You activate the same Tableau Server product key on three installations for Dev, Test, and...

Tableau Server’s licensing ties product keys to specific machines. Moving an environment requires managing activations to stay compliant. Let’s break this down:

Licensing Rules:

A product key can be activated on multiple machines (e.g., Dev, Test, Prod), but only up to the licensed limit (typically 3 for such setups).

Deactivation frees the key for reuse elsewhere.

Recommended Workflow:

Deactivate first: Use tsm licenses deactivate on the old Test machine to release the key.

Then activate: Install on the new hardware and activate with tsm licenses activate -k .

Why: Ensures compliance and avoids activation conflicts (e.g., exceeding the key’s limit).

Option B (Deactivate on Test, then install/activate on new hardware): Correct.

Steps:

On old Test: tsm licenses deactivate.

Install Tableau Server on new hardware.

On new Test: tsm licenses activate -k .

Benefit: Clean, compliant transfer—preserves license integrity.

Option A (Activate new, then deactivate old): Incorrect.

Risk: If the key’s limit is reached (e.g., 3 activations), the new activation fails until deactivation occurs. Order matters.

Option C (Activate new, keep old as backup): Incorrect.

Issue: Exceeds license limit (4 activations) and risks non-compliance. Backup requires deactivation or a separate key.

Option D (Activate new, obliterate old): Incorrect.

Details: tableau-server-obliterate.cmd wipes the entire install (data, config)—overkill and doesn’t formally deactivate the key via TSM, potentially leaving licensing inconsistent.

Why This Matters: Proper license management prevents activation errors and ensures legal use across environments.