Redis Software uses a cluster license to enable product features and capacity on a specific cluster. Depending on how your cluster was deployed, you may be using a built-in trial license, a temporary license issued by Redis, or a full-term production license. Customers commonly have licensing questions when a trial is approaching expiration, a temporary license has been provided during a renewal or migration project, or there is uncertainty about what functionality remains available after a license expires.
A license cannot be used before its activation date. If the activation date is in the future, wait until that date or contact your Redis account team
This article explains how to identify the license type currently used by your Redis Software cluster, understand the differences between trial and temporary licenses, and know what happens when a time-limited license expires.
Quick Fix
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long is a temporary license valid? | Temporary licenses are typically valid for up to three months from the contract start date and are intended to provide coverage until permanent license information is finalized. |
| How do I know which license my cluster is using? | Check Cluster > Configuration > General > License in Cluster Manager, or call GET /v1/license from the REST API. |
| What is a Redis Software trial license? | A built-in evaluation license automatically applied when a Redis Software cluster is created without a supplied license. |
| What is a temporary license? | A time-limited license issued separately by Redis for approved short-term needs such as migrations, renewals, staging environments, or evaluation continuity. |
| Will my databases stop serving traffic when a trial or temporary license expires? | No. Existing databases continue running, but database creation and database configuration changes are restricted until a valid license is installed. |
| Can I extend a trial myself? | No. Contact your Redis account team if additional evaluation time or a temporary license is required. |
| Can I switch a licensed cluster back to trial mode? | No. Trial mode cannot be restored after a replacement or production license has been installed. |
| I need a license for a migration, renewal delay, or staging environment. What should I do? | Contact your Redis account team or Redis Support and provide the cluster name, environment purpose, expected duration, and capacity requirements. |
Prerequisites
Before you review or troubleshoot a Redis Software license, make sure you have:
Administrator access to the Redis Software Cluster Manager UI, or REST API credentials with permission to view license information.
The Redis Software cluster name or fully qualified domain name (FQDN).
The full license text if you are comparing an existing license with a replacement license.
Awareness of the environment purpose, such as evaluation, staging, migration, renewal bridge, disaster recovery, or production use.
Caution: Redis Software licenses are tied to a specific cluster name. If a replacement license was generated for a different cluster name or FQDN, it may not apply successfully.
Identify your current license
Start by checking the active license on the cluster.
Check in Cluster Manager
Sign in to Cluster Manager.
Go to Cluster > Configuration > General > License.
Review the license status, activation date, expiration date, cluster name, and licensed capacity.
Check with the REST API
Run:
GET /v1/license
Review the response to confirm the license status, activation date, expiration date, cluster name, and capacity limits.
Understand Redis Software trial licenses
A Redis Software cluster starts in trial mode when no license is supplied during cluster creation. The trial period starts when the cluster is created on the first node.
Trial licenses are intended for evaluation and are limited by time and capacity. The built-in Redis Software trial is limited to 30 days and 4 shards, including master and replica shards.
Use a trial license when you are evaluating Redis Software functionality before moving to a production or longer-term deployment. Do not use the built-in trial as a production licensing model.
Understand Redis Software temporary licenses
A temporary license is a time-limited license issued separately by Redis and is not the same as the built-in trial license. Temporary licenses are commonly provided when a contract becomes active and are intended to bridge short-term needs while permanent licensing is finalized. In most cases, temporary licenses are valid for up to three months from the contract start date.
Common scenarios include:
Renewal processing
Migration projects
Staging or testing environments
Evaluation continuity
Disaster recovery or cutover planning
Like other Redis Software licenses, temporary licenses include an activation date, expiration date, cluster name, feature entitlements, and capacity limits. If you need a temporary license, contact your Redis account team or Redis Support with your cluster details and business requirements.
Compare trial and temporary licenses
| License type | How it is provided | Common use | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trial license | Generated automatically when a new Redis Software cluster is created without a supplied license. | Initial Redis Software evaluation. | Time-limited and capacity-limited. |
| Temporary license | Issued separately by Redis. | Renewal bridge, migration, staging, evaluation continuity, or other approved short-term needs. | Valid only for the issued time period, cluster name, features, and capacity. |
| Full-term license | Issued for an active commercial entitlement. | Production or long-term use. | Must still match the cluster name, licensed features, and capacity requirements. |
What trial and temporary licenses have in common
Trial and temporary licenses are both time-limited and should be monitored before expiration. When either license expires, existing databases continue serving traffic, but Redis Software restricts database creation and database configuration changes until a valid replacement license is installed.
Both license types must also match the cluster and capacity requirements. A license may not be usable if:
The activation date has not started.
The expiration date has passed.
The license was issued for a different cluster name.
The cluster requires more shards than the license allows.
The license does not include the features required by the deployment.
What happens when a time-limited license expires
When a Redis Software license expires, existing databases continue serving traffic. Expiration does not immediately stop existing database workloads.
However, Redis Software restricts database-level operations after license expiration. This includes:
Creating new databases
Changing database settings
Changing database security or configuration options
You can still perform some cluster-level actions, including:
Signing in to Cluster Manager
Viewing cluster, node, and database settings and metrics
Updating the cluster license
Changing cluster alert settings
Failing over when a node fails
Explicitly migrating shards between nodes
Upgrading a node to a new Redis Software version
This distinction is important: an expired trial or temporary license may not interrupt existing traffic, but it can block planned administrative work until a valid license is applied.
Can you return to trial mode?
After a Redis Software cluster key has been added, the cluster cannot be reverted back to its original trial mode by removing the license.
If you need a new trial evaluation, create a new Redis Software cluster rather than trying to roll back an existing licensed cluster to trial mode.
When to contact Redis
Contact your Redis account team or Redis Support if:
Your trial license is approaching expiration and additional evaluation time is needed.
You require a temporary license for a migration, staging environment, renewal process, disaster recovery test, or other approved short-term need.
Your cluster requires additional licensed capacity.
You are unsure whether your current license provides the correct entitlement.
You need help confirming whether a replacement license has the correct cluster name, activation date, expiration date, or capacity limits.
Providing the following information can help accelerate the request:
Cluster name or FQDN
Environment purpose, such as production, staging, migration, evaluation, or disaster recovery
Expected duration
Current and anticipated shard usage
Any relevant renewal, migration, or cutover timeline
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