Tag Archives: FLEXnet

What is new in OpenLM version 1.8

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OpenLM 1.8 is out !

The release of this milestone version is a big deal for us here in OpenLM, and we are sure you will feel the same when you start working with it.

Note for OpenLM veterans:

At this stage we recommend not to upgrade OpenLM 1.7 production systems to 1.8, but rather to install it at a sandbox, side by side with the 1.7 production server. This is in order to ensure that full functionality has been maintained in your environment, and to familiarize yourself with the new version.

This document goes over the main features that have been added or enhanced in this version, and the list is quite long:

  • OpenLM Server engine
  • EasyAdmin: Personalization, New reports, Enhanced report windows,
    Moving configuration options to EasyAdmin
  • Support of License management tools
  • Active Directory
  • Named Users support
  • Packages
  • Projects
  • Permissions
  • License Usage
  • License Procurement table
  • License Usage Efficiency report window
  • Licenses not in use report window
  • Recent Feature Denials report window
  • License Servers
  • Session Idle time measurement
  • Database manipulation
  • ArcGIS Borrowed Licenses issue
  • OpenLM Broker
  • OpenLM Agent
  • ArcGIS Set Licensing level tool
  • Installation Process
  • Logs uploader

OpenLM Server engine

The OpenLM server integrates information from various sources in order to create accurate and coherent license usage information. All processing algorithms were reviewed and rewritten as needed in order to improve accuracy and processing speed.

EasyAdmin

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

Personalization:

EasyAdmin windows’ configuration and user settings are now maintained by the OpenLM database, not on the browser’s cache memory (as was in version 1.7). This provides the ability to personalize the EasyAdmin appearance, and get the same user’s view on different computers.

New reports

The new reports are hereby listed. Elaboration on each of these windows is provided below:

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

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


Moving more configuration options to EasyAdmin

Several configuration options were moved from the OpenLM server configuration tool to the EasyAdmin web application, making them accessible from anywhere. One such option is the usage logging according to projects, as depicted below:

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.
  • 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.
  • IBM_LUM Offline Licenses indications.
  • IBM_LUM HAL (High Availability Licensing) configuration support.
  • DSLS has been fully integrated into the OpenLM 1.8 system.
  • DSLS License borrowing is reported.
  • BetaLM has been introduced in the 1.8 version.
  • BetaLM Cluster configuration is supported.
  • RMS: License versions’ reporting was added.
  • Easycopy LM has been fully integrated into the OpenLM 1.8 system.
  • Matematica (MathLM) has been fully integrated into the OpenLM 1.8 system.

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, Active Directory 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. For more information please refer to these documents:

Application Note 2029_a: LDAP (Active Directory) Synchronization. Basic guide v1.8

Application Note 2029_b: LDAP (Active Directory) Synchronization. Comprehensive guide v1.8

Version 1.8 now allows system managers to easily synchronize very complex structures of LDAP. In EasyAdmin the user can now control the execution of the synchronization, exclude groups and users from synchronizing and understand why each synchronized entity was generated.

EasyAdmin incorporates new administrative tools for LDAP synchronization. These provide a better view of the synchronization definitions and the relations between synchronized entities. Group and Users entities are interconnected by hyperlinks, to facilitate the browsing through LDAP synchronized data.

Named licenses support

FlexLM gets its licensing information from the license file, option file and other resources.

The License file contains the asset info information which is unique for every license pool.

The License file also contains asset info associated with groups. OpenLM Version 1.8 can be configured to read Flexnet publisher license files, and hence can report which user takes licenses from which pool.

License Suites and packages

OpenLM 1.8 is capable of integrating more information from FlexLM license files. One of the benefits of that is the capability of arranging licensed features within their respective license packages. The user does no longer need to configure packages’ members manually.

In addition to that, OpenLM 1.8 supports licensing schemes in which single features are associated with two different packages.

Projects

The Project license usage recording capability is available for OpenLM from version 1.6 onwards. 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).
  • Projects can also be introduced by end-users via the OpenLM Agent module. Please see the ‘Agent’ section below for more information on that.

