How to license SAP HANA from the command line

To license an SAP HANA instance if you’re not able to connect via HANA studio, follow this procedure:

1. Start-Up the system

   $ HDB start
   

2. Grab the Hardware Key via hdbsql

   $ export INSTANCE=01
   $ hdbsql -n localhost:3${INSTANCE}15 -i ${INSTANCE} -u SYSTEM -p password -m <<EOF
   SELECT * FROM M_LICENSE;
   EOF
   
   Welcome to the SAP HANA Database interactive terminal.
   
   Type:  \h for help with commands
   \q to quit
   
   HARDWARE_KEY,SYSTEM_ID,INSTALL_NO,SYSTEM_NO,PRODUCT_NAME,PRODUCT_LIMIT,PRODUCT_USAGE,START_DATE,EXPIRATION_DATE,LAST_SUCCESSFUL_CHECK,PERMANENT,VALID,ENFORCED,LOCKED_DOWN,MEASUREMENT_XML
   **THIS IS THE HARDWARE KEY**","XXXX","XXXX","XXXX","SAP-HANA",8192,2576,"2013-09-05 00:00:00.000000000","2013-09-05 00:00:00.000000000","2013-09-06 00:00:00.000000000","TRUE","TRUE","FALSE","FALSE","<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?><!DOCTYPE Measurement SYSTEM \"GLasXML1.0.dtd\"><Measurement><Header><Transfer><Version>GXML1.0</Version><Program>SAPHANA1.0</Program><Name>SYSTEM</Name></Transfer><Sender/><Receiver/></Heade

3. Request a new license key
4. Copy the license key file (in this example XX1_Standard.txt) to the target system and execute the following commands:

   $ export LICENSE=$(cat XX1_Standard.txt)
   $ export INSTANCE=01
   $ hdbsql -n localhost:3${INSTANCE}15 -i ${INSTANCE} -u SYSTEM -p password -m <<EOF
   SET SYSTEM LICENSE '${LICENSE}';
   EOF
   
   
   0 rows affected (overall time 129.122 msec; server time 115.297 msec)
   

5. Check if the license was successfully applied by repeating step 2

FUENTE: http://nxhelp.com/2013/09/06/license-sap-hana-from-commandline/