The QALA License Server

The QA License Application (or “QALA”) is a Linux-based local license server that customers deploying to Docker or dev/staging/fail-over environments must run independent from their CloudShark system.

This guide explains how to install, configure, and run the QALA service on Rocky Linux 8.

Download

QALA is available by downloading here:

qacafe-qala-1.1-121.x86_64.rpm

Requirements

QA Cafe recommends a VM or bare-metal server be configured specifically to run QALA in your environment. This is not able to run inside a Docker container, or on an ephemeral host. It is possible to run on the Docker host however. Some deployment scenarios may require a bare-metal server. Please work with QA Cafe Support on determining the appropriate location to install. For testing and initial staging purposes, you may install it on multiple hosts, however for access to your permanent licenses, it must be installed and locked to a single machine.

Your CloudShark systems must be able to reach QALA over the network. As every customer’s network architecture is different, this is left up to you to ensure works.

Installing

Use your package manager to install the RPM from the command-line. There are no dependencies, and QALA does not need to connect to the internet.

dnf localinstall ./qacafe-qala-1.1-121.x86_64.rpm

Running

QALA ships with systemd configuration scripts, but they are not enabled or started by default. You can start QALA by running:

systemctl enable --now qacafe-qala.service

If you do not have systemd, you should run the following binary in the background to provide license service.

/usr/qacafe/bin/qala serve

Firewall

If you are running a firewall, additional rules will need to be added to allow access to the QALA web interface and license server. The license server binds to a random ephemeral port when it comes up. We recommend permitting access to all TCP ports from your CloudShark systems.

5050/tcp for the management web interface
5053/tcp for the main license server
All TCP ephemeral ports for product license checkouts

To permit access to these TCP ports on a RHEL/Rocky 8 Linux system, run the following commands:

firewall-cmd --add-port=5053/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --add-port=5050/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --add-port=32768-60999/tcp --permanent
firewall-cmd --reload

If you would like to run the web interface on an alternate port, please use the -port CLI argument. If you are not able to use port 5053 for your license server, please contact QA Cafe Support for assistance.

Using the Web UI

QALA runs by default on HTTPS port 5050. To access it via your web browser, you need to visit https://your-system-ip-address:5050/.

QALA ships with a self-signed certificate that is not able to be changed at this time. Please configure your browser to allow an exception to this site so you are able to visit the web ui.

Upon successful access, you will be presented with the password screen:

The default QALA password is qacafe. After logging in, you may change the default password from the menu.

When you log in, you will see the following screen:

Register

In order to issue CloudShark licenses for your environment, you will need to register your QALA server with QA Cafe Support. Click on the Register a new license button to view the registration information. This takes the form of a hexadecimal Host ID.

Please copy and paste the host ID into an email to support@qacafe.com and our staff will create your permanent QALA license. Once they have fulfilled your request, your license will appear in the QA Cafe Lounge and be available to download.

Install New Licenses

Click the Add License button and navigate to the new license provided to you via the QA Cafe Customer Lounge.

After uploading the license, verify that the license pool shows it has been added. It should look something like this:

The new license(s) granted by QA Cafe will allow you to run CloudShark in a variety of flexible deployments. Instead of tying CloudShark to a specific host, it can run anywhere that is able to connect to your QALA server to check out a license.

Using the CLI

If you do not have HTTPS access to port 5050, you can determine your Host-ID and add licenses from the CLI.

$ /usr/qacafe/bin/qala help

The QACafe License App manages and supports licenses for CloudShark.

Usage:
  qala [command]

Available Commands:
  add         Add a license file to the license server
  help        Help about any command
  hostid      Display the Host-ID of the machine
  reload      Reloads the license directory
  serve       Run the QALA web interface

Flags:
  -h, --help   help for qala

Use "qala [command] --help" for more information about a command.

Don’t forget that if you are binding QALA to an IPv6 address with the serve command, you must wrap the -b bind address in square brackets.

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