You are here: Home → Manuals on-line → PGI Compiler → flexuser → chap2.htm

Personal tools

Document Actions

chap2.htm

Table of Contents * Index * Previous Chapter * Next Chapter

FLEXlm End User Manual: Chapter 2 The License File

Chapter 2 The License File

The license file contains all site-specific information required by FLEXlm. This information includes:

server names and hostids
vendor names and paths to vendor daemon executables
feature information

In general, the license file, or a copy of it, must be accessible to every machine that runs a FLEXlm-licensed application, and each machine designated as a license server. Before you can use the application you have to start the license manager daemon (lmgrd) using the following syntax:

lmgrd [-c license_file_path] (Unix and OS/2)

lmgrd -app [-c license_file_path] (Windows/NT)

-c license_file_path: full pathname to the license file. Otherwise, LM_LICENSE_FILE is used, or the default location: /usr/local/flexlm/licenses/license.dat (Unix) or C:\flexlm\license.dat (Windows).

On VMS and Netware systems there is no lmgrd and the vendor daemon is run directly.

2.1 Specifying Location of the License File

If your software vendor recommends a specific location for your license file, or if the default is not practical for you, use one of the following methods to put the license file in another location:

set the path when you start lmgrd with `-c path<li>set the path with the LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variable</ul> If you are running the application on multiple nodes, you have three options for making your <a name="_IX_12"></a>license file available on all the machines: <ul><li>Place the license file in a partition which is available (via NFS on Unix systems) to all nodes in the network that need the license file.<li>Copy the license file to all of the nodes where it is needed.<li>Set LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT> to `port@host, where host and port come from the SERVER line in the license file.
Starting with FLEXlm v6, you can use `@host', if the license file SERVER line uses a default port, or specifies a port in the default port range (27000-27009).

Since the vendor daemon keeps track of license usage, and since the license file contains encrypted data to protect it against modification, you may move and copy the license file as much as necessary.

No matter which option you choose, you must first install lmgrd (on Unix and Windows/NT systems) and the vendor daemon.

With a FLEXlm v6 (or later) vendor daemon and lmgrd, the license path can be a list of files, separated by colons on Unix, or semi-colons on Windows. If there is a directory in this list, all files named *.lic in that directory are used.

You can only start lmgrd on the server node specified in the license file.

If you are running redundant servers, you should have separate copies of the license file (as well as the binaries for lmgrd and the vendor daemons) on each server node. If you do not do this, you lose all the advantages of having redundant servers, since the file server holding these files becomes a single point of failure.

2.1.1 Setting the Path to the License File at Start-Up (Unix)

To start the license manager daemon (lmgrd) execute a command similar to the following.

If you are running in the C shell:

% lmgrd_path -c license_file_path >& log_path &

If you are using either the Korn or Bourne shell:

$ nohup lmgrd_path -c license_file_path > log_path 2>&1 &

On Unix, edit the appropriate boot script, which may be /etc/rc.boot, /etc/rc.local, /etc/rc2.d/Sxxx, /sbin/rc2.d/Sxxxx, etc. Remember that these scripts are run in /bin/sh, so do not use the csh `>&' redirection syntax.

Each Unix operating system can have some quirks in doing this, but the following script has been successfully tested for HP700 systems. See the notes following for a full explanation.

/bin/su daniel -c echo starting lmgrd > \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log

/bin/nohup /bin/su daniel -c umask 022; \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/lmgrd -c \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/license.dat >> \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log

/bin/su daniel -c echo sleep 5 >> \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log /bin/sleep 5

/bin/su daniel -c echo lmdiag >>\ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log

/bin/su daniel -c /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/lmdiag -n -c\ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/license.dat >> \ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log /bin/su daniel -c 'echo exiting >>\ /home/flexlm/v5.12/hp700_u9/boot.log'

Please note the following about how this script was written:

All paths are specified in full, since no paths can be assumed at boot time.
Since no paths are assumed, the vendor daemon must be in the same directory as lmgrd, or the VENDOR lines must be edited to include the full path to the vendor-daemon binary file.
The `su' command is used to run lmgrd as a non-root user, `daniel'. We recommend that lmgrd not be run as root, since it can be a security risk to run any program that does not require root permissions, and lmgrd does not require root permissions.
Daniel has a csh login, so all commands executed as daniel must be in csh syntax. All commands not executed as daniel must be in /bin/sh syntax, since that's what's used by the boot scripts.
The use of `nohup' and `sleep' are required on some operating systems, notably HPUX and Digital Unix, for obscure technical reasons. These are not needed on Solaris and some other operating systems, but are safe to use on all.
lmdiag is used as a diagnostic tool to verify that the server is running and serving licenses.

