License for Checkpoint Smart 1-5

[wl52070]

Hello, I want to ask. We bought a second-hand checkpoint smart 1-5, but its license will expire in one month. Is there a way to get a new license?

[Chris_Atkinson]

Smart 1 5's were End of Support in 2019 and generally speaking the license isn't transferable.

[wl52070]

So, isn't there a solution?

[Chris_Atkinson]

None suitable for production use, unfortunately no.

[G_W_Albrecht]

Not for a productive unit - since September 2019 there is no technical support available for a Smart-1 5, and the latest CP version that can be used, R77.xx, also is out of support since September 2019.

[wl52070]

So, after the license expires, can the device no longer be used?

[Chris_Atkinson]

In the lab with either the built-in 14-day trial or 30-day eval licenses only, a fair use policy applies here also.

[wl52070]

I feel that this is not enough. We plan to install it in our data center, but the lack of a license is a serious problem.

[G_W_Albrecht]

In a data center i would use a supported appliance that can run the most recent supported SW releases - the lack of support is the most serious problem here !

You could use it in Lab environments for learning GAiA clish and bash - but it is too old for anything else 8)

[Chris_Atkinson]

A unit over a decade old is no longer suitable for production use.

If the model is different than you've reported you can check the lifecycle status further here:

https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/support-life-cycle-policy/

[wl52070]

So, is there any way to keep this old device in use?

[Chris_Atkinson]

Sorry no. Not in a supported manner or as the non-original owner.

Please contact your local office to discuss upgrade options.

https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/software-license-agreement-limited-hardware-warranty/

[wl52070]

Thank you for your reply. I have one last question. If the license expires, what will the device be like? Can't it be used at all?

[Chris_Atkinson]

Depending on the specifics you might be unable to login to SmartConsole or some features may stop working.

[JozkoMrkvicka]

Besides the fact that Smart-1 5 appliance is out of support, the device should be registered in some UserCenter account, or ? Based on Serial Number and MAC of Mgmt interface, this appliance should be found in some UC. If that is the case, then the permanent license for this device can be generated ?

Or appliances which reached EoL are removing from UC by Check Point ?

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[G_W_Albrecht]

All appliances which reached EoL are flagged UC by Check Point and you can no longer renew support for it. So the permanent licenses (NPM, LOGS, EVNT) are there, maybe in some UC tat does not belong to you, but without support, you are no longer entitled to use the software. Usually, customers do a trade-in of old appliances that then are sent back to CP. As i wrote above, you should check with CP by MAC which UC the box belongs to and the available lifetime before buying it. You will not believe it, but many things just drop from some truck somewhere and land on ebay😉. If i get the MAC / serial i could look for it, too...

[G_W_Albrecht]

This is special old hardware from before 2009, custom buildt to host a shrinked down hardened linux with SW to control network policy mangement - so best fit to have a not-so-prominent seat in an IT museum 8)! You can always still log in thru CLI (by SSH or console) and play around with GAiA commands, but no dashboard connection will be possible without active NPM license. Or you do a re-install and re-configuration every 2 weeks, keeping the current software level with no support for training purposes.

Remark: Buying second hand CP appliances is very risky - better contact your local CP SE with the MAC and company name of the owner to double-check if this is no fraud or stolen (like in this case where a useless out-of-support grandgrandpa box is sold that is not worth a cent).