Chariot supports several licensing options to match a variety of needs.
For step-by-step activation instructions, see the Purchasing and Activation page.
Quick Comparison
| License Type | Internet at Runtime | Multi-Instance | How to Purchase | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online - Node-locked | Yes | No (one server per license) | Chariot UI or Contact Cirrus Link Support | Standard server installs with internet access |
| Offline - Node-locked | No | No (one server per license) | Contact Cirrus Link Support | Air-gapped or high-security environments |
| Online - Floating | Yes | Yes (concurrent seats) | Contact Cirrus Link Support | Containerized or auto-scaling deployments |
| Offline - Floating (Customer-hosted FLS) | LAN access to the FLS only | Yes (concurrent seats) | Contact Cirrus Link Support | Multi-instance deployments inside a closed network |
| Marketplace | N/A | N/A | Through Cloud Marketplace: | Cloud deployments |
Online - Node-locked
For environments where the Chariot host has internet access. Online Licenses can have one or many seats.
Purchase a single instance Chariot license through the Chariot UI and receive a license key by email, or reach out to Chariot Support for multiple deployments.
Paste a license key into the Online activation tab, and Chariot validates it against Cirrus Link's license server. The Online license is bound to that specific Chariot instance until it is manually deactivated.
Use Online when:
- Chariot hosts have internet access
- Running one or many long-lived Chariot servers
- The server will remain in place unless it is manually deactivated
If the Chariot server is terminated without first being Deactivated on the License page, that activation is permanently lost.
Offline
For environments where the Chariot host has no internet access — for example, air-gapped industrial networks or high-security deployments where outbound internet is prohibited.
Activation is a one-round-trip process with Cirrus Link Support: Generate Usage Request from the Chariot UI, email it to Support, and receive back a Usage License file to upload into Chariot.
Use Offline when:
- Chariot host has no outbound internet access
- Security policies prohibit the Chariot host from contacting external services
- Running a single Chariot server
Floating (Customer-Hosted)
For air-gapped and closed-network environments running multiple Chariot instances that share a pool of concurrent license seats. License validation stays entirely inside the deployed network.
Install the License4J Floating License Server (FLS) on a host inside a network, send Cirrus Link the FLS hostname and fingerprint, and receive a license keyed to the Floating License Server. Each Chariot instance is configured with the FLS URL and leases a seat from the FLS at startup.
Use Customer-Hosted Floating 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 (no outbound internet from Chariot or the FLS)
Floating (Cloud)
For containerized or auto-scaling Chariot deployments where instances are ephemeral. Containers automatically lease a license seat from Cirrus Link's license server at startup and release it at shutdown with no manual deactivation between deployments.
Floating Cloud license activation looks identical to Online: Paste a license key into the Online activation tab in Chariot. The difference is in how the license is configured behind the scenes where seats are pooled across all running containers rather than node-locked to a specific instance.
Use Cloud Floating when:
- Deploying Chariot in Kubernetes, ECS, or another container orchestrator
- Using auto-scaling groups where Chariot instance lifecycles follow load
- Using ephemeral containers where there is a risk of losing Online activations every time a container is replaced
Purchase seat count to cover the peak number of concurrently running Chariot containers, including any temporary overlap during rolling deployments. If running containers exceed seat count, additional containers will fail to activate.
Marketplace (AWS / Azure)
Azure Marketplace Installation
When Chariot is deployed through the AWS Marketplace or Azure Marketplace, licenses are pre-installed and pre-activated as part of the Marketplace deployment. There are no activation steps to perform, and billing flows through the cloud provider.
Use Marketplace when:
- Need one-click deployment from a cloud marketplace
- Prefer consolidated cloud billing through AWS or Azure
- Do not want to manage license keys directly
A Note on Terminology
Chariot supports two different floating license options, and it's worth distinguishing them clearly:
- Self-Hosted Floating — a License4J Floating License Server installed and run on a physical host inside a network. Best for closed-network multi-instance deployments. In the Chariot UI, this uses the Floating activation tab.
- Cloud Floating — a license configured against Cirrus Link's cloud license server, designed for containerized deployments. In the Chariot UI, this uses the Online activation tab.
Related Pages
- Purchasing and Activation — step-by-step activation, deactivation, and reactivation flows
For questions about which license type fits your deployment, contact Cirrus Link Support.
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