For more information on monitoring licenses according to projects in OpenLM 1.8 please refer to this document:

Application Note 2030: OpenLM license usage monitoring according to projects – v1.8.

Permissions

New users are automatically associated to the “Everyone” group. After being synchronized (or associated manually) to a different group – the new group becomes the default group.

License Usage

The central “License Usage” window’s graphic presentation was improved, and now employs a cleaner GUI, with a zoom-in option.

License Procurement table

Shows comprehensive license information, as appears in the license file: Licensed packages and their member features, issuing and expiration dates, Asset info etc.

License Efficiency report

A new window that provides a histogram of usage for a single feature, showing how much of the time have N licenses been used. The image below clearly demonstrates ineffective usage of the pool of licenses:

Licenses not in use report

Single out licenses that have not been used for a predefined period of time.

Recent Feature Denials report

A graphic presentation to show a comparative chart of the number of license denials over predefined periods of time: recent and long term.

License Servers

Reported license servers’ information has been enhanced to include:

  • License server timezone
  • Status of the OpenLM broker installed on the license server machine
  • Host availability indication


Session Idle time measurement

Graphical waveform presentation of the Active / Idle ratio for currently and historical sessions.

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.

ArcGIS Borrowed Licenses issue

We previously reported an issue pertaining to the upgrade of ArcGIS to the newer FlexLM version. This issue manifested in erroneous reporting of license borrowing. OpenLM 1.8 bypasses this issue and shows the actual borrowing user.

OpenLM Broker

The OpenLM Broker has undergone important changes. These include:

  • Enhanced robustness
  • Enhanced compatibility with a wide array of license managers
  • Ability to read FlexLM license files and Audit logs, in addition to Option files.
  • Implementation of buffers for Broker messages, providing the ability to overcome limited network connectivity failure and continues usage reported even if the OpenLM Server machine crashes for long period of times.

OpenLM Agent

The OpenLM Agent has changed skin and looks much nicer now.

It also integrated the improvements for the following features:

  • Restoring of closed sessions
  • Searching and sorting of the license usage list
  • Selectively hiding or showing specific features
  • ArcGIS licensing level determination (see below).
  • As mentioned above, projects can be introduced by end-users via the OpenLM Agent. Just click the “Create New Project” menu item in the OpenLM Agent interface:

The “Create new Project” window opens. Users can then create new projects and associate their working hours to these projects.

For more information please refer to this document:

Application Note 2030: OpenLM license usage monitoring according to projects – v1.8.

ArcGIS Set Licensing level tool

ESRI implementation is unique in the sense that you can activate the ArcMap software in three different licensing levels:

  • Basic (Previously called viewer or ArcView)
  • Standard (Previously called ‘ArcEditor’)
  • Advanced (Previously called ‘ArcInfo’)

ArcGIS end users can set the licensing level before activating the software. If such a license is available, the software will start. OpenLM has provided this capability since version 1.6 of the software. In version 1.8 we have highly enhanced it:

  • It is now possible to set the licensing level according to available licenses, and
  • The user can choose whether to save the ArcGIS licensing level to the Registry, to do it on a user level, or on a system level (for all users – requires administrative permissions).

Installation Process

The OpenLM installation process has been standardized, and is more coherent on OpenLM version 1.8.

Logs uploader

The Logs uploader has been rewritten, and its robustness has been improved.

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.

Application Note 1035: Configuring OpenLM v1.7 to interface the EasyCopy License Manager

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OpenLM supports the monitoring of a wide variety of license managers such as Flexera FlexLM (Flexnet), Beta LM, IBM LUM, DSLS, Sentinel HASP, Sentinel RMS, Reprise RLM, and LM-X.

This application note elaborates the steps required to configure OpenLM to interface the EasyCopy License Manager, and obtain reliable license reports and usage statistics. This capability is available for Easycopy versions 8.7.12 onward.

OpenLM Server configuration

In order to configure OpenLM to monitor an EasyCopy License Manager, The OpenLM Server must be configured as follows:

  • Click the ‘Add’ button.
  • Set the LM Type to ‘Other’
  • Set the License server’s Time zone (e.g.: Central Time)
  • Type in the Hostname (e.g. easycopy_lm) or IP of the EasyCopy License server.
  • The port number is insignificant here. Type in any number (e.g.: 123). Note that the same number will need to be used in the OpenLM Broker configuration as well (see below).
  • Click the ‘Apply’ and “Restart now” buttons.

