When installing a new RSA Authentication Manager license alongside an existing one, the installation fails if the serial numbers do not match. The following error is displayed in the Security Console: "The License/serial number being installed does not match the license/serial number stored on the server."

When a new license is installed, RSA Authentication Manager performs a serial number comparison between the existing and incoming license. This commonly occurs when replacing a trial license with a production or refresh license, as trial and production licenses carry different customer serial numbers. 

⚠️ CAUTION: Do NOT restart the server or RSA Authentication Manager services until the new license is fully installed. Rebooting while no license is installed can cause irreparable harm to the server and may require a factory reset.

1.  Navigate to Setup > License > Status and click View Installed Licenses.
2. Click the context arrow next to the License ID and select Uninstall.
3.  Check the Yes, Uninstall License box.
4.  Click Uninstall License.
5.   Immediately navigate to Setup > License > Add New — do not reboot or restart services.
6.   Browse to the folder containing the new license.xml file and select it.
7.  Click Next and verify the license information is correct.
8.  Click Install.
9.  Navigate to Setup > License > Status and confirm the new license is listed with an active status.

• Installation Time: The license install process typically completes in less than five minutes.
• Primary Server Only: The license is installed only on the Authentication Manager primary server. Changes are pushed to replica servers by a scheduled batch job that runs daily.
• No Restart Required: RSA services do not need to be restarted and the server does not need to be rebooted after the license is installed for it to take effect.
• Stacking Licenses: If adding a new stack to an existing license, there will be no authentication downtime.
• Active Sessions: If an existing license is removed, users who are already authenticated will not have their sessions dropped. However, users attempting to authenticate between the uninstall and reinstall steps may experience a brief error. The install process is fast, so very few users are typically affected.
• Trial License Renewals: If you have a trial license and need to extend your trial period, contact RSA before the existing trial expires. Install the new trial license before the old one expires to avoid service interruption.