Monthly Archives: March 2013

Siemens PLM Connection 2013

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SECOPTENA and OpenLM exhibit on Siemens PLM Connection 2013

23.04.2013 – 24.04.2013

Lufthansa Training & Conference Center Seeheim,

Lufthansaring 1, 64342 Seeheim-Jugenheim

This User Conference is the largest dedicated event for Siemens PLM users in Germany.

The complete Siemens PLM product portfolio like NX, Teamcenter and I-deas are covered in technical lectures, workshops and customer reviews.

Users, Decisions Makers and Product Specialists are gathered by an ambition to enhance the efficiency of their Siemens PLM products. In an intense exchange of experience they get to know the latest of PLM technologies and strategies.

Located in the exhibition space, SECOPTENA will demonstrate how to achieve this goal with proactive license management.

Monitoring – gain comprehensive overview of the most important parameters of your software licenses

  • Status of license server connections

  • Actual utilization of the most important licenses

  • Blocked licenses which are not actively used

Reporting – obtain fundamental usage information as grounds for decisions making

  • Cost allocation – ratio of license utilization per defined groups of users

  • Restrictions in productivity – shortages and denials of specific licenses

  • Compliance – to definitions of license agreements

  • Bundle check – optimal utilization of licenses and packages

Proactive license management – actively control license usage

  • Increase productivity by avoiding license shortage.

  • Secure Compliance through adaption of your license configuration.

  • Adjust your license packages to your real business needs.

Increase communication and reduce your efforts for license administration.

SECOPTENA will show you how,

Just stop by or fix an appointment now!

Email us: info@secoptena.com or

call us: 08151 77499-55

more information:

http://www.plm-benutzergruppe.de/

http://www.secoptena.com

Trouble Shoot Form: Agent Item 004 (Failure of automatic license release – save and close)

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Title Agent fails to Close idle session in “Save and Close” method
Category Active Agent
Date March 12, 2013
Handled by
Relevant Links
Applies to license managers FLEXlm, FLEXnet publisher, IBM LUM, HASP, RLM, Sentinel RMS, LM-X, DSLS
Applies to license model Floating licenses, Network licenses, Concurrent licenses
Symptoms OpenLM Agent is set to release Idle licenses by “Save and Close”, but those stay checked out.
Observed during investigation
Trouble shoot process
Solution  

Troubleshooting automatic license release issues – Save & Close

OpenLM supports two methods of shutting down idle licenses: Suspend & Resume and Save & Close. For more information on these configurations, please read the following Application note: Application Note 1005: Configuring OpenLM to close idle Licenses . This document covers the Save & Close method troubleshoot.

Suspend and Resume:

Suspends the session and releases the license on the server side. When the user resumes work, the license is retaken (if still available) and the application resumes from the same position it was suspended. This method’s troubleshoot is not covered in this document.

Save and Close:

Saves and closes the active session, releasing the license for other users. The OpenLM Active agent fully closes the licensed software. This document covers this method’s troubleshoot.

The Save and Close mode is only applicable if the OpenLM Agent extension was installed as part of the OpenLM Agent installation. Furthermore, the Save and Close method is only supported for ESRI ArcGIS , Autodesk software and Matlab applications.

Try closing the application manually

Applications may normally be closed manually by an administrator through the EasyAdmin tool:

  • Open the “OpenLM EasyAdmin” window.
  • Click “Active products” (see image below).
  • Find the current open session of the program on your machine.
  • Click the “Close Application” button.

If an application fails to close via the close application button, please try the following actions:

Make sure the extension was properly installed

ESRI ArcGIS Desktop ArcGIS: Click the “Customize” tab → Select “Extensions”. Confirm that “OpenLM Arcgis Extension” appears in the Extensions list.

Autodesk software: The Save and Close mode is supported for any Autodesk software application. In Autocad Map 3D, for example, type in the “OLM” command at the bottom of the AutoCAD window.  If the OpenLM Agent extension was installed, you should get a message such as depicted below:

If the Extension is not installed, an Error message should appear, stating that the “OLM” command is not recognized.

The agent is not installed correctly / No extension installed:

  • Close the monitored Application
  • Remove the Agent using the “Program files” → “Add/Remove programs” application.
  • Download the latest version of the Active Agent (as opposed to the Utilizer Agent) from OpenLM’s downloads area, and review our agent installation guide.

OpenLM Server version not up-to-date:

 

  • Download the latest version of the OpenLM Server from OpenLM’s downloads area,
  • Stop the OpenLM server service, and Back up the OpenLM Database.
  • Install the latest version of the OpenLM Server on top of the existing one.

product_features xml file

Update the product_features xml file. See this post for clarification.

OpenLM Agent Configuration

On Workstations that have issues closing idle sessions, right click the Active Agent Icon and select “OpenLM Agent Configuration”. Verify that the OpenLM Server is configured correctly, and that the connectivity check is successful.

