License File - Entitled to all minor version releases?

[Lewpy]

Looking inside the Veeam license file, I can see the following lines (amongst others)

• Expiration date=27/11/2022
  Support expiration date=27/11/2012
  Version=6.x

I had a search around the main Veeam site and quickly in the forums, but I couldn't find direct answers to the following questions:

1. Does the "Version" line mean that the license is valid for any minor release of Veeam? So v6.0, v6.1, v6.5, and any future v6.x release?
2. What happens when the "Support expiration date" is reached? Does Veeam B&R just let you know it has expired, but carries on working normally? Or does each Veeam release have a "burnt in" release date, and if the "Support expiration date" is older than the "burnt in" release date, then Veeam B&R will refuse to run? [This is how Citrix works with their license files and SA dates, but they only have one "burnt in" date at the beginning of each major release, and don't change it for minor releases]
3. What happens when the "Expiration date" is reached? Does Veeam B&R stop working? So all licenses have a 10-year "kill switch" embedded?

Example: we have a customer running v6.1 B&R but they don't have active support - can they upgrade to v6.5 B&R and their license is still valid, because they did have active support when the first 6.x version was released?

I understand that major releases (5.x->6.x->7.x) requires active maintenance to entitle customers to free upgrades (with a new license files)

[Lewpy]

Okay, just after posting, I found the answer to

• 1. Does the "Version" line mean that the license is valid for any minor release of Veeam? So v6.0, v6.1, v6.5, and any future v6.x release?

in the sticky FAQ post

• Q: Do I need new license file to upgrade from 6.0 or 6.1 to 6.5?
  A: No. Your existing license file (6.x) will work with any v6 release.

I would still just like to qualify what the various dates in the license file mean, and their impact

[chrisdearden]

The product will still work when the support has expired , however support has lapsed and the customer requires a major version upgrade or assistance, its worth pointing out there is a re-instatement fee added onto their support renewal I believe.

[Vitaliy S.]

2. What happens when the "Support expiration date" is reached? Does Veeam B&R just let you know it has expired, but carries on working normally? Or does each Veeam release have a "burnt in" release date, and if the "Support expiration date" is older than the "burnt in" release date, then Veeam B&R will refuse to run? [This is how Citrix works with their license files and SA dates, but they only have one "burnt in" date at the beginning of each major release, and don't change it for minor releases]

Chris is correct, the product will still work, but you will receive a notification from Veeam ONE (if you have it deployed in your infrastructure) about expiration of your prepaid support period.

3. What happens when the "Expiration date" is reached? Does Veeam B&R stop working? So all licenses have a 10-year "kill switch" embedded?

Actually Veeam B&R license keys "do not have" expiration date, and you will still be eligible to use Veeam B&R 6.x even after 2022, but I'm pretty sure that by that time we will release a more up-to-date version of Veeam B&R and hopefully you'll want to be running on that version too Anyway, if you want to extend your license key expiration date, then you need to contact our sales rep directly.

As to the technical answer to your question about expiration date, then, you're correct, the product will stop working once license key expiration date is reached.

[Lewpy]

Chris & Vitaliy,

Thank you very much for your quick and comprehensive answers