Unify Devices and Instances

[MarianRaphael]

Description

The current licensing model differentiates between an instance and a device, which has caused confusion among Sales and customers. The difficulty in explaining the distinction has led to the issuance of licenses based on the number of Node-RED Instances, without regard to whether they are deployed on a device or hosted. Furthermore, the pricing model for both instances and devices has been unified, eliminating the previous distinction in cost.

Self-Hosted

• Objective: Simplify the license generation process by removing the distinction between Devices and Instances.
• New Process: Generate licenses based on the total number of Node-RED Runtimes. This total will include all Hosted Instances and Devices on the platform. Customers will have the flexibility to allocate these runtimes across their devices and hosted instances as they see fit, without any predefined restrictions.

FF-Cloud

• Objective: Enhance flexibility in license allocation by allowing for a combined total runtime limit.
• New Feature: Introduce the ability to set an overall limit for the total number of Node-RED Runtimes, in addition to the existing individual limits for Instances and Devices. For example, if a total runtime limit of 2 is set, a user could configure one hosted instance and one device under the same license.
  

Epic/Story

#3475

Have you provided an initial effort estimate for this issue?

I have provided an initial effort estimate

Tasks

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1. Update license handling to combine instance/device counts as one #3533
   size:M - 3 task +2
   
2. Update TeamType configuration to allow combined instance/device limit #3534
   size:M - 3 task +2
   

[knolleary]

I've split this out into the two separate tasks: updating the license handling for self hosted and updating how limits can be applied to a team tier as they are separate concerns.

[joepavitt]

Is this expected in for tomorrow?

[knolleary]

The first sub task (#3533) is in for tomorrow - that's the critical one for combining device/instance counts in the license handling.

I'm looking at the second part (#3534) at the moment. It isn't critical path for tomorrow (as it is less relevant for self-hosted users), but we'll want it on FF Cloud as soon as its ready as part of the broader changes to be made to the plans on FF Cloud.

[joepavitt]

Any outstanding tasks here @knolleary? Can see the two recorded children tasks are done.