For those that have worked in an environment where you've had to support applications which require FlexLm licenses, pity me! For those that never have ... this is one little thing that you can be proud of. Here's some useful information.

Using the License Server

Setting Up Your Environment

In order for the FlexLm license tools to work or client software to access the license server they need to have the LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variable set. Under Unix (ksh/bash) you do this like this: 

# export LM_LICENSE_FILE=1701@licenses.domain.com

For csh/tcsh you do it like this: 

# setenv LM_LICENSE_FILE 1701@licenses.domain.com

The License File

SERVER <server> <hostid> 22375  
DAEMON qemcd
USE_SERVER
PACKAGE AutoTools qemcd 1.0 0EW22345AA5 COMPONENTS="AutoTalk \
        AutoTime"
FEATURE DatabaseServer qemcd 1.000 permanent 1 AF2235WUTDD3 \
        VENDOR_STRING="For Company use only"
FEATURE AutoTools qemcd 1.000 permanent 1 CADDFG34599E3 \
        VENDOR_STRING="For Company use only"

Checking to Make Sure Everything Works

Useful tools to see if everything works (make sure you have the LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variable set) here are some usefule commands:

Make all the license daemons are working: 

# lmstat

Make sure a new license has taken effect: 

# lmstat -a | grep <name>

Same thing, but nicer output then '-a': 

# lmstat -i | grep <name>

Adding a New License

  1. Get the new license from the vendor, it will look similar (though it may be much longer) to the one above.
  2. Make sure that there aren't any strange characters or trailing while space (typically you will have more problems if you cut and paste the key file from your email, you are better off saving the license as an attachment, copying it to the server and appending it directly to the key file).
  3. Comment out the SERVER line because it's only needed once in the license file and should already exist at the top of it.
  4. Log into the license server and set your LM_LICENSE_FILE variable.
  5. Make a backup of the master license file in case something goes "wacky".
  6. Check to see if the vendors license daemon is already loaded in the master license file. You do this by comparing the DAEMON line in the new license file to the DAEMON lines in the master license file.
    • If the new license daemon (in the example above qemcd) already exists in the license file:
      1. Comment out the DAEMON line in the new license file

      2. Insert the new license file underneath the appropriate section of the license file (at the bottom of where the DAEMON line matches what was in new license file). While in vi and with the cursor at the line you want to begin the insertion, use the :r /tmp/<license_file> command to insert the new license file.

    • If the new license daemon (in the example above qemcd) **doesn't** exist in the license file:
      1. Append the new license file at the bottom of the /license/key file.

  7. Restart the license server by running lmreread

  8. Check to make sure that everything is running correctly.

Adding a New License Daemon

When you get a new tool vendor they normally have their own license daemon which plugs into the FlexLm license architecture. You can tell if you already have the vendors license daemon installed by comparing the DAEMON line in the new license file you get from the vendor to the DAEMON lines in the master license file. If there is a matching DAEMON line then you just need to append (or replace if it's just a newer version of an existing key) the new license.

If there is no matching DAEMON line then you need to get the new license binary from the vendor (it will be called the same thing as on the DAEMON line, eg. qemcd) and copy the binary to to whereever you install your vendor daemons. Then follow the steps above.

Applications

CategoryGeek

FlexLm (last edited 2003-04-08 16:46:19 by AdamShand)