Offline subscriptions activation

Normally SeekTable installation subscriptions are activated automatically on the application start, when docker containers are started or re-started. This requires an internet connection to access an activation server (seektable.com).

In some cases online activation might be not possible (or undesired); for example, when SeekTable is used to access company's sensitive data and there should be a 100% guarantee that data doesn't leave company's VPN, and for this purpose an internet access may be restricted for SeekTable docker containers. No worries: it is still possible to activate subscriptions offline.

Enable activation keys caching

Activation remains simple if an internet access can be enabled temporarily (for a short time) to upgrade docker images and/or activate subscriptions for the deployment in a usual way. Activation keys returned by the activation server may be cached in the special docker volume, and after that an internet access may be switched off and SeekTable installation will use these cached keys on next restarts.

How to enable activation keys caching:

Edit docker-compose.yml file

Add a volume with the name "activation-volume" for "seektable/seektable" image:

  seektable:
    image: seektable/seektable:latest
    restart: always  
    expose:
     - 5000
    ports:
     - 80:5000
    volumes:
      - csv-files-volume:/app-data/csv-files
      - db-volume:/app-data/db
      - activation-volume:/app/activation
    env_file:
      - docker-compose.seektable.env
volumes:
  csv-files-volume:     
  db-volume:  
  activation-volume:

Then re-create SeekTable docker containers (docker compose stop + docker compose up). Now activation keys are cached in the volume and they will be used if online activation fails (for some reason) on the app restart. Note that any re-creation of SeekTable containers changes a deployment footprint and invalidates cached keys.

Offline activation steps

How to activate subscriptions without an internet connection at all:

Add "activation-volume" to docker-compose.yml file as described above
Edit docker-compose.seektable.env file and add this line:
```
SeekTable_ST__InstallationOfflineActivation=true
```
Re-create SeekTable docker containers (docker compose stop + docker compose up)
Find the location of "activation-volume" files in the host's server filesystem. Usually this is /var/lib/docker/volumes/activation-volume/_data
Two files should be there: deployment.json and pivotdataservice_deployment.json
Send these files to support@seektable.com
In the reply you'll receive another 2 files (key.json and pivotdataservice_key.json). They should be copied to the "activation-volume".
Re-start SeekTable docker containers without re-creating them (docker compose restart). In the containers' log you should see messages that confirm successful activation of subscriptions.