Manual Chapter : Software Licensing and Initial Configuration

Applies To:

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F5 iWorkflow

  • 2.3.0, 2.2.0
Manual Chapter

About software licensing and initial configuration

iWorkflow™ runs as a virtual machine in specifically-supported hypervisors. After you set up your virtual environment or your platform, you can download the iWorkflow software, and then license the iWorkflow system. You initiate the license activation process with the base registration key.

Important: Before you can perform software licensing and initial configuration tasks, you must set up your virtual environment. Use the appropriate iWorkflow™ Systems Virtual Editions Setup guide to set up your environment before proceeding.

The base registration key is a character string that the license server uses to verify the functionality that you are entitled to license.

There are two methods for activating the product.

  • If the system has access to the internet, you select the option to automatically contact the F5 license server and activate the license.
  • If the system is not connected to the internet, you manually retrieve the activation key from a system that is connected to the internet, and transfer it to the iWorkflow system.

Automatic license activation

You must have a base registration key to license the iWorkflow™ system. If you do not have a base registration key, contact the F5 Networks sales group (http://www.f5.com).
If the iWorkflow™ system has outbound access to the public internet, you can use this procedure to activate its license.
  1. Using a browser on which you have configured the management interface, type https://<management_IP_address> where <management_IP_address> is the address you specified for device management.
    This is the IP address that the iWorkflow system uses to communicate with its managed devices.
  2. Log in to iWorkflow System with the default user name admin and password admin.
  3. In the Base Registration Key field, type or paste the iWorkflow registration key.
  4. In the Add-on Keys field, paste any additional license key you have.
  5. For the Activation Method setting, select Automatic, and click the Save And Continue. button.
    The End User Software License Agreement (EULA) displays.
  6. To accept, click the Agree button.
    The Host Connectivity Options screen opens.
Continue with the setup process on the Host Connectivity Options screen.

Manual license activation

You must have a base registration key to license the iWorkflow™ system. If you do not have a base registration key, contact the F5 Networks sales group (http://www.f5.com).
If the iWorkflow™ system is not connected to the public internet, use this procedure to activate its license.
  1. Using a browser on which you have configured the management interface, type https://<Management Interface IP address>/ui/system/setup , where <Management Interface IP address> is the address you specified for device management.
    This is the IP address that the iWorkflow system uses to communicate with its managed devices.
  2. Log in to iWorkflow with the default user name admin and password admin.
  3. In the Base Registration Key field, type or paste the iWorkflow registration key.
  4. In the Add-on Keys field, paste any additional license key you have.
  5. For the Activation Method setting, select Manual and click the Get Dossier button.
    The iWorkflow system refreshes and displays the dossier in the Device Dossier field.
  6. Copy the text displayed in the Device Dossier field, and click the Click here to access F5 Licensing Server link.
    Alternatively, you can navigate to the F5 license activation portal at https://activate.f5.com/license/.
  7. Click Activate License.
    The Activate F5 Product page opens.
  8. Paste the dossier into the Enter your dossier field, and then click the Next button.
    After a pause, the license key text displays.
  9. Select the check box next to the I have read and agree to the terms of this license to agree to the license terms, and then click the Next button.
    After a brief pause, the license key text displays.
  10. Copy the license key.
  11. On iWorkflow Device, into the License Text field, paste the license key.
  12. To save your configuration, click Save And Continue.
    The Host Connectivity Options screen opens.
Continue with the setup process on the Host Connectivity Options screen.

Confirming the host connectivity options

Before you confirm the host connectivity options, you must have activated the license.
You need to specify the details of how the iWorkflow™ system communicates.
  1. In the Fully Qualified Hostname field, type a fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for the system.
    The FQDN can consist of letters and numbers, as well as the characters underscore ( _ ), dash ( - ), or period ( . ).
  2. In the Management Interface IP Address field, type the management interface IP address. The IP address must be in Classless InterDomain Routing (CIDR) format. For example: 10.10.10.10/24. This is the IP address that managed devices use to communicate with the iWorkflow system. This address is also referred to as the discovery address
  3. In the Management Interface Default Route field, type the default gateway address for the management port.
  4. Specify the High Availability Cluster Peer IP Address for communication between peer iWorkflow systems in a high availability configuration.
    • To use the management port IP address for HA communication, select Use Management Address for communicating with HA Cluster peers.
    • To use a unique self IP address for HA communication:
      1. Clear the Use Management Address for communicating with HA Cluster peers check box.
      2. Type the self IP address in the Self IP Address (Format: Self IP/Mask) field.
    Note: The IP address must be specified in CIDR format.
    Important: You must assign a static IP address that does not change to your iWorkflow virtual machine. DHCP assignment of IP addresses is not supported.
  5. To save your configuration, click Save And Continue.
    The Update Services screen opens.
Continue with the setup process on the Update Services screen.

Defining DNS and NTP servers for the iWorkflow system

After you license the iWorkflow™ system and confirm the host connectivity options, you can specify the DNS and NTP servers.
On the Update Services screen you set your DNS server and domain to allow the iWorkflow system to properly parse IP addresses. Defining the NTP server ensures that the iWorkflow system’s clock is synchronized with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
  1. In the DNS Lookup Servers field, type the IP address of your DNS server.
    You can click the Test Connection button to verify that the IP address is reachable.
  2. In the DNS Search Domains field, type the name of your search domain.
    The DNS search domain list allows the iWorkflow system to search for local domain lookups to resolve local host names.
  3. In the Time Servers fields, type the IP addresses of your Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers.
    You can click the Test Connection button to verify that the IP address is reachable.
  4. From the Time Zone list, select your local time zone
  5. To save your configuration, click Save And Continue.
    The Update Password screen opens.
Continue with the setup process on the Update Password screen.

Changing the default passwords

After you initially license and configure the iWorkflow system, and define the DNS and NTP servers, you must confirm or change the administrator role password from the default, admin.
  1. For the Admin Account, in the Old Password field, type admin.
  2. In the New Password and Confirm New Password fields, type a new password.
  3. For the Root Account, in the Old Password field, type default.
  4. In the New Password and Confirm New Password fields, type a new password.
  5. To save your configuration, click Save And Continue.
    The Summary screen opens.
  6. Review the settings listed on the Summary screen and if everything is as expected, click Save And Continue to complete the setup process.