On IBM RS6000 systems, /etc/rc cannot be used, because TCP/IP is not installed when this script is run. Instead, /etc/inittab must be used. Add a line like this to /etc/inittab after the lines which start networking:

rclocal:2:wait:/etc/rc.local > /dev/console 2>&1

This will not start the daemon until you reboot your license server machine.

2.1.2 Setting the Path to the License File at Start-Up (Windows)

This is set with the FLEXlm Control Panel. See Section 6.13.2, `The FLEXlm Control Panel,on page 49</a>. <h3>2.1.3 <a name="15416: 2Head: 2.1.2 Setting the Path with an Environment Variable"></a>Setting the Path with an Environment Variable</h3> Use the environment variable <a name="_IX_18"></a>LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT> to set the location of the license file. For example in the C shell: <pre>% setenv LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT> license_file_path</pre> </ol></ul> In the Korn and Bourne shells: <pre># LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT>=license_file_path # export LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT></pre> </ol></ul> On Windows 3.1 and 95, add the following line to C:\autoexec.bat: <pre>SET LM_LICENSE_FILE=license_file_path</pre> </ol></ul> On Windows NT, use the System Control Panel applet to change the global environment, adding LM_LICENSE_FILE to license_file_path <dl><dt>license_file_path <dd>full pathname to the license file. This can also be a port@host setting, where port and host are the port number and hostnames from the SERVER line in the license file.</dl> In FLEXlm v6.0, applications will accept an environment variable (or Windows Registry) named `VENDOR_LICENSE_FILE, where VENDOR is the vendor-daemon name, e.g., GSI_LICENSE_FILE.

The `-c' option overrides the setting of the LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variable for lmgrd and other FLEXlm utilities like lmstat and lmdown. See Section 3.1.3, `Using Separate License Files on the Same Server Node,on page 23</a> for more information about LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT>. Some applications do not recognize the LM_LICENSE_FILE<TT></TT> environment variable. <a name="94139: 1head: 2.2 License File Format"></a><a name="2.2"></a><h2>2.2 License File Format</h2> License files usually begin with a SERVER line (or three lines for redundant servers) followed by one or more DAEMON lines, followed by one or more FEATURE or INCREMENT lines. In some cases the license file requires no SERVER line and no DAEMON line. See <a href="chap4.htm#36598: 1Head: 5.4 Counted Vs. Uncounted Licenses">Section 4.4, `Counted vs. Uncounted Licenses, on page 29, for more information. Since FLEXlm v6.0, the DAEMON line can be called VENDOR. Wherever DAEMON appears, VENDOR can be used, if the lmgrd and vendor-daemon are both >= FLEXlm v6.0.

You can modify these data items in the license file:

node names on the SERVER line(s)
port numbers on SERVER line(s)
pathnames on the DAEMON line(s)
options file pathnames on DAEMON line(s)
Optional port numbers on DAEMON line(s) (for firewall support only)
USE_SERVER line (FLEXlm v5 and later only)
values in `name=valuepairs on FEATURE lines, if name is all lowercase</ul> Everything else is used to compute the license key, and should be entered exactly as supplied by your software vendor. All data in the license file is case sensitive, unless otherwise indicated. In the following sections, options modifiable by the license administrator are italicized. <h3>2.2.1 SERVER Lines</h3> The SERVER line specifies the node name and hostid of the license server, and the port number of the license manager daemon (lmgrd). Normally a license file has one SERVER line. Three SERVER lines mean that you are using <a name="_IX_19"></a>redundant servers. The absence of a SERVER line means every FEATURE or INCREMENT line in the license file is uncounted. For more information about uncounted features, see <a href="chap2.htm#24398: 2Head: 2.2.3 FEATURE or INCREMENT Lines">Section 2.2.4, `FEATURE or INCREMENT Lines, on page 13. License administrators do not have the option of deleting SERVER lines from a license file because the hostids from the SERVER lines are computed into the license keys on every FEATURE and INCREMENT line. For more information about redundant servers, see Chapter 4, `Selecting Server Nodes' on page 25.

