5. Software Installation & Licensing

The download link is listed in the email that contains the trial license key. The latest software installation instructions are listed on www.andrisoft.com.

Each trial license key activates all features for 30 days. You can install the trial license key on any number of servers. To switch to a full, registered version, apply a license key purchased from the Andrisoft Store.

5.1. Opening the Console

Wansight Console provides a web interface and centralized system through which you can control and monitor all the other components. If you have correctly followed the installation instructions, from now on you will only need to log in to Console to manage and monitor servers and software components. SSH access is required only for updating the software.

Open the Console at http://<console_hostname>/wansight. If the page cannot be displayed, make sure that the Apache web server is running and that the firewall does not block incoming traffic on port 80 or 443. You can also access it securely via HTTPS if the Apache web server was configured to serve pages over SSL/TLS.

If you have not licensed the software, you will be asked to do so. Upload the trial.key file emailed to you by clicking the key icon. The license key contains encrypted information about the licensed capabilities of the software. You can replace the license key in Configuration » General Settings » License Manager.

Log in to the Console using the default username/password combination: admin/changeme.

If the Console is installed on a public server, you should immediately change the default password of the “admin” account. To do so, click the Admin menu at the top-right corner of the browser window and select [Change Password]. From the same menu you can change the Console layout and theme.

To understand how to navigate within the Console, go to the Basic Concepts of Wansight Console chapter.

5.3. Licensing Procedure

When the trial period is over, you may have to purchase as many Sensor and Filter licenses, in the form of annual or multi-annual subscriptions, as the number of Sensors and Filters configured and enabled in Configuration » Components:

5.3.1. Sensor Licensing

You must purchase as many Wanguard Sensor licenses (or the more affordable Wansight Sensor licenses if DDoS detection is not needed) as the number of Packet Sensors and Flow Sensors configured and activated in the web interface.

✔ Each Flow Sensor can monitor a single flow exporter - usually a border or edge router. Flow Sensor does not have a licensing limitation on the number of interfaces it can monitor, or any limitation involving the network’s traffic volume
✔ Multiple Packet Sensors listening to the same interface (e.g., multi-queue NIC) consume a single Sensor license. Packet Sensor can monitor multiple interfaces when used with PF_RING or DPDK, and has no limitations involving the network’s traffic volume
✔ Sensor Cluster does not require a license to operate, since it works by aggregating the data collected by other Sensors

5.3.2. Filter Licensing

You must also purchase as many Wanguard Filter licenses as the number of Packet Filters and Flow Filters configured and activated in the web interface. A Wanguard Filter license does not include a Wanguard Sensor license.

✔ Each Packet Filter can monitor and apply filtering rules on a single network interface, except when using DPDK (which requires a dedicated license)
✔ Flow Filter accepts traffic data from multiple Flow Sensors, so in most cases, a single Flow Filter is enough even for very large networks. When using BGP Flowspec, a single Flow Filter can work with multiple routers
✔ Filter Cluster does not require a license to operate, since it works by aggregating the data collected by other Filters

5.3.3. DPDK Licensing

If you are using DPDK with Packet Sensor or Packet Filter, you will have to purchase a separate DPDK license for it.

5.3.4. Console Licensing

Console is free and it does not require a license.

5.3.5. Server Licensing

You can distribute the licensed Sensors and Filters on any number of servers without additional licensing costs. The license key must contain the hardware keys listed under Configuration » General Settings » License Manager » Requirements. The hardware key is bound to the hardware, active NIC, IP, and hostname.

5.3.6. Licensing Period

The minimum software licensing period is 12 months. You can purchase licenses for up to 4 years in advance. We sell perpetual licenses only in special cases (e.g. OEM deals). The subscription-based licensing model offers several advantages over the perpetual licensing model:

✔ It lowers the initial cost. For the long term, it is also more cost-effective than a perpetual license + the annual support costs
✔ It includes standard support for the whole period of the subscription
✔ It is an incentive to keep adding the features that you need
✔ It is an incentive to provide you with the best support

The software does not support separate expiration dates for multiple licenses. To avoid losing licensing days, we merge the expiration dates for the components not purchased on the same date by calculating the average date while considering the number of licenses, in a completely fair manner.

Eg. If you have a Sensor license expiring in 6 months and you buy another Sensor license for 12 months, you will not have different expiration dates for the 2 Sensors. Instead, you will have a single license key for 2 Sensors valid for 9 months. This way you will only have to pay the subscription once per year.