ElasticSearch 5.6 License Renewal

[PascalFCS (Pascal Mack)]

Hi,

I am using the basic license, which should not expire, but it did. I noticed, when my filebeat nodes couldn't connect to Elasticsearch anymore.

GET /_xpack/license

gives me:

{
"license": {
"status": "expired",
"uid": "[redacted]",
"type": "basic",
"issue_date": "2018-10-22T00:00:00.000Z",
"issue_date_in_millis": 1540166400000,
"expiry_date": "2019-10-22T23:59:59.999Z",
"expiry_date_in_millis": 1571788799999,
"max_nodes": 100,
"issued_to": "[redacted]",
"issuer": "Web Form",
"start_date_in_millis": 1540166400000
}
}

Looking for a solution on google, i found out that the documentation of version 5.6 does not have any information about license renewal. but version 6.5 has:
https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/6.5/update-license.html
POST /_license
{
"licenses": [
{
"uid":"893361dc-9749-4997-93cb-802e3d7fa4xx",
"type":"basic",
"issue_date_in_millis":1411948800000,
"expiry_date_in_millis":1914278399999,
"max_nodes":1,
"issued_to":"issuedTo",
"issuer":"issuer",
"signature":"xx"
}
]
}

Unfortunately, the POST command fails, depending on what i put in signature. On the reference site, it doesn't say what you're supposed to put in the signature. I have tried the following:

If i leave it empty, or put my initials (2 characters) it says:
{
"error": {
"root_cause": [
{
"type": "buffer_underflow_exception",
"reason": null
}
],
"type": "buffer_underflow_exception",
"reason": null
},
"status": 500
}

If i put a random string longer than 5 characters like "aaaaa" it says:
{
"error": {
"root_cause": [
{
"type": "illegal_argument_exception",
"reason": "Last unit does not have enough valid bits"
}
],
"type": "illegal_argument_exception",
"reason": "Last unit does not have enough valid bits"
},
"status": 400
}

If i delete the whole line, it says:
{
"error": {
"root_cause": [
{
"type": "null_pointer_exception",
"reason": null
}
],
"type": "null_pointer_exception",
"reason": null
},
"status": 500
}

If i convert a string like "Peter Peterson" in Base64: "UGV0ZXIgUGV0ZXJzb24=" it says:
{
"error": {
"root_cause": [
{
"type": "exception",
"reason": "Unknown license version found, please upgrade all nodes to the latest elasticsearch-license plugin"
}
],
"type": "exception",
"reason": "Unknown license version found, please upgrade all nodes to the latest elasticsearch-license plugin"
},
"status": 500
}

On the reference page, under the example POST-Command, it says:
"These values are invalid; you must substitute the appropriate content from your license file"

I don't have a license file, at least that i know of.

I don't know where to go from here. How do i renew this license?

[Bernt_Rostad]

@PascalFCS

I am using the basic license, which should not expire, but it did.

I can see that you're using Elasticsearch version 5.6 and for versions below 6.3 you do have to renew the basic license every year. From 6.3 and in newer versions the license for free features never expires.

Thus you have two options:

1. Ask Elastic for a new basic license for your 5.6 cluster or
2. Upgrade your 5.6 cluster to at least version 6.3.

I would highly recommend the second option, not only to avoid having to renew the license next year again but because version 5.6 has reached its end of life which means no new patches or security fixes will be released for that version.

@PascalFCS

Looking for a solution on google, i found out that the documentation of version 5.6 does not have any information about license renewal. but version 6.5 has:

That documentation is for installing a gold or platinum license to get access to the paid features in x-pack. What you're asking about is the free, basic license.

Good luck!

[PascalFCS (Pascal Mack)]

Hello Bernt,

thanks for your help. I was able to get a license via https://license.elastic.co/registration/ and install it.