OpenLM Broker Configuration

After setting the OpenLM server, the Broker needs to be configured as follows:

  • Please refer to the Application Note 1004: OpenLM Broker quick start guide document for general Broker configuration. In the example below – the OpenLM server hostname was set as openlm_server, the OpenLM Broker port was maintained at its default 7016.
  • The license server characteristics are set exactly as they were on the OpenLM Server configuration tool: The type is set to ‘Other’, the name to easycopy_lm, and the port to 123.
  • Type in the EasyCopy command line in the Broker’s “data_inquiry” command text box. The command is “eclic openlm” and it needs to be run from the location of the eclic.exe path.
  • Click the ‘Apply’ and “Restart Broker” buttons.

Siemens PLM license analysis and license monitoring

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OpenLM supports license monitoring of a wide, and ever growing variety of license managers. Among those are Flexera FlexLM (Flexnet publisher), IBM LUM, DSLS, Sentinel HASP, Sentinel RMS, Reprise RLM, and LM-X.

This group of license management utilities encompass a great variety of licensed products. One group of such licensed products is the Siemens PLM (formerly UGS) 3D & 2D Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) group.

The OpenLM tool provides high level of application usage management and optimization for PLM licenses, providing clear and valuable usage information for Managers, License Administrators and End Users.

Siemens PLM Common Licensing

Siemens PLM employs the “Siemens PLM Software Common Licensing” tool in order to deliver a consistent licensing implementation to all PLM products. It is based on the Flexera FlexNet license management tool, and has incorporated some unique characteristics:

  • The PLM Common Licensing toolkit has adopted the Siemens PLM Software-wide licensing vendor daemon ugslmd. Consequently, all Siemens PLM products gain access to common licenses utilize this same daemon.
  • The PLM Common Licensing toolkit employs a unified license file for all PLM products.
  • The default port for the PLM ugslmd vendor daemon is 28000. That was decided in order to avoid conflicts with other applications, using the default FlexLM port 27000.
  • Composite ID (CID): This is a 12 digit hexadecimal unique machine identifier that is used as part of Siemens PLM Software licensing to lock a license file to a machine. The CID is distinguished from a FLEXnet hostid by the keyword “COMPOSITE=”.
  • NX bundles and Suite Packages: These are packages that Siemens PLM Software has predefined to meet the general needs of customers at a lower cost than purchasing individual floating licenses.

For more information on Siemens PLM Software Common Licensing, please refer to this PDF.

The OpenLM advantage

The OpenLM license monitoring tool incorporates many advantages in PLM software maintenance for members of all positions in an organization. In a nutshell:

  • Managers get a clear picture of their Software assets.
  • System Administrators are freed from managing licenses.
  • End users enjoy improved PLM license availability.

Additionally, OpenLM v 1.8 Automatically sorts NX suites, to clearly display Siemens PLM application usage measuring in its true context.

License borrowing in FlexNet (FlexLM) and Offline Concurrent licenses in IBM-LUM and DSLS

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General

License Borrowing is a method of linking a specific workstation to a single license instance from within the license pool. This procedure marks a license as being perpetually used on the license manager (LM), enables users to borrow a product license for a designated time period, and to operate the licensed application without connecting to the license manager.
OpenLM monitors borrowing of licenses on several LM types. This document presents the borrowing methods on three of these LMs: FlexNet (FlexLM), IBM-LUM and DSLS, and the OpenLM advantages in monitoring borrowed licenses.

Borrowing licenses in FlexLM

In order to enable license borrowing, the software publisher should issue a floating license file with a FEATURE or INCREMENT line that contains the BORROW keyword, for example:
INCREMENT 3d_to_2d_flattener ugslmd 27.0 06-nov-2012 1 SUPERSEDE \
DUP_GROUP=UHD user_info=”NX 2D Exchange” ISSUED=06-sep-2012 \
BORROW=2880 ck=194 SIGN=”code”
In the example above, the BORROW time was restricted tp 2880 hours = 120 days. The maximal value for borrowing licenses in FlexLM is 180 days.