The format of the SERVER line is:
```
SERVER nodename id port-number
```

nodename (or IP-address): The system hostname. String returned by the Unix hostname or uname -n command. On NT, ipconfig /all; on Win95, winipcfg /all return the hostname. If the application uses FLEXlm v5 or higher, this can be an IP-address (in nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn format).
id: Usually the string returned by the lmhostid command. This can only be changed by your software supplier.
port-number: TCP port number to use. A valid number is any unused port number between 0 and 64000. On Unix choose a port >1024, since <1024 are privileged port numbers.

Example:

SERVER enterprise 0122345 21987

2.2.2 DAEMON (or VENDOR) Lines

The DAEMON line specifies the daemon name and path. lmgrd uses this line to start the vendor daemons, and the vendor daemon reads it to find the options file. The format of the DAEMON line is shown below.

Since FLEXlm v6.0, the DAEMON line can be called VENDOR. VENDOR can be used if the lmgrd and vendor-daemon are both at least FLEXlm v6.0.

{DAEMON|VENDOR} daemon_name [daemon_path] [[options=]options_path]\
        [[port=]portnum]

daemon_name

name of the vendor daemon used to serve some feature(s) in the file. This name cannot be changed by the administrator.

daemon_path

pathname to the executable for this daemon. Generally the license administrator is free to install the daemon in any directory. (It is recommended however, that it be installed in a local directory on the license server node.) If the lmgrd and vendor-daemon are >= FLEXlm v6.0, this path is optional. If left out, lmgrd will look for the vendor-daemon binary in the current directory, the $PATH list, or in the directory where lmgrd is located. If the path is blank, then the options= and port= strings are required if options or port number are specified.

options_path

full pathname of the end-user specified options file for this daemon. (See Chapter 5, `The Options File' on page 31.) FLEXlm does not require an options file. The keyword `options=

 requires a v5+ vendor daemon.
If the vendor daemon is 
FLEXlm<I></I> v6 or later, the options file 
need not be specified on this line. If it is called 
<I>vendor</I>.opt 
(where 
<I>vendor</I> is the vendor-daemon name) and located in 
the same directory as the license file, the vendor daemon 
will automatically find and use it.<dt><I>portnum</I><dd>Vendor daemon port number. NOTE: This is for firewall 
support only, and is otherwise not recommended. This 
requires a v5+ lmgrd.</dl><p>
Examples:<p>
<p>
v6.0:<p>
<pre>VENDOR sampled</pre>
</ol></ul><p>
pre-v6.0:<p>
<pre>DAEMON sampled /usr/local/sampled /usr/local/flexlm/licenses/sampled.opt </pre>
</ol></ul><p>
Versions of 
FLEXlm<I></I> prior to v3.0 did not support the line continuation character (`\

). Previous versions required that each line in the license file fit on a single line.

2.2.3 USE_SERVER line (v5+ only)

USE_SERVER takes no arguments, and has no impact on the server. When the application sees USE_SERVER, it ignores everything in the license file except preceding SERVER lines, and the checkout validation occurs at the vendor daemon. USE_SERVER is recommended since it improves performance when a license server is used. For uncounted features, USE_SERVER can be used to force logging of usage by the daemons.

2.2.4 FEATURE or INCREMENT Lines

A FEATURE line describes the license to use a product. An INCREMENT line can be used in place of a FEATURE line, as well as to `incrementally' add licenses to a prior FEATURE or INCREMENT line in the license file.

Only the first FEATURE line for a given feature will be processed by the vendor daemon. If you want to have additional copies of the same feature (for example, to have multiple node locked counted features), then you must use multiple INCREMENT lines. INCREMENT lines form license groups based on the feature name, version, and node lock hostid. If the feature name, version, and node lock hostid (and optionally, the vendor string, if the vendor specified this) match a prior INCREMENT or FEATURE line, the new number of licenses is added to the old number. If any of the three do not match, a new group of licenses is created in the vendor daemon, and this group is counted independently from others with the same feature name (called a `license pool'). INCREMENT is not available for pre-v2.61 FLEXlm clients or servers. A FEATURE line does not give an additional number of licenses, whereas an INCREMENT line ALWAYS gives an additional number of licenses.

There is a rarely used option in FLEXlm which causes FEATURE lines to function as INCREMENT lines. This option is called ls_use_all_feature_lines. You will have to ask your vendor if they use this option. If they do, then all FEATURE lines behave exactly as INCREMENT lines.

