Removing a License from Veeam Backup and Replication or Enterprise Manager

Challenge

You need to remove an existing Veeam Backup and Replication (VBR), Veeam Agent for Windows (VAW) or Veeam Agent for Linux (VAL) license from Veeam Backup and Replication (VBR) or Enterprise Manager (EM).

Cause

A license has to be removed from VBR/EM.

Solution

NOTE: Starting from Veeam Backup & Replication Update 4 it is no longer possible to remove a license from Enterprise Manager or delete individual product sections (vbr,vaw,val) from the license.


In order to determine which section of this article to use, you must know if Enterprise Manager is controlling the licenses within Veeam Backup & Replication. If you are unsure, attempting to change the license file within Veeam Backup & Replication will tell you. If it allows you to click the Install button within the license section without a message about Enterprise Manager then Enterprise Manager is not in use.

If licenses are managed by Enterprise Manager:

1. Open an administrative command prompt.
2. Navigate to the EM installation folder (default path in the example below):

   cd C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Enterprise Manager

3. Remove the license by running

   Veeam.Backup.EnterpriseService.exe -removelicense [vaw, val]

4. After running this command, restart Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager service so that the license information is updated in the UI.

NOTE: Only for versions 9.5 Update 4 and newer

There is no way to remove a license from Enterprise Manager, because Enterprise Manager is not operational without a license. If Enterprise Manager is installed on the same machine next to Veeam Backup & Replication, please contact Technical Support for assistance.

If licenses are managed by Veeam Backup & Replication

1. Open an administrative command prompt.
2. Navigate to the VBR installation folder (default path in the example below):

   cd C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup

3. Remove the license by running:
   For versions prior 9.5 Update 4:

   Veeam.Backup.Manager.exe -removelicense [all, vbr, vaw, val]

   For version 9.5 Update 4 and newer:

   Veeam.Backup.Manager.exe -removelicense

More Information

Note: These commands can also be run from PowerShell. Specify the desired parameter without brackets.

Example commands:

• To remove the Veeam Agent for Windows license from Veeam Enterprise Manager:

  Veeam.Backup.EnterpriseService.exe -removelicense vaw

• To remove Veeam Agent for Linux from Veeam Backup & Replication:

  Veeam.Backup.Manager.exe -removelicense val

If no parameter is specified, all existing licenses will be removed.

Note for Veeam Backup & Replication Update 4:
There is no way to re-install a legacy license after it has been removed. Please consider obtaining a new Veeam Instance Based license.