Riverbed SteelHead is Riverbed’s WAN optimization and application acceleration product line. It comes as physical CX appliances, SteelHead Virtual for hypervisors, SteelHead Cloud for public clouds, SteelHead Mobile for endpoints and SteelHead SaaS for acceleration of third-party SaaS applications.[2] SteelHead licensing has changed over three generations. RiOS 9.x appliances were licensed by specification licences that set bandwidth and connection limits, and the CX580, CX780 and CX3080 also used feature tiers.[3] RiOS 10.1.0 introduced FLEX licensing for new models. The Flex licence “is mostly tied to the bandwidth limit placed on the appliance”.[5] Release 10.3.0 made Flex subscriptions the model for subscription-based appliances. It also restricted perpetual licences to xx90 hardware and added support licences and a central license manager.[1] The contractual rules for all of these are in the Additional Use Rights.[4]
Editions
Feature tiers (RiOS 9.x, CX 80 Series and VCX)
Feature-tier licensing applies to SteelHead CX models 580, 780 and 3080 and to SteelHead-v models VCX30 to VCX110. It is not available on VCX10 and VCX20.[3]
| Tier | Features named by Riverbed |
|---|---|
| Essentials | Scalable Data Referencing, LZ compression, TCP optimization, MX-TCP, hybrid networking (QoS, path selection, secure transport), IPsec peering, packet-mode UDP, IPv6 |
| Standard | Essentials plus SMB/CIFS, HTTP and HTTPS, SSL, web proxy, MAPI, SaaS Accelerator support, NetFlow export |
| Enterprise | Standard plus NFS, data replication (FCIP, SRDF, SnapMirror), SCPS, FIPS, Lotus Notes, Citrix and Oracle Forms optimization |
All tiers get the same number of connections and the same bandwidth capacity, so the tier sets features and not size.[3] Customers can upgrade from Essentials to Standard and from Standard to Enterprise. Models with specification licensing include the Enterprise features, except SCPS and FIPS, which each need a separate licence on x70 and xx70 appliances.[3] Catalog: SteelHead CX580, CX780 and CX3080 feature-tier license (Essentials, Standard, Enterprise).
Flex tiers (RiOS 10.x)
The Flex Subscription license table lists Flex-25, Flex-50, Flex-100, Flex-200, Flex-400, Flex-500, Flex-750, Flex-1000, Flex-2000, Flex-3000, Flex-5000 and Flex-6000. Each tier is named for its maximum optimized throughput in Mbps, and all tiers are equivalent to the Enterprise feature tier.[2] Each appliance model accepts tiers up to a ceiling:
| Model | Highest Flex tier | Optimized TCP connections and UDP flows |
|---|---|---|
| CXA-02090 | FLEX-200 | 10,000 |
| CXA-04090 | FLEX-500 | 30,000 |
| CXA-06090 | FLEX-2000 | 150,000 |
| CXA-8090 | FLEX-6000 | 220,000 |
| CX580 / CX780 / CX3080 | FLEX-100 / FLEX-200 / FLEX-400 | 2,500 / 5,500 / 14,000 |
| CX5080; CX7080 B010, B020, B030 | FLEX-750; FLEX-1000, FLEX-2000, FLEX-3000 | Model-specific |
Source for the table: SteelHead Family Spec Sheet.[2] SteelHead Virtual on RiOS 10.x is sold as FLEX-25 to FLEX-3000. SteelHead Cloud on AWS and GCP under RiOS 10.x is sold as FLEX-50 to FLEX-2000.[2] Catalog: SteelHead Flex subscription license (FLEX-25 to FLEX-6000); SteelHead CX 90 Series appliance (CXA-02090, CXA-04090, CXA-06090, CXA-8090).
Earlier virtual and cloud models
SteelHead Virtual VCX-30 to VCX-110 (RiOS 9.x) is sold as perpetual or subscription models. Optimized WAN capacity ranges from 10 Mbps to 5 Gbps. SteelHead Cloud CCX PERF-TIER1 to PERF-TIER5-H ranges from 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps.[2] Catalog: SteelHead Virtual VCX-30 to VCX-110 (RiOS 9.x); SteelHead Cloud CCX PERF-TIER1 to PERF-TIER5-H (RiOS 9.x).