A FEATURE line placed after another FEATURE or INCREMENT line will be ignored (unless ls_use_all_feature_lines is set).

The format for the FEATURE line changed in FLEXlm v3.0 and FLEXlm v6.0. The older formats are understood by new clients and servers, but the new formats are more flexible.

v2 format:

FEATURE|INCREMENT name vendor ver expdate #lic key `vendor_str' [hostid]

v3+ format:

FEATURE|INCREMENT name vendor version exp_date #lic key \

[HOSTID=hostid][VENDOR_STRING='vendor-string] \ </TT></pre>
<pre><TT>[vendor_info=...] [dist_info=...] [user_info=...] \</TT></pre>
<pre><TT>[asset_info=...] [ISSUER=...] [NOTICE=...] [ck=</TT><I>nnn</I><TT>] \</TT></pre>
<pre>[OVERDRAFT=<I>nnn</I>] [DUP_GROUP=NONE|SITE|[UHDV]]</pre>
</ol></ul><p>
Nothing in a FEATURE/INCREMENT line is editable, except for values in the 
`<I>name</I>=<I>value</I> pairs where 
name is all lowercase.


name 
name given to the feature by the vendor.
vendor
name of the vendor daemon; also found in the DAEMON 
line. The specified daemon serves this feature.
version
version of this feature that is supported by this license. 
exp_date
expiration date, for example, 7-may-1996. Note: If the year 
is 0 (or 00, 000, 0000) then the license never expires. Dates 
before 2000 can be 2- or 4-digit years. After 2000 they 
must be 4-digit years. The expiration date is fully year-2000 compliant.
FLEXlm v6 (or later) applications only: the keyword 
`permanent can be used instead of the date `1-jan-0.
#lic 
number of concurrent licenses for this feature. If the 
number of users is set to 0, the licenses for this feature are 
uncounted and no 
lmgrd is required but a hostid on the 
FEATURE line is required. See 
Section 4.4, `Counted vs. 
Uncounted Licenses, on page 29</a>.
FLEXlm<I></I> v6 (or later) applications only: the keyword 
`<I>uncounted</I> can be used instead of a count of 0.
key
license key for this FEATURE line. Two identical looking 
FEATURE or INCREMENT lines may have different 
license keys if the start dates are different.

The following fields are all optional (except for 
vendor-string in the old format). For 
optional fields of the `name=value' syntax, if the name is lowercase, it can be modified 
and the license will remain valid.

`vendor_string' 
vendor-defined string, enclosed in double quotes. This 
string can contain any characters except a quote.
hostid 
string returned by 
lmhostid. Used only if the feature is 
to be bound to a particular host, whether its use is counted 
or not. (Numeric hostids are case insensitive). See 
Appendix A, `Hostids for FLEXlm-Supported Machines' 
for more information.
DUP_GROUP=...
Duplicate Grouping parameter can be specified in the 
license in 
FLEXlm v4.0 and later. The syntax is:
                                  DUP_GROUP=NONE|SITE|[UHDV]
                                   U = DUP_USER
                                   H = DUP_HOST
                                   D = DUP_DISPLAY
                                   V = DUP_VENDOR_DEF
Any combination of UHDV is allowed, and the 
DUP_MASK is the OR of the combination. For example 
`DUP_GROUP=UHD' 
means the duplicate grouping is 
(DUP_USER|DUP_HOST|DUP_DISPLAY), so for a user on 
the same host and display, additional uses of a feature do 
not consume additional licenses.
HOSTID=hostid
Same as hostid above, but in the name=value pair syntax 
(FLEXlm v3.0 and later).
HOST_BASED[=n]
Hostnames must be specified in INCLUDE statements in 
the end-user 
options file, and the number of hosts is limited 
to 
#lic, or the number specified in `=n.<a name="_IX_31"></a><dt>ISSUED=<I>dd-mmm-yyyy</I><TT><dd></TT>Date issued.<a name="_IX_32"></a><dt>ISSUER=...<TT><dd></TT>Issuer of the license.<a name="_IX_33"></a><dt>NOTICE=...<TT><dd></TT>A field for intellectual property notices.<a name="_IX_34"></a><dt>OVERDRAFT=<I>nnn</I><TT><dd>FLEXlm</TT><I></I><TT></TT> v4.0 and later. The 
<TT>OVERDRAFT</TT> policy allows 
your vendor to specify a number of additional licenses 
which users will be allowed to use, in addition to the 
licenses they have purchased. This allows your users to not 
be denied service when in a `temporary overdraft state. 
Usage above the licensed limit will be reported by the 
FLEXadmin reporting tool.
PLATFORMS='...'
Usage is limited to the listed platforms. (v5.11+ only).
SN=serial_num
Serial number, used to identify INCREMENT lines.
START=dd-mmm-yyyy
Start-date (FLEXlm v6 or later only)
SUPERSEDE[='f1 f2 ...<TT> 
</TT><dd>If this appears, all licenses issued before the date specified 
in ISSUED= are 
<I>superseded</I> by this line, and become 
ineffective.<a name="_IX_38"></a><dt>USER_BASED[=<I>n</I>]<dd>Users must be specified in INCLUDE statements in the 
end-user options file, and the number of users are limited to 
<I>#lic</I>, or the number specified in `=<I>n</I>.
VENDOR_STRING='...<dd></I>Same as `vendor_string above, but in 
name=value pair 
syntax.

