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Karafka Pro FAQ

Karafka Pro is an enhanced version of the Karafka framework, adding more functionalities and providing additional customer support options.

  1. To become a Karafka Pro user, do I need to follow the LICENSE-COMM terms?
  2. Is there a trial version?
  3. What is the license?
  4. How does Pro licensing work?
  5. Do I require to change source of the package?
  6. What happens if my subscription lapses?
  7. Do I need to replace the license for my running processes?
  8. How do I buy Karafka Pro?
  9. Can I distribute Karafka Pro to my customers?
  10. Can you transfer a license?
  11. Do I have to share the credentials with all of my developers?
  12. Can I get a refund?
  13. Can I accidentally use Pro because it is in the same repository?
  14. Why do I see a "Bad username or password" message when trying to bundle install?
  15. Where can I find my license credentials page URL?
  16. Do you require any personal information, financial data, confidential/sensitive data, government data, etc.?
  17. How do you ensure the security of your gem server?
  18. What is Karafka Data Collection and GDPR Policy?
  19. Does Karafka Pro stores, processes or transmits Personal Health Information?
  20. Does Karafka Pro stores, processes or transmits Personally Identifiable Information?
  21. Will Karafka store, process, or transmit company confidential information and data?
  22. How do you store, process, or transmit Payment Cardholder Information?
  23. What specific PHI, PII, PCI data fields, or company confidential information and data do you collect?
  24. Where is the hosting infrastructure located?
  25. Can I use Karafka Pro with an offline license without using the Karafka gem server?
  26. How can I change the email associated with my subscription?
  27. How can I change the credit card associated with my subscription?
  28. Does the Pro license require me to use the "Source URL" in my Gemfile to fetch the license?
  29. Can I use Karafka Pro with a private gem server / private registry?
  30. Can I pay via invoice and purchase order?
  31. Can you fill out my security or compliance documentation?
  32. Can I request a change to the license terms?
  33. Are there any feature related differences in between Karafka Pro and Enterprise?
  34. What is the response and resolution time for priority support with Karafka?
  35. Where can I find a list of OSS components that the Karafka ecosystem uses?
  36. Ethics, Privacy, and Information Usage
  37. Contact Info

To become a Karafka Pro user, do I need to follow the LICENSE-COMM terms?

Yes, it is required to accept the LICENSE-COMM terms to become a Karafka Pro user.

Is there a trial version?

Yes. For free, you can obtain temporary credentials from our website.

Those credentials will be valid for 14 days for every environment.

The trial license does not grant you our Pro commercial support.

What is the license?

See LICENSE-COMM in the root of the Karafka repo.

How does Pro licensing work?

Every organization running Karafka Pro on its servers must purchase a subscription. There's no limit to the number of servers or environments used by that organization. Your subscription will automatically renew every year.

Do I require to change source of the package?

No. All Karafka Pro code is stored in the same package and only included and used when a valid license gem is present.

What happens if my subscription lapses?

If we cannot charge your card, we will email you and try three more times over a week. If it still fails, your subscription will be canceled.

You'll lose access to the gem server and priority support, and Karafka Pro won't work anymore.

Do I need to replace the license for my running processes?

No. The production environment that is already started will not be affected (until the next deployment).

How do I buy Karafka Pro?

Follow the instructions on our website.

Can I distribute Karafka Pro to my customers?

This is a common requirement for "on-site installs" or "appliances" sold to large corporations.

The standard license is only appropriate for SaaS usage as it does not allow distribution. Karafka Pro has an Appliance license option which does allow you to distribute it. The Appliance license is $5,995/yr. It allows you to distribute the Pro gem as part of your application and each of your customers to run Karafka Pro as part of your application only. Email contact@karafka.io to purchase.

Can you transfer a license?

Licenses are not transferrable to another company. It is strongly recommended that you buy the license using a group email address so the license is not attached to any one employee's email address.

Do I have to share the credentials with all of my developers?

In general, yes. The credentials are required to download the gems and your developers will need the gems to use the commercial features.

Can I get a refund?

