Skip to main content
AI Data Engine

Install an AIDE license in your AFX system

Contributors dmp-netapp netapp-dbagwell netapp-driley
PDFs

You'll need to install a NetApp license to access the full features of AI Data Engine (AIDE). As an ONTAP cluster administrator, you can perform license management using ONTAP System Manager.

Prepare to license AI Data Engine

A license is a record of one or more software entitlements. All the AFX licenses are delivered as a NetApp license file (NLF), which is a single file that enables multiple features. There are several things you should consider before installing a license on your AFX storage system in support of AIDE.

Types of licenses

There are two primary types of licenses needed to begin using AIDE through your AFX storage system.

ONTAP One license

The Metadata Engine Basic license is enabled if you have an ONTAP One license. It enables access to the Metadata Engine functionality which provides the essential foundation for AIDE operation.

AI Data Engine premium license

You need to acquire access to and install the AIDE premium services license to activate and enable AI features such as vectorization, governance guardrails, and inferencing. The license includes a GPU count as well as an expiration date.

Note The full features of AIDE are only available with certain NetApp DCN deployments. AIDE software on third-party servers deployments are limited to metadata features and do not require an AIDE license.

License installation requirements

If your deployment uses licensed AIDE features on NetApp DCNs, you'll need to acquire access to the AIDE license and download the associated NLF file to your local system. You can then upload the file to your AFX storage system through System Manager. Also make sure you have the following:

  • Administrator credentials to sign in to ONTAP System Manager

  • An AFX cluster running ONTAP 9.18.1 and later

Install a license on your AFX system

You can install an AIDE license to activate the additional AIDE features needed for your AFX storage system.

Steps

  1. In System Manager, select Cluster and then Settings.

  2. Next to Licenses, select blue arrow pointing to the right.

  3. Select the Features tab to display the available ONTAP features.

  4. To install a license, select the Installed licenses tab.

  5. Select blue rectangle containing a plus sign followed by the word add in white letters.

  6. Select a local license file and select Add.