EasyAdmin web application configuration:

1. click ‘Start’ → Administration → Active Agent. Make sure “Enable License Release Functionality” is checked.
2. Try to alleviate the criteria for license closure. This is fine tuning: experiment here until you get results.

  • Try decreasing “start releasing …”. Perhaps you haven’t surpassed this threshold yet.
  • Minimum idle: Try doing that after 3 minutes as an experiment. Minimize the ArcGis application in order to make sure that it is indeed idle.
  • Increase the “%Processor time” (e.g. to 5).
  • Increase the “IO Data …” (e.g. to 5).
  • Increase the “%User usage ” (e.g. to 5).

OpenLM Support

If all this doesn’t help – please send us logs:

  • Set the OpenLM Server and Agent logging level to ‘ALL’,
  • Wait several minutes,
  • Invoke such a condition where you feel the Agen’t has failed to close an idle application,
  • Zip and send us the log file directories.
  • The OpenLM Server log file is normally located at: C:\Program Files\OpenLM\OpenLM Server\Log
  • You can find the Agent’s log by doing this: Click Windows Start → OpenLM → Agent → tools → OpenLM Agent Logs Folder.

Trouble Shoot Form: Agent Item 003 (Agent fails to connect to the OpenLM Server)

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Title Agent fails to connect to the OpenLM Server
Category Permissions and Roles.
Date March 12, 2013
Handled by
Relevant Links
Applies to license managers FLEXlm, FLEXnet publisher, IBM LUM, HASP, RLM, Sentinel RMS, LM-X, DSLS
Applies to license model Floating licenses, Network licenses, Concurrent licenses
Symptoms Can not set a connection between OpenLM Server and OpenLM Agent.
Observed during investigation No license usage presented in OpenLM Agent,
“Check connectivity…” button yields an error,
Other general Agent malfunctions
Trouble shoot process
Solution

Connectivity issues

OpenLM Agent connectivity issues can manifest in many ways, but are summarized as general Agent malfunction. Such connectivity issues may be caused by the following reasons:
1. Incorrect server name or address
2. Firewall blocks the OpenLM Server or the Agent port.
3. A proxy server blocks the Agent requests.
4. .NET Framework not installed on the OpenLM Agent machine

Troubleshooting

If you encounter connectivity issues, Please act according to the following checklist:
1. Make sure that .NET Framework not installed on the OpenLM Agent machine
2. Make sure that the server name and address are correct.
3. Make sure that the port is open:
3a. Try disabling the firewall temporarily.
3b. Enter “Control Panel” → “System and Security” → “Windows Firewall” → “Advanced settings”.
3c. If the port isn’t defined under the “‘Inbound Rules” open the port by adding a New Rule using the “New Rule” button located on the lower right side of the screen as depicted below:

If connectivity issues persist, and a Proxy Server is configured on your machine, ensure that it is not blocking the OpenLM server; Open the OpenLM Agent Configuration window and uncheck the “Use local computer’s proxy settings” box as depicted below:


OpenLM Maintenance Release Version 1.7.4.1

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Version 1.7.4.1

Version 1.7.4.1 is a maintenance release to version 1.7. It contains some bug fixes to problems found in previous versions. We recommend that users to whom these problems may be relevant upgrade their system to this version.

Upgrading

In order to upgrade to version 1.7.4.1:
1. Stop the OpenLM Server service
2. Backup your DB file (Typically located in: C:\Program Files\OpenLM\OpenLM Server\db)
3. Make sure ALL windows are closed; especially the services window.
4. Install the new version on top of the existing one.
5. Update the products XML from the OpenLM site. In order to do so:
5a. Open the OpenLM Server configuration tool in the ‘Advanced’ tab,
5b. Click the “Update products…” button. The “Update product features” window opens.
5c. Select online updating, and click the ‘Update’ button.
5d. Click the ‘Apply’ button, and “Restart Now” when prompted.
See image below for clarification.

What was fixed in OpenLM server version 1.7.4.1 (and its close predecessors)?

1. Project UI not showing when license manager reports fqdn workstation name.
2. Ignore duplicate immediate denials (Bug #481).
3. RMS license quantity and usage reported ’0′ (Bug #600).


OpenLM beta version 1.8 is publicised

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General

In the past couple of years, OpenLM v1.7 has been the selected tool for application usage metering and license usage optimization for an expanding circle of customers. OpenLM has steadily widened the variety of supported network license managers, and enhanced its monitoring capabilities per each license management tool.

OpenLM beta Version 1.8 incorporates many bug fixes, performance improvements and new features that were required by our cooperative and trusted customers. These changes have increased OpenLM’s robustness and made it less prone to errors.

This version also integrates some fundamental architectural changes that have expanded OpenLM’s ability to further develop license usage control and monitoring. Here are some of the main highlights of this new version.

