__Include: Charon-SSP Product Overview v5.x : v2

Stromasys provides Charon-SSP for on-premises installations and cloud environments. For both environments, there are several different options. The availability of cloud-specific options may differ depending on the cloud environment. Please contact your Stromasys representative for availability details. The typical cloud-specific options are:

Prepackaged images provided on the cloud-specific marketplace:
1. Cloud-specific Charon-SSP AL (Automatic Licensing) image using a public, Stromasys-operated, cloud-specific license server for metered licensing (license created automatically at first instance launch). Starting with Charon-SSP version 5.3.8, Charon-SSP AL also supports AutoVE where the instance can be configured at first launch to automatically connect to a customer-operated license server running in AutoVE mode. The minimum VE license server version for AutoVE mode is 1.1.21.
2. Specific to AWS: the original Charon-SSP AL marketplace image was replaced by an AWS service providing the same features as the original AL image. However, the underlying Linux host system is Amazon Linux 2023, and licensing is based on public AutoVE servers, i.e., different public servers (operated by Stromasys) are used than in the original AL image. Please contact your Stromasys representative should you require a private, customer-operated AutoVE license server.
3. Cloud-specific Charon-SSP VE (Virtual Environment) image using a customer-operated, private VE license server in the cloud (license must be obtained from Stromasys).
Installation of Charon-SSP for Virtual Environments (VE) on a Linux server in the cloud using RPM packages provided by Stromasys, and utilizing a customer-operated, private VE license server in the cloud (license must be obtained from Stromasys).

Overview of the relevant documentation for Charon-SSP for cloud environments:

This Getting Started Guide covers basic cloud-specific aspects when installing a Charon-SSP product in the cloud. The main focus is on the prepackaged images provided on the cloud-specific marketplaces. However, it can also serve as an introduction to general cloud-specific aspects when installing the individual Charon-SSP RPM packages on a server in the cloud.
The general Charon-SSP User's Guides (see CHARON-SSP for Linux) cover features, configuration, and management of the Charon-SSP products.
The VE License Server User's Guide in the Licensing Documentation section of the Stromasys Product Documentation site covers features, installation, and management of the VE (Virtual Environment) license server and the VE licenses.
The Release Notes of your product provide important information regarding known problems and possible workarounds.

Charon-SSP overall product overview:

The following table provides an overview of Charon-SSP packaging in cloud and non-cloud environments, the associated licensing, and the applicable product documentation:

Basic Packaging	Packaging Variants		Installation Location ⁵⁾	Licensing	Documentation
Prepackaged Versions including underlying host OS and Charon-SSP software	Cloud marketplace image	Automatic Licensing (AL) AWS SSP Amazon Linux (AL)	Cloud only	Public, Stromasys-operated license server ¹⁾or Customer-operated VE license server in AutoVE mode	Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide (for AutoVE)
	Cloud marketplace image	Virtual Environment (VE)	Cloud only	Private, customer-operated VE license server ²⁾	Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide
	Baremetal ISO		On-premises (physical HW or VM)	HASP license (local or via license server)	General Charon-SSP User's Guide

Individual RPMs	VE-enabled emulator		Cloud or on-premises (physical HW or VMware VM) ³⁾	Private, customer-operated VE license server	General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide
	Non VE-enabled emulator		On-premises (physical HW or VM)	HASP license (local or via license server)	General Charon-SSP User's Guide
	Marketplace RPM packages ⁴⁾		Cloud only	Public, Stromasys-operated license server ¹⁾ or Customer-operated VE license server in AutoVE mode	Cloud-specific Getting Started Guide General Charon-SSP User's Guide VE License Server Guide (for AutoVE)
¹⁾Use of public license server requires Internet access of Charon host. ²⁾ Typically the VE license server is installed in the same cloud environment - either on the Charon host itself or a separate license server system. ³⁾ For the VMware case, there are some restrictions: The Charon emulator must be on the same VM as the VE license server, or on a VM running on the same ESXi host as the VE license server (ESXi binding), or on a VM running on an ESXi host managed by the same vCenter Server as the ESXi host on which the VE license server VM runs (vCenter binding). ⁴⁾ Only for updating the Charon-SSP emulator software on hosts based on Charon-SSP cloud-specific marketplace images for Automatic Licensing (AL). ⁵⁾ Non VE-enabled packages can also be installed in cloud environments. However, this is not recommended as HASP licenses are not suitable for clouds.