What Dave (from Support) is hearing on the Yellowfin grapevine

New to Yellowfin? Well, like most noobs, you’re probably wondering how licensing works, how to get one, and how much it costs.  And most importantly…. can I use it for free?


Trialing/Testing is completely free, however, you will need to purchase a license with ‘real-world’ money (sorry no Farmville XP or WoW items can be traded for licenses) if you plan on using it in a production environment.


And, believe it or not, it’s quite affordable. Not as cheap as chips but, then again, maybe as cheap as chips if you were buying hot chips from a grand final footy game.

Please note: ‘Chips’ refer to fish and chips (which is generally thought of as cheap). Footy refers to Australian football (AFL). And chips at the footy are pretty pricy – well for chips anyway!

So how does Yellowfin licensing work?


The license file is tied to your Yellowfin server (via the hostname – your computer’s maiden name), and is stored in the repository database.

It sets the number of users, concurrency usage and expiry date, as well as a number of other settings. More information on the license parameters can be found here: ‘Understanding the licence parameters‘.

How do I get a license, can I just copy it from a friends computer?

The license itself can be generated automatically, as part of an evaluation download, or can be sent to you via Yellowfin Accounts or Support.

If you are after a license, or have any questions, you only need to email Yellowfin Accounts / Support and you will receive a response within 24hrs.
Licenses are free for trialing and developing, so don’t hesitate to ask!

How much moola do I need to purchase?


This is entirely dependent on your requirements; you will need to contact Sales for a personalized quote. But probably not as much as you think…

Ok, so now I have my license, and I’m moving server machines: what happens to the license?
 Licenses are transferable between machines; though you’ll need to contact Accounts / Support so this can be noted, and the license re-generated and sent across.

I’ve done everything right, but I’m now getting ’License has been breached’, should I be worried?

The following post will help you identify the cause, and the information can be sent to Accounts / Support so it can be rectified: ‘Understanding the licence parameters‘.

There are numerous reasons why the license can be breached. The most common breach is that the license file doesn’t match the hostname of the server.

Where to next?

Well, what are you waiting for? You’re already on the site where you can get it from, and you know now it’s free to download, give it a go, we promise not to take your Farmville/Wow funds.