Metrics
| Riverbed term | Catalog row | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flex tier (Mbps of optimized WAN capacity) | Optimized WAN capacity (Flex license tier) | Higher capacity is “unlocked with higher throughput license”[2] |
| Optimized TCP connections and UDP flows | Optimized TCP connections | Model maximum; a contractual limit for SteelHead Cloud[4] |
| Capacity (bandwidth, connections, management licences) | Capacity | Per instance[4] |
| AppUnit | AppUnit (SteelHead SaaS) | SteelHead SaaS[4] |
Counting / floors
Flex capacity (RiOS 10.3.0). Performance is tied to the optimized bandwidth limit of the appliance “or the limit of the license, whichever is smaller”. To get more bandwidth, the customer needs a higher licence type or a larger appliance model.[1] The spec sheet puts it the same way: throughput above a model’s ceiling needs both a larger model and a higher licence.[2] On appliances, the WAN capacity limit applies to outbound optimized traffic, and inbound optimized traffic is not capped.[2] Catalog proof: SteelHead Flex performance is the smaller of the licence and the model limit.
Feature-tier pairing (RiOS 9.x). Dual-ended features need a valid licence on both peers. When two SteelHeads on different tiers or licensing models pair, “only the smaller subset of features is allowed”. For example, an Essentials client cannot optimize SMB/CIFS even if the server side has Enterprise.[3] The CX580, CX780 and CX3080 need Standard or higher to accelerate SaaS traffic.[3] Features that are configured but not licensed pass connections through without optimizing them.[3] Catalog proof: Paired SteelHeads use only the features of the lower feature tier.
Specification licences and model upgrades. A specification licence “points to a specific, validated model”. Activating it can turn an appliance into any model in its platform family, and some upgrades need a hardware kit. The appliance keeps its original serial number after an upgrade.[3]
Expiry. Permanent licences show no expiration date, while temporary licences do. Evaluation licences typically expire in 60 days. When several licences exist for one feature, the system uses the one with the latest expiration date.[3]
Embedded software on xx80 appliances (Additional Use Rights v.091726). A SteelHead xx80 appliance is Base Hardware plus Embedded Software, bought together. The Base Hardware “will not function without a valid corresponding license to Embedded Software”. Perpetual Embedded Software fees exclude support. Subscription fees include support for the software only, so Base Hardware support must be bought separately.[4] Catalog proof: SteelHead and NPM xx80 base hardware does not function without an embedded software licence.
Floors. The smallest Flex tier is Flex-25. On some models, the smallest tiers are capped by the hardware rather than the licence.[2] No public prices were found.
Virtualization & partitioning
Perpetual versus Flex (RiOS 10.3.0). Perpetual licences are bought “for the life of a specific physical appliance”. They are tied to its serial number and “cannot be moved or migrated to other appliances or any virtual environments”. Only xx90 models can have them. Subscription-based xx80 and xx90 appliances and all virtual and cloud models require Flex licences.[1] Riverbed Acceleration Flex licences “can be moved across SteelHead xx80 and xx90 appliances, SteelHead Cloud and SteelHead Virtual”.[2] Catalog proof: SteelHead perpetual licences are hardware-locked and exist only on xx90 appliances; Flex licences may move between hardware, virtual and cloud within one product family, one variant at a time.
Virtual SteelHead connectivity. Each subscription Virtual SteelHead (9.6 and higher) needs internet access to connect to the Riverbed license portal and must stay connected. If it has no portal connectivity for more than two weeks, it stops optimizing traffic, and it resumes once reconnected. While disconnected, it is not eligible for updates or upgrades.[4] Catalog proof: Subscription Virtual SteelHead stops optimizing after two weeks without licence portal connectivity.
SteelHead Central Controller. SCC-VE management licences may be used with only one SCC-VE instance at a time. For managed services, each instance may manage devices for only one end customer.[4] Catalog proof: SCC-VE management licences are bound to one SCC-VE instance.
Cloud / BYOL
SteelHead Cloud was formerly called Cloud Accelerator and SteelHead CCX. Each instance may be installed in a designated public cloud or at the customer’s site. It may optimize only the bandwidth and number of TCP connections licensed for that instance. A licence includes the Cloud Portal and the Discovery Agent. An instance at the customer’s site may only optimize traffic between the customer and its designated cloud.[4] For virtual and cloud models on RiOS 10.3.0, the Flex and optimization licences are included in the purchase.[1] Catalog proof: On-premises SteelHead Cloud instances may optimize only traffic to the designated cloud provider.
