed.

• Special characters must be escaped.
• Each line of the license key is provided as a single string.
• Example:

docker run -e 'RAVEN_License={ 
\"Id\": \"4b167357-42f5-48a8-bef5-29ca557ef0ce\",  
\"Name\": \"asdf\",   \"Keys\": [
 \"6aoht+NE3zvJidqIspOIa/5N1\",
 \"320e9G95NFsNwbKkNfl3R/qO9\",
 \"IHuEgp9OHVjxwV9ekur/L/FiF\",
 \"RCfFywsNR0O2ghqZo6N0r4onp\",
 \"fGNula2WJv0iz5Tq+xt99/A6t\",
 \"oHfaSXrNOdgilfCqLkoyFI9E8\",
 \"MHMmcIfBoQelf/qZKOpE5ABYE\",
 \"DNi4wBSYoSQMmKywtLL8wJzEy\",
 \"MzQVFjc4OTo7PD0+nwIfIJ8CI\",
 \"CCfAiEgnwIjIJ8CJCMfAiUgnw\",
 \"ImIJ8CJyCfAiggnwIpI12CKiC\",
 \"fAisgwvJsIJ8CLSCfAi4gnwIv\",
 \"IJ8CMCCfAzZAAUMkRAlio9g=\"  ]}'

Licensing RavenDB under Linux

To license RavenDB under Linux, pass a license file rather than a directory.

• Example:

docker run -v "/home/ubuntu/ravendb-docker-license/license.json:/ravendb/license" -e RAVEN_License_Path=/ravendb/license