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[Geneos] - License - Effects of Using the License FORMAT: 2026 and License FORMAT: OLD with Mismatched Version of License Daemon

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Errors:

  • ERROR: LICD Decode failed
  • ERROR: LICD Failed to decrypt license file: RSA-encrypted key length (1094856245 bytes) exceeds maximum allowed (2048 bytes)

This article examines the transition from License FORMAT: OLD (compatible with License Daemon (LICD) versions GA7.7.0 and older) to License FORMAT: 2026 (compatible with LICD version GA7.8.0 and newer). It highlights compatibility errors caused by version mismatches and identifies specific log entries to help you verify a successful configuration.

 

License Formats: OLD vs. 2026:

There are currently two license formats: 

  • License FORMAT: OLD (Compatible with LICD version GA7.7.0 and older): The OLD format uses readable plain-text strings

Sample below when opening the file:

AF.90.32.42.6D.92.23.E2.AD.02.50.80.C1.94.5E
AF.49.B8.69.6A.FD.2D.9D.4D.ED.FD.6C.ED.ED.69.AA.5D.19.8D.5C.3D.8D.8D.CA.9A.68.40.8A
E7.F3.00.30.3F.3F.BE.2F.6F.BC.8F.9F.60.E7.2D
E7.C0.82.63.2C.23.50.00.47.DD.17

 

  • License FORMAT: 2026 (Compatible with LICD GA7.8.0 and newer): The License FORMAT: 2026 utilizes a binary and encrypted file structure to provide enhanced security 

Sample below when opening the file:

Z–;>Ë6¥àì°W‘T2­AôÎ̾sñÍéåÃÓ”k)äùUè÷(LÒÁ4âçIÀ h ¥${åÖV3ÐÊᘥ’êOQ6|Ò¹%-tk×UÕ,Q	G¥ˆÞe[ µ%nÉàj¼ëüP—,Òm±@Ó6J<M¦70ž&ò“§ÍY±ZëÏ;«O€"“)[eçŒú©Ö¸3꡼ÎåÒÇyŒ%&ÕßcgÿD´¿½$‰,æg”ù_õ ùgï ÿ¨ûn«9ž}^ÚtWÝ./³}ºÈ›Â=,3ÂÕ.O~_Zk{|ÔÍ®ß~-’qÓÌ‚šR.Õí÷!O%îeé}ËÌ`Gzâ}4yÓœ]y"wl8îóG&2&©žôBô'ä²mÉw
0ãºhIt@^$Óÿ¬u.–Xš¥°½ tî—•i?ag"ˆØQ“nWX†€

 

Compatibility Conflict: 

Using the new License FORMAT: 2026 with License Daemon (LICD) version GA7.7 and older:

When attempting to apply the License FORMAT: 2026 to a LICD version GA7.7.0 or older, the LICD process will encounter an error. The LICD startup process will initiate, and then will be terminated abruptly before completion.

 

Error message: 

  • ERROR: LICD Decode failed

Sample log output: 

testuser@TestingEnvironment:~/licd770/licd$ ./licd.linux_64  
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800 ******************************************************** 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800 Geneos EMF2 LICD GA7.7.0-251124 (c) 1995-2025 ITRS Group 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800 ******************************************************** 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800  INFO: Build type: linux_64:Release 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800  INFO: Running from: /home/testuser/licd770/licd 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800  INFO: User/uid/gid: testuser/1000/1000 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800  INFO: Current path: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin:/snap/bin 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.830+0800  INFO: LD_LIBRARY_PATH has not been set 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: SSLContext TLS version 1.2 and upwards accepted for secure connections. 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: LICD Reading group definitions from directory "groups" 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: LicenceGrouping Grouping file directory groups is missing/not a directory 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800 ERROR: LICD Decode failed 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: LICD Licence daemon is not licensed for the current host 
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: LICD  
2026-01-23 08:30:07.833+0800  INFO: LICD IMPORTANT - Contact your support provider to obtain a licence file; if supported directly by ITRS then mailto:support@itrsgroup.com otherwise your usual support contact

 

License FORMAT: OLD on LICD Version GA7.8.0 and newer

When using LICD Version GA7.8.0 and newer with License FORMAT: OLD, the LICD won't be able to read the old license file format because it expects encrypted binary data. Instead, it will read a plain-text string and will treat it as an oversized encryption key, which causes a log error.
 

