How can I delete the last license from an active group?

[jhatch_splunk]

Attempting to remove the final license within an active group is failing with the following error;

"failed to remove license: 'cannot delete last license from active group=<license group>, please switch active group and try again'"

[jhatch_splunk · Accepted solution]

You must first switch groups before removing the last license, in the below example we are using the 'Free' license group.

Via the GUI;

Settings > Licensing > Change license group > Free license (save and 'restart now') 

Or via the CLI;

$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk edit licenser-groups Free -is_active 1
$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk restart

Once splunkd restarts, re-run the license removal operation, first running 'list licenses' to confirm the correct hash for the license to be removed;

$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk list licenses
$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk remove licenses <hash> 

Subsequently installing a new license will automatically switch to, and make active, the group appropriate to the type of license installed (Enterprise, DevTest, etc) following a restart of splunkd.

Add the new license using the GUI;

Settings > Licensing > Add license > <select license>

Or add the new license using the CLI;

$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk add licenses <path_to_license>
$SPLUNK_HOME/bin/splunk restart

[somesoni2]

Thanks for sharing.

[adonio]

is this a question?

[jhatch_splunk]

Good point...I've split the question and answer across separate posts.