License Keys for InterSystems IRIS Containers

Like any InterSystems IRIS instance, an instance running in a container requires a license key (typically called iris.key). For general information about InterSystems IRIS license keys, see Managing InterSystems IRIS Licensing.

The InterSystems IRIS Community Edition image described in the previous section comes with a special free temporary license. Generally, however, license keys are not included in an InterSystems IRIS container image. Instead, you must stage a license key in a storage location accessible to the container, typically a mounted volume, and provide some mechanism for copying it into the container, where it can be activated for the InterSystems IRIS instance running there.

The iris-main program, which runs as the blocking entrypoint application of an InterSystems IRIS container, offers an option for handling the license key that can be used in a docker start or docker run command starting an InterSystems IRIS container. The --key option copies the license key from the location you specify to the mgr/ directory of the InterSystems IRIS instance, which means that it is automatically activated when the instance starts. The license key must not be located on the local file system inside the container; typically, it is on a storage location mounted as a volume by the container with the --volume option of the docker run command, often the durable %SYS volume. The syntax of the option is as follows:

--key <key_path>

where key_path is the path to the license key from within the container. For example, if you mount as /external an external storage location that includes a license key in a directory called license/, the --key option would look like this:

--key /external/license/iris.key

The --key option allows you to update an instance’s license without having to upgrade the container. When the option is used in a docker run or docker start command with an InterSystems IRIS image, iris-main continuously monitors the staged license key for changes (assuming it remains in its original location); if any change in the file is detected, it is copied to the current mgr/ directory and a %SYSTEM.License.Upgrade()Opens in a new tab API call is made.

See The iris-main Program for a list of iris-main options, and Running InterSystems IRIS Containers for examples of using the --key option.

Important:

When using core-based IRIS licenses, the number of cores your container runtime engine makes available to your InterSystems IRIS container must be equal to or less than the number of cores in your license. If your host has more cores, you must restrict the CPUs used by the container when you start it using the --cpuset-cpus and --cpus optionsOpens in a new tab. For an example involving InterSystems IRIS Community Edition instances, the free license for which is limited to 20 cores, see Deploy InterSystems IRIS Community Edition on Your Own SystemOpens in a new tab.