Protecting Applications in Docker Containers

Sentinel LDK supports protected applications that execute in Docker containers, within the limitations described in this appendix.

The Product license for a protected application that runs in a Docker container can be deployed using either HL keys or using SL keys, as described below.

In this appendix:

>Using SL Keys

>Using HL Keys

>Additional Considerations

>Side-By-Side Comparison

Using SL Keys

Sentinel LDK supports the use of SL keys for protected applications that execute in a Docker container. The Run-time Environment can be installed on the host machine or within the Docker container.

The Run-time Environment and the SL key for a protected application that runs in a Docker container can be configured using one of the options described below.

>Option 1 - Outside of Container

Type of Key	Location of Run-time Environment	Location of SL Key
SL AdminMode key (Includes cloud licensing)	Host machine or remote machine	Host machine or remote machine

The RTE and SL key are installed outside of the Docker container. This option does not have any limitations. The RTE works as usual. The protected application running in the Docker container accesses the license via network communication.

Using this option, a Linux container can be on either a Linux or Windows host.

This option relies on network connectivity, removing dependency on the host operating system. This option is different from local installation of an SL key, which requires Sentinel LDK to manage a local secure storage. As long as the application is running under an operating system that Sentinel LDK supports for consuming network licenses, the host environment (in the case of virtual machine or virtualized container) is of no importance.

If the host machine is a physical machine, you can prevent installation of SL AdminMode keys in the container by disabling support for virtual machines when you create the keys.

Thales recommends the use of Option 1 in the following scenarios:

•One or more hosts in a local network (an SL key with concurrency)

•Single host in the cloud (CL key) with the license configured with "Count Each Station" to define what is to be counted as a concurrent instance.

>Option 2 - Within Container

Type of Key	Location of Run-time Environment	Location of SL Key
SL AdminMode key SL UserMode Key	Within the container (RTE version must be 7.100 or later.)	Within the container

You do not need to install anything on the host. However, you can only use this option with perpetual licenses that do not have a concurrency limit. Any other type of software licenses will be regarded as a clone the next time the container is restarted.

With this option, Thales recommends that you install the license at every container startup. This can be accomplished by simply placing the V2C file in the appropriate directory.

You should not save the container image after secure storage has been created. If the container image is saved, the secure storage would be regarded as "restored manually" at container startup and would be completely recreated automatically. This slows down the startup process.

>Option 3 - Mixed Solution

Type of Key	Location of Run-time Environment	Location of SL Key
SL AdminMode key (Includes cloud licensing)	Within the container (RTE version must be 7.100 or later.)	Host machine or remote machine

To use the mixed solution, perform the procedures that follow.

Preparation:

a. Install the RTE inside the Docker container OR on the host machine.

b. Use the License Manager in the RTE to install and activate the SL key on the host machine.

c.If you installed the RTE on the host machine:

i.Uninstall the RTE from the host machine.

ii.Install the RTE inside the Docker container.

Consuming licenses:

An application should consume a license from the SL key using the License Manager from the RTE installed inside the Docker container.

Additional considerations for the mixed solution:

You install the RTE inside the container, but configure Docker to keep the license storage directories on the host to be able to install any kind of license.

NOTE   You cannot have a License Manager service running both inside the container and on the host. When using this option, ensure that the License Manager service executes only inside the container.

The host machine or remote machine (service) can supply a mounted persistence volume as SL storage. In a cloud environment, persistence volume is a resource that is backed by a persistent disk or volume service.

You can configure Docker to keep the license storage directories on the host using the Docker -v option. For example: The following command starts the "ubuntu" container, keeping the /var/hasplm and /etc/hasplm directories on the host.

$ sudo docker run -it -v /var/hasplm:/var/hasplm -v /etc/hasplm:/etc/hasplm -p 1947:1947 ubuntu

You can then install the RTE inside the container. (If the license storage directories already exist and contain licenses, you will be able to access these licenses from inside the container.)