The following attributes can be changed or deleted by end-users. This is indicated by 
a lowercase 
name.

asset_info='...<TT><dd></TT>Additional information provided by the license 
administrator for asset management.<a name="_IX_41"></a><dt>ck=<I>nnn</I><TT><dd></TT>A checksum, useful with the lmcksum utility, which will 
verify that the license has been entered correctly by the 
end-user.<a name="_IX_42"></a><dt>dist_info=...<TT><dd></TT>Additional information provided by the software 
distributor.<a name="_IX_43"></a><dt>user_info=...<TT><dd></TT>Additional information provided by the license 
administrator.<a name="_IX_44"></a><dt>vendor_info=...'
Additional information provided by the software vendor.
Examples:
     FEATURE xyz_app xyzd 2.300 31-dec-1997 20 1234567890 `xyz'

   INCREMENT f1 xyzd 1.000 1-jan-0 5 12345678901234567890          \
           HOSTID=INTERNET=195.186.. NOTICE='Licensed to XYZ corp'
2.2.5        FEATURESET Lines

The FEATURESET line is a rarely used line to prevent FEATURE lines from being 
added to or removed from the license file. The format of the FEATURESET line is 
shown below.

   FEATURESET daemon_name key

Nothing in a FEATURESET line can be edited. Use the FEATURESET line exactly as 
it comes from your vendor. 



daemon_name 
name of the vendor daemon.
key
license key for this FEATURESET line. This key encrypts 
the keys of all features this daemon supports, so no 
FEATURE/INCREMENT lines can be removed, added, or 
rearranged in this license file.

Example:

   FEATURESET sampled 12345678


sampled
name of the vendor daemon
12345678
key generated by the vendor
2.2.6    PACKAGE Lines

The purpose of the PACKAGE line is to support two different licensing needs:

to license a product SUITE, or
to provide a more efficient way of distributing a license file that has a large 
number of features, which largely share the same FEATURE line arguments.

A PACKAGE line, by itself, does not license anything - it requires a matching 
FEATURE/INCREMENT line to license the whole PACKAGE. A PACKAGE line 
can be shipped by your software vendor with a product, independent of any licenses. 
Later, when you purchase a license for that package, one or more corresponding 
FEATURE/INCREMENT licenses will enable the PACKAGE.


Example:

   PACKAGE pkg_name vendor pkg_version pkg_key COMPONENTS=pkg_list \
                   [ OPTIONS=pkg_options ]


pkg_name
name of the 
PACKAGE. The corresponding 
FEATURE/INCREMENT line must have the same name.
vendor
name of the vendor daemon that supports this 
PACKAGE.
pkg_version
version of the 
PACKAGE. The enabling 
FEATURE/INCREMENT line must have the same version.
pkg_key
20-character license key.
pkg_list
list of components. The format is:
                   feature[:version[:num_lic]]
PACKAGEs must consist of at least one 
COMPONENT. 
Version and count are optional, and if left out, their values 
come from the corresponding 
FEATURE/INCREMENT 
line. 
num_lic is only legal if 
OPTIONS=SUITE is not 
set - in this case the resulting number of licenses will be 
num_lic on the 
COMPONENTS line multiplied by the 
number of licenses in the 
FEATURE/INCREMENT line. 
Examples:
                     COMPONENTS='comp1 comp2 comp3 comp4'
                   COMPONENTS=comp1:1.5 comp2 comp3:2.0:4        
OPTIONS=SUITE 
This is what distinguishes a suite 
PACKAGE from a 
PACKAGE 
used to ease distribution.
With 
OPTIONS=SUITE, the corresponding 
FEATURE of 
the same name as the package name is checked out in 
addition to the component feature being checked out.
If 
OPTIONS=SUITE is not set, then the corresponding 
FEATURE of the same name as the package is removed 
once the 
PACKAGE is enabled; and it is not checked out 
when a component feature is checked out.