Important note:

As of today the released version is still a beta, and as such it is not yet error free.
DO NOT upgrade production installations of OpenLM 1.7 to 1.8 beta.
The use of version 1.8 beta is recommended for:

  • New evaluating customers, who wish to explore the 1.8 beta version functionality, or
  • Active OpenLM 1.7 users, installing version 1.8 beta separately and parallel to the 1.7 production installation.

Please read this document prior to installing OpenLM 1.8 beta parallel to production 1.7 installations.

Support of License management tools

The addition of license management tools to the expanding portfolio of OpenLM’s supported license managers is an on-going task. Version 1.8 now supports the following concurrent license servers: FlexLM / Flexnet, Sentinel RMS (Aspentech SLM), DSLS, IBM LUM, Sentinel HASP, LM-X (Altair), Reprise RLM, Beta LM, Mathematica LM (MathLM), and Easycopy. In addition to that, support of some license management tools was enhanced. Here are some of these enhancements:

  • FlexLM: Asset Info information, which is unique per license pool is now monitored. Hence, it is now possible to follow user and group license check out per license pool.
  • Also on FlexLM: Software packages are automatically recognized, and populated by the respective software products. Single features can be associated with different software packages.
  • IBM_LUM license manager monitoring has been added expiration date, Offline Licenses indications, and support for HAL (High Availability Licensing) configuration support.
  • DSLS has been fully integrated into the OpenLM 1.8 system. License borrowing is reported.
  • RMS: License versions’ reporting was added

EasyAdmin

The EasyAdmin web application has undergone facelift surgery and generally looks nicer. Some graphic presentation windows have been added, and others have been improved in both clarity and robustness.

Personalization:

License usage status windows’ configuration can now be saved between workstations and browsers.

New reports

Some of the new reports are:

  • The License denial widget.
  • Procurement table: Shows licenses’ procurement path, providing expiration information.
  • License usage efficiency report: Histogram per single feature, showing how much of the time have N licenses been used.
  • Max usage heat map report.

Enhanced report windows

Report windows have also been enhanced. It is now possible to:

  • Export chart images or PDF documents and
  • Set report window refresh period
  • The “License Usage” graphic presentation was improved.

Database manipulation

Version 1.8 enhances the administrator’s capabilities to manipulate the OpenLM database. It is now possible to

  • Archive or delete old data.
  • Extract irrelevant users and
  • Delete unnecessary groups.

License Servers

Reported license servers’ information has been enhanced to include:

  • License server timezone indication
  • Host availability indication
  • License not in use indication.

Active Directory

The OpenLM Server is capable of synchronizing users and groups with an organization’s LDAP (Active Directory) to combine license management with other company information. LDAP synchronization provides automatic maintenance of Users’ and Groups’ data.

In version 1.8, LDAP synchronization has been profoundly improved, to support versatile and complex Active Directory environments. As a bonus, a preview of the impending synchronization scheme is now available.

Projects

The Project license usage recording capability is available for OpenLM from version 1.6 onward.  In the 1.8 version, some major modifications have been made:

  • The configuration of Project monitoring was shifted from the OpenLM Server configuration tool to the EasyAdmin web application.

  • Administrative capabilities have been added, such as Enabling / Disabling a project, assigning it a priority and expected duration, and marking the project’s completeness percentage.

  • Projects can now be assigned to user groups (not just to individual users), and

  • Can be introduced by end-users via the OpenLM Agent module.

OpenLM Broker

The OpenLM Broker has overgone important changes, enhancing its robustness and compatibility with a wide array of license managers. One of these changes is the implementation of buffers for Broker messages, providing the ability to overcome network connectivity failure.

Finally

we would like to thank our loyal customers for collaborating as beta sites for this new version. Your ever welcomed feedback has enabled us to publicize this product, and is constantly driving us toward improving our releases.

OpenLM Maintenance Release Version 1.7.3.9

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Version 1.7.3.9

Version 1.7.3.9 is a maintenance release to version 1.7. It contains some bug fixes to problems found in previous versions. We  recommend that users to whom these problems may be relevant to upgrade their system to this version.

Upgrading

In order to upgrade to version 1.7.3.9:
1. Stop the OpenLM Server service
2. Backup your DB file (Typically located in: C:\Program Files\OpenLM\OpenLM Server\db)
3. Make sure ALL windows are closed; especially the services window.
4. Install the new version on top of the existing one.

What was fixed in OpenLM server version 1.7.3.9 (and its close predecessors)?

1. nhibernate upgrade related issue with sql server (1.7.3.6, Bug #563).
2. Groups list error due to nhibernate upgrade (1.7.3.7).
3. Duplicated FlexLM sessions reported in OpenLM License Activity (1.7.3.8, Bug #580)
4. Active directory memory leaks issue (1.7.3.9).
5. EasyAdmin touch problem: Connection error message (1.7.3.9, Bug #633)