Error message:

  • ERROR: LICD Failed to decrypt license file: RSA-encrypted key length (1094856245 bytes) exceeds maximum allowed (2048 bytes)

 

Sample Logs:

testuser@TestingEnvironment:~/licd780/licd$ ./licd.linux_64  
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800 **************************************************************** 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800 Geneos EMF2 LICD GA7.8.0-260120 (c) 1995-2026 ITRS Group 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800 **************************************************************** 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800  INFO: Build type: linux_64:Release 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800  INFO: Running from: /home/testuser/licd780/licd 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800  INFO: User/uid/gid: testuser/1000/1000 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800  INFO: Current path: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin:/snap/bin 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.952+0800  INFO: LD_LIBRARY_PATH has not been set 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.955+0800  INFO: SSLContext TLS version 1.2 and upwards accepted for secure connections. 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.962+0800  INFO: LICD Reading group definitions from directory "groups" 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.962+0800  INFO: LicenceGrouping Grouping file directory groups is missing/not a directory 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.965+0800 ERROR: LICD Failed to decrypt license file: RSA-encrypted key length (1094856245 bytes) exceeds maximum allowed (2048 bytes) 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.965+0800  INFO: LICD Licence daemon is not licensed for the current host 
2026-01-23 08:46:56.965+0800  INFO: LICD  
2026-01-23 08:46:56.965+0800  INFO: LICD IMPORTANT - Contact your support provider to obtain a licence file; if supported directly by ITRS then mailto:support@itrsgroup.com otherwise your usual support contact

 

How to avoid this issue?

To prevent a license format to LICD version mismatch, always state your current LICD version whenever requesting a new license, renewal, or extension. This ensures that our team provides the appropriate file format. 

Successful configuration logs:

  • License FORMAT: OLD with LICD GA7.7.0 and older
testuser@TestingEnvironment:~/licd770/licd$ ./licd.linux_64  
2026-01-23 09:19:35.746+0800 ******************************************************** 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800 Geneos EMF2 LICD GA7.7.0-251124 (c) 1995-2025 ITRS Group 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800 ******************************************************** 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800  INFO: Build type: linux_64:Release 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800  INFO: Running from: /home/testuser/licd770/licd 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800  INFO: User/uid/gid: testuser/1000/1000 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800  INFO: Current path: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin:/snap/bin 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.747+0800  INFO: LD_LIBRARY_PATH has not been set 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.750+0800  INFO: SSLContext TLS version 1.2 and upwards accepted for secure connections. 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.751+0800  INFO: LICD Reading group definitions from directory "groups" 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.751+0800  INFO: LicenceGrouping Grouping file directory groups is missing/not a directory 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.751+0800  INFO: LICD Running LICD in MONITORING mode 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.751+0800  INFO: FileReporter::init Directory ./reporting/ does not exists, attempting to create it. 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.752+0800  INFO: FileReporter::init Parameters: [DirPath=./reporting/] [MaxKeepDays=7] [WriteIntervalInSeconds=21600] 
2026-01-23 09:19:35.752+0800  INFO: LICD Listening for connections on INSECURE port 7041

 

  • License FORMAT: 2026 with LICD GA7.8.0 and newer
testuser@TestingEnvironment:~/licd780/licd$ ./licd.linux_64  
2026-01-23 09:23:05.908+0800 **************************************************************** 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.908+0800 Geneos EMF2 LICD GA7.8.0-260120 (c) 1995-2026 ITRS Group 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.908+0800 **************************************************************** 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.909+0800  INFO: Build type: linux_64:Release 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.909+0800  INFO: Running from: /home/testuser/licd780/licd 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.909+0800  INFO: User/uid/gid: testuser/1000/1000 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.909+0800  INFO: Current path: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin:/snap/bin 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.909+0800  INFO: LD_LIBRARY_PATH has not been set 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.933+0800  INFO: SSLContext TLS version 1.2 and upwards accepted for secure connections. 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.944+0800  INFO: LICD Reading group definitions from directory "groups" 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.944+0800  INFO: LicenceGrouping Grouping file directory groups is missing/not a directory 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.947+0800  INFO: LICD Running LICD in ENFORCING mode 
2026-01-23 09:23:05.951+0800  INFO: LICD Listening for connections on INSECURE port 7041

 

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    • Background of the issue or request.
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