SteelHead SaaS. SteelHead SaaS was formerly SaaS Accelerator. It is sold per application unit (AppUnit), which the customer allocates to supported third-party SaaS applications. The customer “is responsible for ordering the correct amount of AppUnits on a per user basis and/or egress data”. Riverbed may invoice excess usage after at least two notices, once 30 days have passed since the first. If Riverbed removes or suspends a SaaS application, the customer receives a substitute product or a termination right, with credits for full unused months.[4] SaaS Accelerator licences are installed on the SaaS Accelerator Manager, not on the SteelHead.[3] Catalog proof: SteelHead SaaS is limited to purchased AppUnits; excess use may be invoiced after two notices.
SteelHead Mobile. Customers deploy SteelHead Mobile as set out in its documentation. Customers who also subscribe to Aternity EUEM or NPM+ may install it through the Unified Agent.[4] The spec sheet sizes the SteelHead Mobile Controller by concurrent clients: 20,000 per virtual or AWS controller and 35,000 on Azure. A cluster of up to 10 controllers supports up to 200,000 concurrent clients.[2]
Programs
Flex Software License (Additional Use Rights s.1.2). A Flex licence lets the customer move a deployment between hardware, virtual devices and cloud variants “within the same product family and metrics”. Only one variant may be used at a time, and a move to another product family needs a separate Flex licence.[4] An upgrade to a higher metric creates a new subscription, which may co-terminate with the old one. The original licence terminates, and the customer must destroy its copies and certify this in writing.[4] Flex licences cannot be cancelled during the term, and “Downgrades of metrics associated with a Flex Software License are not allowed during the Flex Software License term”.[4] A Flex licence includes no hardware or hardware support.[4] Riverbed’s 2025-05-13 launch release described moving licences “from hardware to virtual to cloud devices at no cost” and scaling capacity up or down.[6] The no-downgrade rule in the Additional Use Rights applies within a term. Catalog proof: Flex licences cannot be downgraded or cancelled during the term; Flex upgrades replace the original subscription and require certified removal; Flex licences exclude hardware and hardware support.
Support licences (RiOS 10.3.0). Physical appliances need a support licence that is tied to the appliance and cannot be transferred. It stays valid “only for the duration of your active hardware support contract”. It confirms that only hardware with active support can run current software versions.[1] Catalog proof: Physical SteelHeads need a support licence tied to the serial number.
Licence keys and management
Keys (RiOS 10.3.0). Every customer has one customer key. It links appliances and Flex licence keys to the organization’s licence pool, and it is required on all Flex-licensed appliances.[1] Optimization keys act as a digital serial number for virtual and cloud models. They are generated during the sales order for Flex licences.[1] Physical products need both the Flex or perpetual licence and the support contract licence. Perpetual and support licences work only on the serial numbers they were generated for.[1] Catalog proof: Flex-licensed SteelHeads require the customer key; virtual and cloud models need an optimization key.
Central license manager. The license manager in SteelHead Central Controller pools Flex licences. It assigns, unassigns and releases them across appliances, tracks licensing activity and exports inventory reports in CSV or HTML. It keeps expired licences for two years for record-keeping.[1] The CLM and the Riverbed licensing portal are “mutually exclusive”. The CLM does not support air-gapped environments, which must use the portal’s challenge-response process.[1] Catalog proof: SteelHead licences are managed in either SCC Central License Manager or the licensing portal, not both.
Portal and tokens. On older releases, licences use the common licensing management framework, in which customer keys replace tokens. Licences can be applied automatically, manually, by customer key or by challenge-response.[5] A license request key is the same as an activation code, and it is generated on the appliance from an available token.[7] Once a licence is linked to an appliance serial number in the portal, the link cannot be changed. An RMA or licence exchange disables the old serial number.[7] Up to 1000 tokens can be redeemed in one bulk upload.[8] Catalog proof: Licence keys are retrieved from the Riverbed Licensing Portal with a product identifier.
Out of scope
- SteelHead Interceptor, SteelHead RS (SteelFusion) and SteelConnect-EX licensing, beyond noting that SteelConnect-EX appliances follow the same Base Hardware and Embedded Software split.[4]
- Hardware warranty, which is one year from original shipment, and hardware specifications other than licensing limits.[9]
- Prices and discounts. No public SteelHead price list was found.
- Support levels, audit and transfer, which are covered in General Terms, support and audit.