Running my cPanel server in a disaster recovery scenario

Scott Galambos

• February 28, 2025 19:14

I duplicated (restored a backup VM) of my cPanel server to my local home network.  I am trying to get it running in case of a disaster.  When I view some of the sites they do not work because of DNS of course.  But webmail does not work because of:
"Unactivated License File
To access the interface, you must install the license and ensure that the license is active."

It this because the server cannot reach out to the internet to verify the license?  Should I not get a grace period?  I'm trying to confirm everything runs on this backup server.

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  Scott Galambos

  • February 28, 2025 21:59
  • Edited

  This happens when I try to login to WHM too, obviously. 

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  cPRex Jurassic Moderator

  • March 03, 2025 15:31

  Hey there!  That's correct - the server likely isn't on a public IP, so there's no way for it to phone home to check the license.

  Unfortunately I don't have any way around that check as that is a core function of cPanel.

  If you did need to restore or migrate a server for disaster recovery, our Customer Service team is able to issue trial or migration licenses if you contact them, although that wouldn't apply in this situation.

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  Scott Galambos

  • March 03, 2025 15:34

  As long as the disaster recovery server did pop onto the internet with the proper IP address then cPanel would be fine, correct?
  
  And if I did manage to get a trial/migration license, how do I add that to the server if it can't connect to the internet?  is it possible?

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  cPRex Jurassic Moderator

  • March 03, 2025 15:38

  No, you wouldn't be able to have two machines with the same IP address trying to get a license - that would require two separate licenses.

  And no, you have to have internet access to get the license activated.

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