A user specifies the expiration date a borrowed license is to be returned, which should be equal to or smaller than the BORROW parameter above. This expiration date is set by applying a value to the LM_BORROW environment variable. This is done either directly, or by running the lmborrow utility, or by setting it in the application (when available).

The user then runs the application while connected to the network which writes borrowing information on the client computer. The license server keeps the borrowed license checked out. If enabled by the software publisher, borrowed licenses can be returned early, prior to the borrow period expiration.

When the expiration period has elapsed, or after having returned the borrowed license early, the local borrowing data no longer authorizes the license checkout, and the license server returns the borrowed license to the pool of available licenses.

More information on Borrowing Flexnet licenses can be found here.

DSLS Offline licenses

In DSLS, Borrowed licenses are referred to as “offline licenses”. The operation of extracting licenses for offline usage is done by the Application’s “Offline Management” tab on the “Local License Management” dialog box. There, a user needs to select a license for extraction and set the duration period for offline extraction. Maximal license offline extraction is 30 days.
When querying the usage of licenses with the DSLicSrv command’s getLicenseUsage -all ,  Offline licenses should be reported similarly to the following example:
internal Id: <Workstation> …
granted since: <Time and date> <workstation> <Username> <Application full path> …
targetId: <targetId> licenseId: <licenseId> …
granted since: <Time and date> hold until: <Time and date>

Here’s a good example for DSLS implementation of offline licensing.

IBM LUM Offline licenses

The IBM License Use Management (LUM) system also refers to borrowed licenses as “Concurrent Offline Licenses”. In order to implement license borrowing in LUM:
1. The user calls the application.
2. The application looks for an offline-nodelocked license in its nodelock directory.
If a license is found and is valid, the application runs.
3. If the application does not find a license in the nodelock directory and the
portable computer can reach a License Use Management network license server,
the application requests a concurrent-offline license from it.
4. The network license server checks if the license has an authorization for the
user, group, or for the target ID of the machine, and validates the password
provided by the user.
5. If the authorization is for a concurrent-offline license, the server creates an
offline-nodelocked license and copies it to the nodelock directory of the
portable computer. The license is marked as in use on the server.
6. The application checks that the nodelock directory contains a valid license and
the application starts. The application can now run without a connection to the
License Use Management network license server (that is, the application can
run on a portable computer).

Management of offline concurrent licenses is done in the IBM LUM windows UI:

  • The product authorization must be set to “All Allowed” to enable concurrent offline usage
  • The license offline extraction time is set. It is limited to 120 days.
  • A password is set for the license instance.

Similar options are available by the lumblt command line.
Further information on IBM LUM concurrent offline licenses is found here.

The OpenLM advantage

Borrowing a license is typically not the preferable method for license deployment. It is both expensive and hard to track:

  • As borrowed licenses are floating licenses that have been put to work perpetually, they can not be subject for license chargeback, and are more expensive than other concurrent license on the license pool.
  • Borrowed licenses are also hard to keep track of. They are no longer marked as part of the license pool. License administrators need to manually revoke such licenses as soon as they are not needed.

OpenLM monitors the usage of license managers, providing insight regarding users’ identity and the efficient license allocation. It thus presents several advantages for such license administrators:

  • Identify users who draw both borrowed and concurrent license from two different workstations, and alert upon such conditions.
  • Mark specific used licenses as borrowed, clearly presenting the user and workstation it is linked to.
  • Identify usage patterns, and advise an optimized license allocation policy.

 

Note: Please contact support at openlm.com for a list of supported license managers’ borrowed license monitoring.

OpenLM: Concurrent license monitoring and optimization tool

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What is OpenLM ?

OpenLM is a comprehensive license-management solution, designed to monitor and optimize the usage of concurrent (‘floating’) license software. OpenLM is capable of monitoring a wide variety of license managers, e.g.: FlexNet (FlexLM), Sentinel RMS, Sentinel HASP, Reprise RLM, DSLS, IBM-LUM and LM-X. MathLM and BetaLM support has also been implemented, and would be released soon.

