Licensing and Activation Changes in ColdFusion 2025

Licensing Models

ColdFusion 2025 offers flexible licensing options:

• Named User: Licensed on a per-user basis for each individual developer or administrator
• Feature-Restricted: Includes only core features with a limited set of packages
• Full Feature: Includes all features and packages without restrictions
• Subscription: Available with annual or multi-year commitment options

Activation Methods

Online Activation

For internet-connected servers, use online activation:

# Online activation (Linux)
./cfpm.sh activate --license <your-license-token>

# Online activation (Windows)
cfpm.bat activate --license <your-license-token>

# Verify activation
cfpm list

Offline/Air-Gapped Activation

For servers without internet access, follow this process:

1. Generate an activation request file on your air-gapped server
2. Transfer the request file to an internet-connected machine
3. Submit the request file to the Adobe licensing portal
4. Download the activation response file from Adobe
5. Transfer the response file back to your air-gapped server
6. Apply the activation response to complete the process

License Token Management

• Secure Storage: Always store license tokens in a secrets manager such as HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager
• Never Commit: Never commit license tokens to version control systems
• Rotation: Plan for token rotation when your subscription renews
• Audit: Maintain an audit trail tracking which servers are using which licenses

# Example: Store in environment variable
export CF_LICENSE_TOKEN="<your-token>"

# Reference in activation
./cfpm.sh activate --license $CF_LICENSE_TOKEN

Multi-Server Deployments

For clustered or scaled environments, keep these considerations in mind:

• Each server instance requires its own activation
• Your license count must match or exceed your server count
• Use automation tools to ensure consistent activation across your entire fleet
• Include activation steps in your infrastructure-as-code templates

# Ansible playbook example
- name: Activate ColdFusion
  shell: |
    /opt/coldfusion/cfpm/cfpm.sh activate --license {{ cf_license_token }}
  args:
    creates: /opt/coldfusion/.license_active
  no_log: true  # Don't log license token

Container and Cloud Deployments

Containerized deployments require special considerations:

• Plan to activate either during container build time or at startup
• Use secrets injection mechanisms to provide license tokens securely
• Consider whether ephemeral or persistent activation makes more sense for your use case
• Carefully monitor license usage in auto-scaling groups to avoid exceeding your license count

# Dockerfile activation example
FROM adobe/coldfusion:2025

# Copy activation script
COPY activate.sh /tmp/

# Activation happens at runtime
CMD ["/tmp/activate.sh && cfstart"]

License Verification and Monitoring

You should regularly verify your license status using these commands:

# Check license status
cfpm list

# View license details
cfpm license --info

# Monitor expiration
# Set alerts 30/60/90 days before expiration

Renewal Process

1. Receive a renewal notice from Adobe before your subscription expires
2. Purchase your subscription renewal through Adobe
3. Receive your new license token from Adobe
4. Update the token in your secrets manager
5. Reactivate all servers using the new token
6. Verify successful activation across your entire fleet

Troubleshooting Activation Issues

• Invalid Token: Verify that the token was copied correctly with no extra whitespace or line breaks
• Network Issues: Check your proxy configuration and firewall rules to ensure the server can reach Adobe's licensing servers
• Expired Token: Contact Adobe support to obtain a new token
• Already Activated: If you are moving a license to a new server, deactivate it on the old server first