No. We offer a 14 days trial during which you can check out Karafka Pro capabilities.

Can I accidentally use Pro because it is in the same repository?

No. The Pro code is never loaded unless a valid karafka-license is detected.

Why do I see a "Bad username or password" message when trying to bundle install?

If you are seeing the following error when trying to bundle install:

Fetching source index from https://gems.karafka.io/

Bad username or password for https://LOGIN@gems.karafka.io/.
Please double-check your credentials and correct them.

  1. Check the account email's Spam/Junk folder for any billing or payment emails. You would need to purchase a new subscription if your subscription was canceled.

  2. Double-check your login and password to the gem server.

  3. Upgrade Bundler. Versions before 2.3.x are buggy with the gem server.

Where can I find my license credentials page URL?

You can find it in the email you received from us when you requested the Pro license via our gems UI.

Do you require any personal information, financial data, confidential/sensitive data, government data, etc.?

No. We only collect enough customer information to fill out a standard invoice for billing purposes, and customer information is never shared or sold to anyone.

Karafka license gem contains only the organization name.

How do you ensure the security of your gem server?

Please read our Security statement for details on this manner.

What is Karafka Data Collection and GDPR Policy?

We understand the importance of user privacy and data protection, especially in today's digital world. For this reason, we want to provide absolute clarity regarding the data practices associated with Karafka and Karafka Pro.

  • Data Collection: Karafka and Karafka Pro do NOT collect any data from the servers they operate on. Our primary concern is to deliver functionality without infringing on the privacy of our users.

  • Logging: The only data Karafka collects is the IP address from which the license gem request was made during the bundling process. This is purely for logging and license validation purposes. Furthermore, the date of the last request is noted, but no other identifiable information is ever collected or stored.

  • GDPR and Data Processing: As per the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a "data processor" is an entity that processes personal data on behalf of a data controller. Since Karafka does not collect or process any data from its users, it does not act as a data processor, and therefore, GDPR-related concerns in that context do not apply to Karafka.

  • Future Changes: Our commitment to data privacy is unwavering. We hereby affirm that this policy is not subject to change. Karafka will only introduce features or capabilities that collect data if explicitly requested by the community. Even then, all Pro and Enterprise users will be informed about that, and any such features will be turned off by default. We are and will remain committed to ensuring the privacy and trust of our users.

Does Karafka Pro stores, processes or transmits Personal Health Information?

No. Karafka and Karafka Pro do not store, process or transmit any information to me. Never.

Does Karafka Pro stores, processes or transmits Personally Identifiable Information?

No. Karafka and Karafka Pro do not store, process or transmit any information to me. Never.

Will Karafka store, process, or transmit company confidential information and data?

No., it will not store, process, or transmit company confidential information and data.

How do you store, process, or transmit Payment Cardholder Information?

We do not hold your credit card information. All subscription management is done via Stripe.

What specific PHI, PII, PCI data fields, or company confidential information and data do you collect?

No. Karafka and Karafka Pro do not store, process or transmit any information to me. Never.

Where is the hosting infrastructure located?

Karafka Pro gem license server is located in Hetzner, Germany, Frankfurt. Karafka and Karafka Pro are served directly from RubyGems.

Can I use Karafka Pro with an offline license without using the Karafka gem server?

We understand that some companies have strict policies regarding their open-source supply chain, and we are happy to provide a solution that meets those needs.

Karafka can be used with an embedded/offline license without relying on our gem server. It is important to note that this mode of operation requires an Enterprise agreement.

Upon agreement, we will provide the license gem sources with installation instructions, so you can start using Karafka Pro with ease without reliance on our third-party source.

How can I change the email associated with my subscription?

If you need to change the email associated with your subscription, you have two ways to proceed:

  1. Email: You can send us a direct request by emailing us at contact@karafka.io. Ensure to include your current email address, the new one you want to use, and any relevant information about your subscription.

  2. Pro Private Slack Channel: If you're part of the Pro private Slack channel, you can also use this platform to send your request. Just write a message explaining that you want to change the email associated with your subscription. Include your current email address and the new one you want to use.