Who was OpenLM Designed For?

Unlike other license management systems that only offer administration and license monitoring statistics, OpenLM also optimizes license usage in a unique manner that provides all personnel with useful license-related functions.

Organization managers:

  • Know what you have: License inventory.
  • Plan license maintenance and procurement of expensive licenses.
  • Charge projects or business units for software usage time.
  • Cut costs by dropping maintenance for licenses that are no longer in use.

Administrator view:

  • Real time usage management and troubleshooting.
  • Extract license usage statistics information and patterns.
  • Roles and Permissions: Grant licenses according to specific Users’ permissions.

End User View:

  • End users are not kept in the dark. They are informed about the status of denied licenses, and receive a License availability notification when a license becomes vacant.
  • Who is using the license I need, and what are this person’s contact details?

Supported features

License managers:

  • OpenLM interfaces a wide variety of license managers, e.g.: FlexLM / Flexnet publisher, IBM LUM, Sentinel RMS, Sentinel HASP, RLM, DSLS and other leading license managers.
  • Concurrent monitoring of multiple license servers on multiple time zones.
  • Management of Floating, Node-locked and Borrowed licenses.

Monitoring capabilities:

  • Easily review license inventory in real time.
  • Extract license activity reports (e.g. Flexnet report), with configurable resolution.
  • Receive Billing reports for any time period, per user or software (FLEXbill capabilities).

Infrastructure

  • Operational over WAN and LAN networks.
  • Interface license managers that run on UNIX, Linux, or Windows’ Operating systems.
  • Web-based user interface, applicable on any major browser.
  • Mobile interface application enhances monitoring abilities for system administrators.
  • OpenLM supports both external and embedded databases.

What does “Open” in “OpenLM” stand for?

OpenLM provides a set of open and documented APIs that enable customers and business partners to develop applications that integrate OpenLM software capabilities.

OpenLM Screenshots

Watch the OpenLM EasyAdmin screenshots on the OpenLM site.

Want to evaluate the software ?

You can get the most updated version of OpenLM from our OpenLM downloads area. After filling in your name and email – you’d be directed to the downloads’ section. The Installation process is easy and straightforward, but if you still need any assistance – please send an email to support@openlm.com, and we’ll be glad to help.

Why don’t I see license denial reports in the Flexnet ( FlexLM ) debug log file ?

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OpenLM provides a mean to monitor Flexnet publisher license denials. Please see this document for clarification. It does so by extracting information from  the FlexLM debug log file.

Denial reports may not appear in the FlexLM debug log if the application’s option file contains a NOLOG line, with a DENIED flag. If this is the case, edit the option file to exclude this flag, and restart the license server. See this document for more information.

Application Note 1032: Monitoring FlexLM license denials

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General:

OpenLM monitors and optimizes the usage of various license managers (e.g.: FlexLM / Flexnet publisher, Sentinel RMS Reprise RLM, MathLM, DSLS, Sentinel HASP, LM-X, IBM-LUM etc).

As part of FlexLM license monitoring, OpenLM also produces license denial reports, i.e.: an account of instances where the vendor daemon has declined an application’s license request. License denial is a key parameter in license maintenance and in the planning of additional license procurement.

The Denials report window

License denial information is clearly presented in the OpenLM EasyAdmin web interface, in the Reports → Denials window. It includes the details of the denial event (Denied user, Denied workstation, Time, License Server, Denied Feature, and vendor) as well as the cause for denial (e.g.: limit of available licenses reached or User on Option file exclude list)

Set up OpenLM to monitor license denials

In order to produce denial reports for monitored licenses, please:
1. Set up the OpenLM Server to monitor the License server. In this case, the host is vmw_win2008_64, its type is FlexLM, the Server port is 27000, and the time zone is Central:

2. Install the OpenLM Broker on the License server machine:
Application Note 1004: OpenLM Broker quick start guide
Make sure that the License server name is exactly (case sensitive) the same as configured in the OpenLM server configuration tool (e.g.: vmw_win2008_64). The OpenLM server in this example resides in 102.101.100.135. The Broker communication port is (by default) 7016.