Examples

   PACKAGE suite xyzd 1.0 3B24B2F508CB697641CC\
                        COMPONENTS=comp1 comp2 OPTIONS=SUITE
   FEATURE suite xyzd 1.0 1-jan-0 5 4193E6ABCCCB1A3970B3

This is a typical SUITE example. There are 2 features: comp1 and comp2, which are 
each version 1.0, with 5, non-expiring licenses available. When comp1 or comp2 are 
checked out, `suite' will also be checked out. 

   PACKAGE suite xyzd 1.0 2CBF44FCB9C1E825DC5C COMPONENTS='c1:1.5:2\
                c2:3.0:4'
   FEATURE suite xyzd 1.0 1-jan-1999 3 321E78A17EC19AE81A43 SN=123

In this example, the component versions override the FEATURE versions, and the 
number of licenses available for any component is the product of the 3 licenses for 
suite and the number of licenses for that component. The result is equivalent to:

   FEATURE c1 xyzd 1.5 1-jan-1999 6 0D3AD5F26BC868D476EC SN=123
   FEATURE c2 xyzd 3.0 1-jan-1999 12 EB16C5AE4A4E0F2961F0 SN=123

With 
FLEXlm v6 (or later) applications only the PACKAGE lines can be stored in a 
separate file which need never be edited.

2.2.7        UPGRADE Lines
   UPGRADE name daemon fromversion version exp_date #lic key \
                   `string [<I>hostid</I>] ck=<I>nnn</I></pre>
</ol></ul><p>
All the data is the same as for a FEATURE or INCREMENT line, with the addition of 
the 
<I>fromversion</I> field. An UPGRADE line removes up to the number of licenses 
specified from any old version (&gt;= fromversion) and creates a new version with that 
same number of licenses.<p>
<p>
For example, the two lines:<p>
<pre>   INCREMENT f1 xyzd 1.000 1-jan-1999 5 9BFAC03164EDB7BC0462 ``</pre>
<pre>   UPGRADE f1 xyzd 1.000 2.000 1-jan-1999 2 1B9A30316207EC8CC0F7 ``</pre>
</ol></ul><p>
would result in 3 licenses of v1.0 of f1 and 2 licenses of v2.0 of f1.<p>
<p>
UPGRADE will operate on the most recent FEATURE or INCREMENT line (i.e., 
closest preceding FEATURE or INCREMENT line) with a version number that is &gt;= 
<I>fromversion</I>, and &lt; 
<I>version</I>.<p>
<p>
Note that UPGRADE does not work for node locked, uncounted licenses before 
version 6.<p>
<a name="2.3"></a><h2>2.3  Sample License File</h2>
<p>
This is an example of a license file for a single vendor with two features.<p>
<pre>   SERVER excellent_server          17007ea8       1700</pre>
<pre>   DAEMON xyzd /etc/xyzd</pre>
<pre>   FEATURE xyz_app1 xyzd 1.000 01-jan-1999 10 1EF890030EABF324""</pre>
<pre>   FEATURE xyz_app2 xyzd 1.000 01-jan-1999 10 0784561FE98BA073""</pre>
</ol></ul><p>
The license file above would allow the license server 
<TT>excellent_server</TT> with the 
hostid 
<TT>17007ea8</TT> to serve 10 floating licenses for 
<TT>xyz_app1</TT> and 
<TT>xyz_app2</TT> to any 
user on the network.<p>
<a name="18841: 1Head: 2.4 Types of License Files"></a><a name="2.4"></a><h2>2.4  Types of License Files </h2>
<p>
License files are created by the software vendor. License files can specify floating 
(concurrent) usage, node locked (both `counted and `uncounted'), and any 
combination of floating, counted and uncounted.
2.4.1        Floating (Concurrent) Licenses

A 
floating license 
means anyone on the network can use the licensed software, up to 
the limit specified in the license file. (Also referred to as 
concurrent 
usage or 
network 
licensing.) Floating licenses have no hostids on the individual FEATURE lines. 
Floating licenses requires an 
lmgrd and a vendor daemon to be running to count the 
concurrent usage of the licenses.