How can I change the credit card associated with my subscription?

If you need to update the credit card associated with your subscription, you have two ways to request it:

  1. Email: You can send us a direct request by emailing us at contact@karafka.io.

  2. Pro Private Slack Channel: If you're part of the Pro private Slack channel, you can also use this platform to send your request. After receiving your request, we will generate a temporary link for you to update your payment method. This link will be generated through Stripe, our payment processor.

This temporary link will be sent directly from Stripe to the billing email associated with your subscription. This email will include instructions for updating your credit card information.

You will receive a confirmation email once you've successfully updated your payment method.

Please check your spam or junk folders if you don't see the email in your inbox. If you encounter any issues, feel free to contact us for further assistance.

Does the Pro license require me to use the "Source URL" in my Gemfile to fetch the license?

Yes, with the Karafka Pro license, you must fetch the license from the Source URL specified in your Gemfile. This is the standard procedure for validating and activating your Pro license subscription.

However, the Enterprise license would be more suitable if your use case requires total offline usage or involves private gem registries.

Moreover, the Enterprise license comes with additional legal benefits. These include contingency warranties, which provide safeguards against unforeseen or unexpected events, and post-contract usage warranties, which ensure that you're covered even after your contract has ended.

Can I use Karafka Pro with a private gem server / private registry?

Yes, however, you need a specific Enterprise agreement allowing you to leverage this capability.

Once the Enterprise agreement is made, you'll be given offline access to the license and necessary instructions on how to proceed. This type of agreement comes with additional legal benefits. These include contingency warranties, which provide safeguards against unforeseen or unexpected events, and post-contract usage warranties, which ensure that you're covered even after your contract has ended.

Can I pay via invoice and purchase order?

Karafka Pro is credit card only, no exceptions.

Karafka Enterprise can be purchased via invoice and purchase order if needed. Email contact@karafka.io for more details.

Can you fill out my security or compliance documentation?

Only for Karafka Enterprise tier.

Can I request a change to the license terms?

Karafka Pro is sold as is, no change to terms. Karafka Enterprise customers can ask for changes to the terms and conditions. Email your concerns and we can negotiate something.

Not in terms of technical features. The primary differences between Pro and Enterprise pertain to licensing, usage permissions, payment methods, workshop session, and support for compliance documentation. With Enterprise:

  1. You have permission to continue to use Karafka in the version available on the day of license expiration or subscription termination without any subsequent updates.

  2. You can legally utilize Karafka without needing my gem server for license gem download and verification.

  3. You are granted extended permission to continue using your private fork of Karafka even after your license expires or your subscription ends.

  4. Payments can be made via invoicing.

  5. I am available to assist with any security or compliance documentation required for your organization's needs.

  6. You can request a 4-hour-long live workshop specifically tailored for those embarking on their journey with Kafka and Karafka

You can read more about those differences here.

What is the response and resolution time for priority support with Karafka?

With Karafka's priority support, you'll receive an initial assessment and reply within a maximum of 2 working days. While most issues are diagnosed, reproduced, and fixed within seven days of the report acknowledgment, complex cases might take up to a few months. Every case is unique and addressed individually.

Please note that our software is provided "as is." We recommend utilizing the trial period to thoroughly test it, as we cannot guarantee it will be entirely bug-free or that all issues will be resolved. That said, we always strive to deliver the best, and historically, there have been no unresolved bugs. However, given Kafka's complexity, situations can vary.

Where can I find a list of OSS components that the Karafka ecosystem uses?

Karafka maintains a documentation page with its runtime Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). This page lists Open Source Software (OSS) components utilized within the Karafka ecosystem.

Ethics, Privacy, and Information Usage

We only collect enough customer information to fill out a standard invoice for billing purposes. Customer information is never shared or sold to anyone.

The Karafka software runs on your servers. Karafka never has access to any private user data.

Contact Info

Maciej Mensfeld, Karafka.io
Sikorskiego 31/12
34-400 Nowy Targ
Poland

All billing/support inquiries: contact@karafka.io
NIP (VAT-ID): PL 735 261 5885