3. Set the OpenLM Broker to read the Denials’ information from the Monitored application’s debug log file: Type in the filename and click the ‘Enabled’ check box in the image below. Click ‘Apply’ and “Restart Broker” to finalize the configuration.

4. Make sure the Broker indication in the EasyAdmin “License Servers” window turns green. Note the green rectangle adjacent Server name vmw_win2008_64 in the image below. If it isn’t so – wait a while and refresh the “License servers” window. If it is still red – recheck your configuration, and check for alerts in the Easy Admin → Start → Management → Alerts window.

License number surpassed: Case study

In case the number of licenses has been surpassed – the vendor daemon would deny the license request, and a license denial notification will be produced. In the case of AutoCad: this is Network license error -96.

The debug log file shows this too as a string
Licensed number of users already reached. (-4,342)
Note the last denial report at 4:12:22 (Central time US):

It would also be apparent on the EasyAdmin Denial reports window at 11:12:22, according to the difference in time zones between the location of the OpenLM Server (Europe) and the AutoCad License server (Central time, US).

This same information can be presented as a column or pie chart, according to Users, Servers, Vendors, Features or time of occurrence.

Troubleshoot: Denials do not appear in the Flexnet debug log

Denial reports may not appear in the FlexLM debug log if the application’s option file contains a NOLOG line, with a DENIED flag. If this is the case, edit the option file to exclude this flag, and restart the license server. See this document for more information.

Document Revision Table

Version Author Date Changes
0.1 – Preliminary Orik Oct 25, 2012 Preliminary
1.0 Orik Dec 17, 2012 Added troubleshoot

 

Troubleshoot Form: OpenLM Server Item 003 (Unable to connect to FLEXlm license server error: -96,7:11004 “Comm. error”)

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Title Unable to connect to FLEXlm license server
Category OpenLM Configuration Form
Date Oct 24, 2012
Handled by
Relevant Links
Applies to license managers FLEXlm, FLEXera FLEXnet,
Applies to license model Floating licenses, Network licenses, Concurrent licenses
Symptoms No activity reported on EasyAdmin for a specific FlexLM license server
Observed during investigation Clicking the “Check” button for one of the FlexLM license servers on the OpenLM Configuration Form resulted in an error
Trouble shoot process Check License server connectivity configuration.
Solution Found (Found/Pending/Known Issue)
Other steps for troubleshooting

Symptom

The customer complained that he “Couldn’t connect to the FLEXlm license server”. Attempting to connect to the license server resulted in the following message box appearing on his screen:

lmgrd is not running: License server machine is down or not responding. (-96,7:11004 “Comm. error”)

Troubleshoot process

1. Make sure the license manager machine is up and that you could check out licenses from it.

2. Make sure that the hostname , Port number, License Manager type and timezone are configured correctly in the OpenLM server configuration tool. Also, please review this Troubleshoot guide.

3. Check the connectivity between the OpenLM server machine and the license server (using ping or telnet).

4.  Make sure that any security components (Firewall) are not blocking communication on both ends. The OpenLM server uses ports 7012, 7014, 7016, 7017 and 7019. The OpenLM server’s communication with the License server relies on port 7014.

Make sure that the port is open:

 

  • Try disabling the firewall temporarily.
  • Enter “Control Panel”→“System and Security”→“Windows Firewall”→ Advanced settings”.
  • 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:

5. The OpenLM Broker may bypass such communication issues. Install the OpenLM Broker on the license server machine. See this application note for more information: Application Note 1004: OpenLM Broker quick start guide

Get more out of your floating licenses

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The OpenLM Utilizer is a complete floating license management solution designed to optimize the use of licensed software: more production for lower cost.
OpenLM is made to harvest idle licenses, and improve license utilization of any organization: big or small.

Who was the OpenLM Utilizer Designed For?

Unlike other license management systems that only offer administration and license monitoring statistics, the OpenLM Utilizer optimizes license usage in a unique manner that provides all personnel with useful license-related functions.

