5   License server

5.1 Local Licensing
5.2 Central licensing
      5.2.1 Master and slave
      5.2.2 Start
5.3 Configuration
5.4 Web interface

One or more license servers control - allow or deny and log - the usage of the software on one computer or throughout the local network.

5.1   Local Licensing

Usually node-locked licensing is controlled by a local license server on the computer executing the licensed software.

The licensed program automatically starts the license server. It is terminated when the program ends. There is no special configuration needed.

5.2   Central licensing

Floating licensing is controlled network-wide by one or more license servers. However, node-locked licenses may be administered by central license servers, too.

All license servers of a local network should have license directories with identical contents. Though, the license directories must not be mounted by for instance NFS. This may be done very easily through the web interface (5.4 Web interface).

5.2.1   Master and slave

Multiple license servers in a local network agree upon one master license server. Each of the other license servers, the slaves, may take over the role of the master as soon as this one fails.

At any time at least more than half of the license servers referred to by a license key (3.6 System ID) must be running.

5.2.2   Start

The license server is manually started by the command

$XLICENSE_HOME/bin/xlicense [license_directory] 

The default value for license_directory is $XLICENSE_ETC/licenses (the variables $XLICENSE_HOME and $XLICENSE_ETC are to be substituted by the corresponding installation directories (2.2 Installation directories).

However, for safe operation the license server should be started automatically during the start-up of the computer. The simplest method is the modification of the system file /etc/inittab (you need the access rights of the superuser root).

Add to the file /etc/inittab the following line:

XLS:23:respawn:$XLICENSE_HOME/bin/xlicense 

Then execute the command

init q 

to make the modification effective.

5.3   Configuration

The license server may be configured by command line arguments.

The output of error messages, warning messages and other messages is specified by the arguments

-logDestination -|stdout|stderr|syslog|file_name 

If file_name ends with .html or .htm, the messages are output in HTML format, else in plain text format. The default output is the file $XLICENSE_ETC/logbook.html.

The arguments

-logTypes {[+|-]checkInCheckOuts|[+|-]denials
    |[+|-]warnings|[+|-]hints}... 

configure the types of messages:

• checkInCheckOuts reports the use of individual licenses.
• denials reports the denial of license requests.
• warnings prints warning messages.
• hints prints additional informations.

Besides error messages, which are printed always, denials and warnings are printed by default.

The remaining configuration arguments are useful with central licensing (5.2 Central licensing) only.

The arguments

-owner user:group 

specify the user for who the license server should be started and her group. This is only necessary if there is a special user for license administration.

The argument

-slave 

increases the probability that the started license server becomes a slave (5.2.1 Master and slave). If there are other license servers started without this configuration argument, one of these will become master. This is needed in special cases only, because the license servers automatically determine a master.

The argument

-sync IP_address... 

lets multiple license server synchronize themselves over (sub)net borders. One IP_address specifies the network address or the address of the license server in that network.

The argument

-webPort port_number 

specifies a port number, under which the web interface (5.4 Web interface) of the license server may be contacted. The default port_number 0 disables the web interface.

5.4   Web interface

The web interface of the license server may be contacted using an arbitrary web browser under the URL address

http://hostname:port_number 

Hostname determines a computer executing a license server - master or slave. The port_number can be configured (5.3 Configuration). You need the login name and password of the user executing the current master license server for authorized access.

The web interface shows the current state of all license servers of the local network, refreshed every 60 seconds, condensed and sorted:

• the license keys in the upper part
• and the license servers and license directories in the lower part.

For each license key the display shows:

• the names of the computers executing the license servers which control the key; each hostname is a hyperlink to the corresponding license file;
• each user of the license key, her clear name if known, the hostname of her computer and the time period of use;
• limitations of number or time.

For each license directory the display shows:

• the hostname of the computer hosting the directory;
• a hyperlink to the log file if configured;
• the uptime of the license server;
• the names of all license files in the directory.

For each license file there are three hyperlinks, which trigger one of the following actions:

• the first link displays the license file.
• distribute lets the corresponding license server send the license file to all other license servers, which store it in their respective license directories.
• remove deletes the license file from the directory irrecoverably.