Using HL Keys

Sentinel LDK supports the use of HL keys for protected applications that execute in a Docker container.

When installing Sentinel LDK Run-time Environment (RTE) for use with HL keys, the RTE can be installed either on the host machine or within the Docker container.

>Option 1 - Outside of Container

Location of Run-time Environment	HL Key Access
Host machine	HL key accessed from the host machine

The protected application running in the Docker container accesses the license on the HL key via network communication. Only network licenses are supported.

Thales recommends that you use this option if the license supports remote access. Access the HL key via the RTE and not directly from the Docker container.

>Option 2 - Within Container

Location of Run-time Environment	HL Key Access
Within the container (RTE version must be 7.100 or later.)	HL key accessed from inside the container

This includes a scenario in which the Licensing API accesses the HL keys directly, without the need for the RTE.

When the RTE is installed within the Docker container, the host must be configured to share all USB devices with the container. You can accomplish this by issuing the following command on the host machine:

$ sudo docker run -it --device /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb ubuntu

It is also possible to share only the specific HL key by specifying the key's path, but you must implement some logic to identify this path. For example:

$ sudo docker run -it --device /dev/bus/usb/003/008:/dev/bus/usb/003/008 ubuntu

Additional Considerations

>Distribution of Docker images should be done before any license is installed. License activation should then be done after the user chooses the host they want to use. Distributing this container to other hosts will render this license unusable (regarded as cloned).

>An SL license of any type other than Perpetual that is installed in the container become a cloned license the next time the container restarts. To prevent this, do one of the following:

•Use one of the other installation options. The best option is to configure the secure storage on the host before installing the license.

•Request the user to provide a C2V from the host and install a license with concurrency of 1.

>When the License Manager operates in a Docker container: To configure the License Manager and establish communication between the License Manager and the protected application, you may need to configure the License Manager INI file. For more information, see Working Directly With License Manager Configuration Files.

Side-By-Side Comparison

The tables that follow provides a side-by-side comparison of the different licensing options described in this appendix.

SL Key Options

	Option 1: Outside of Container	Option 2: Within Container	Option 3: Mixed Solution
Description	CL key with concurrency on a remote machine or Docker host; supports cloud licensing if the host/container is in the cloud. SL keys (not cloud-enabled) are suitable if the host/container is in a local network.	SL key and RTE inside the container	SL key on the host and shared with container; RTE inside the container
Type of Key	SL AdminMode key	SL AdminMode key SL UserMode key	SL AdminMode key and SL UserMode key
Docker Host Requires Configuration?	No	No	Yes
Move the Container to Another Host Without Reactivation?	Yes	No	No
Supported License Models and License Actions
Perpetual	Yes	Yes	If the license is activated from a License Manager inside the Docker container, this option is identical to option 2. If the license is activated from a License Manager on the host, this option is identical to option 1.
Expiration Date	Yes	No1
Execution Count	Yes	No1
Time from First Use	Yes	No1
Time from License Generation	Yes	No1
Concurrency	Yes	No1
Detach	Yes	Not applicable
Rehost	Yes (to another remote machine)	No
1This configuration will be blocked during license generation. Use option 1 with a single network seat or use option 3 with the license activated from the host.

HL Key Options

	Option 1: Outside of Container	Option 2: Within Container
Description	HL key with concurrency on a remote machine or Docker host	HL key (no concurrency) connected to the host and shared with the container
Type of Key	HL key	HL key
Anything Located Outside of the Container?	Yes (RTE on remote machine)	Only Physical key
Docker Host Requires Configuration?	No	Yes
Move the Container to Another Host Without Reactivation?	Yes	Yes
Supported License Models and License Actions
Perpetual	Yes	Yes
Expiration Date	Yes	Yes
ExecutionCount	Yes	Yes
Time from First Use	Yes	Yes
Time from License Generation	Yes	Yes
Concurrency	Yes	Yes
Detach	No	Not applicable
Rehost	Move the key	Move the key