Organization managers:

  • Know what you have: Inventory.
  • Plan license maintenance and procurement of expensive licenses.
  • Charge projects or business units for software usage time.
  • Cut costs by dropping maintenance for licenses that are no longer in use.

Administrator view:

  • Real time license usage management
  • Alerts – Real time troubleshooting
  • Extract usage statistics information and patterns as reports or charts.
  • Roles and Permissions: Grant licenses according to specific Users’ permissions. Enforce concurrent License restriction.

End User View:

  • End users are not kept in the dark. They are informed about the status of denied licenses.
  • Receive a License availability notification when a license becomes vacant.
  • Who is using the license I need?
  • What is this person’s contact details?

Supported features

License managers:

  • OpenLM interfaces a wide variety of license managers, e.g.: FLEXlm / Flexnet, IBM LUM, Sentinel RMS, Sentinel HASP, RLM, DSLS and other leading license managers.
  • OpenLM supports Concurrent monitoring of multiple license servers on multiple time zones.
  • OpenLM supports management of Floating, Node-locked and Borrowed licenses.

Monitoring capabilities:

  • Easily review license inventory in real time.
  • Extract license activity reports, with configurable resolution.
  • Receive FLEXlm reports, statistics and charting (FLEXnet reports).
  • Receive Billing reports for any time period, per user or software (FLEXbill capabilities).

Infrastructure:

  • OpenLM may work over WAN and LAN networks.
  • OpenLM employs a web-based user interface that works with any supported browser.
  • A Mobile interface application enhances monitoring abilities for system administrators.
  • OpenLM may interface license managers that run on UNIX, Linux, or Windows’ Operating systems
  • OpenLM supports both external and embedded databases.

Proactive capabilities:

  • Release orphan licenses with a single mouse click.
  • Query users and licenses from any workstation.

Other features

  • A customizable alert system
  • An open, detailed API

Vendors

  • OpenLM Supports software from the following vendors: Autodesk, Borland, Cadence, EDS, Macromedia, Mathsoft, Mathworks, PTC, Rational, Softimage, Solidworks, Sybase, Synopsys, Unigraphics, WindRiver, FreeScale, ICS,  Foundry, VSNi,Tri-Pacific Software and many more.
  • Some examples of software systems: Autodesk Autocad, ESRI ArcGIS, Mathsoft MathCAD, CADopia IntelliCAD, Mathworks Matlab, VSNi GenStat, Foundary Forge, PTC Pro-Engineer, Rasterx RxView, and more.

 

OpenLM Utilizer Architecture

OpenLM’s basic software package includes the core OpenLM Server module and its user interface; the OpenLM EasyAdmin module. In addition to these core components, the OpenLM Broker, OpenLM Alerts module and the OpenLM Utilizer Agent modules are also incorporated in the basic software package.

The OpenLM Server

is the core element of the OpenLM system. It integrates the functionality of all other peripheral system components, such as the OpenLM EasyAdmin, OpenLM Agent, OpenLM Alerts, and OpenLM Broker. The OpenLM Server is implemented as a Windows service and could be installed on any network machine.

OpenLM EasyAdmin

An HTTP based application that can run on any machine in your network. EasyAdmin is the reporting and management interface of OpenLM. It facilitates extraction of lisence usage statistics, and usage repots, as well as the control and optimization of license usage.

OpenLM Agent

An optional component that can be installed on any machine on the network. The Agent enables end users to query license availability and find who is using the license they need at any point in time.

OpenLM Alerts

is a dedicated alerting service for the OpenLM system. This module alerts system administrators when predefined conditions are met.

OpenLM Broker

is an optional server component that runs on the license server machine. The Broker performs tasks as dictated by OpenLM Server, and is required in order to provide advanced licensing information and sophisticated abilities.

OpenLM Screenshots

Watch the OpenLM EasyAdmin screenshots on the OpenLM site.

Want to evaluate the software ?

You can get the most updated version of OpenLM Utilizer from our OpenLM downloads area. After filling in your name and email – you’d be directed to the Downloads section. The Installation process is easy and straightforward, but if you still need any assistance – Please send an email to support@openlm.com, and we’ll be glad to help.