An example of a license file that provides floating licenses is:

   SERVER lulu 17001234 1700
   DAEMON xyzd /etc/xyzd
   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-99 2 key1"" 
   FEATURE f2 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-99 6 key2""
   FEATURE f3 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-99 1 key3"" 

This license file specifies that two licenses for feature `f1', six licenses for feature 
`f2', and one license for feature `f3' are available anywhere on the network that can 
access the license server `lulu'.

2.4.2        Node Locked Licenses

Node locking means the licensed software can only be used on one node. A node 
locked license has a hostid on any FEATURE line that is node locked to a particular 
host. There are two types of node locked licenses; 
uncounted and 
counted.


If the number of licenses is set to 0, then the license is 
uncounted and 
unlimited use is 
permitted on the specified node. This configuration does not require an 
lmgrd or a 
vendor daemon because it is not going to count the concurrent usage of the features.


The following license file allows unlimited usage of feature `f1' on the nodes with 
hostids of 12001234 and 1700ab12:

   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.000 1-jan-99 0 key1"" 12001234
   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.000 1-jan-99 0 key2"" 1700ab12

Alternately, in 
FLEXlm v5.0 or later, these 2 FEATURE lines could have been issued 
by your software vendor with a 
hostid list:

   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.000 1-jan-99 0 key HOSTID='12001234 1700ab12'

If these were the only FEATURE lines in this license file, no 
lmgrd daemon would be 
necessary and you should not start one. 


The following license file allows three licenses for feature `f1' to be run, but only on 
the node with hostid 1300ab43. (In this case, the daemons should be run on the same 
node that runs the software, since there is no reason to run the daemons on another 
node.)

   SERVER lulu 1300ab43 1700
   DAEMON xyzd /etc/xyzy
   FEATURE f1 zyzd 1.00 1-jan-99 3 key"" 1300ab43
2.4.3        Mixed Node Locked and Floating Licenses

Uncounted node locked and concurrent usage licenses can be mixed in the same 
license file. 


The following license file allows unlimited use of feature `f1' on nodes 17001111 and 
17002222, while allowing two other licenses for feature `f1' to be used anywhere else 
on the network:

   SERVER lulu 17001234 1700
   DAEMON xyzd C:\flexlm\xyzd.exe
   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-1999 0 key1"" 17001111
   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-1999 0 key2"" 17002222
   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-1999 2 key3""

This configuration requires an 
lmgrd and a vendor daemon because the concurrent 
usage of the two licenses on the third FEATURE line are counted.

2.5  Decimal Format

The decimal format was introduced in v6. Users with older products can still use the 
decimal format, but they will require a copy of the v6 lminstall command (which is part 
of 
lmutil). The lminstall utility allows the user to type in a decimal line, which is then 
converted to the readable format, and saved in the specified location. The mixed node-locked floating example above looks as follows in decimal format:

xyzd-f1-01761-55296-37046-04544-00017-06551-18072-57346-18754-136
xyzd-f1-01761-55296-37046-08896-00034-235
xyzd-f1-00481-55296-17590-2

A simple demo license in readable format

   FEATURE f1 xyzd 1.00 1-jan-1999 0 key1 HOSTID=DEMO

converted to decimal:

   xyzd-f1-00737-55296-1825

Note that by default lminstall converts to v6 format. It can convert to a format 
compatible with older versions by using lminstall -overfmt 2 (or 3, 4, 5 depending on 
the 
FLEXlm version).

Table of Contents
 * Index
 * Previous Chapter
 * Next Chapter

ICTP Portal

Sections

Personal tools

Document Actions

chap2.htm

Chapter 2 The License File

2.1 Specifying Location of the License File

2.1.1 Setting the Path to the License File at Start-Up (Unix)

2.1.2 Setting the Path to the License File at Start-Up (Windows)

2.2.2 DAEMON (or VENDOR) Lines

2.2.3 USE_SERVER line (v5+ only)

2.2.4 FEATURE or INCREMENT Lines

2.2.5 FEATURESET Lines

2.2.6 PACKAGE Lines

2.2.7 UPGRADE Lines

2.4.1 Floating (Concurrent) Licenses

2.4.2 Node Locked Licenses

2.4.3 Mixed Node Locked and Floating Licenses

2.5 Decimal Format