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A Detailed Licensing Information
Advanced Visual Systems' products are licensed using FLEXlm from Globetrotter Software. FLEXlm is a powerful, flexible licensing tool that supports a variety of licensing configurations.
This chapter contains the following sections:
- Section A.1, Understanding Licensing Configurations
- Section A.2, Installing and Starting the License Server
- Section A.3, License Administration
- Section A.4, Creating Runtime Licenses For Your Applications
- Section A.5, Troubleshooting Licensing-related Problems
Licensing a product can be very simple even if you have a somewhat complex environment. The instructions in this manual cover the most likely licensing situation. If your needs go beyond the information in this appendix, or if you encounter any problems during licensing, please feel free to contact Advanced Visual Systems.
- Note: Many of the examples in this chapter are based on the UNIX operating system. Wherever necessary, Windows-platform information has been included; however, if you are running on a Windows platform, you should note that the paths in some of the examples may not match your system.
You need the appropriate license information in order to run AVS/Express after it is installed. The license-related information that you receive from Advanced Visual Systems typically look similar to the information shown below.
SERVER <hostname> DISK_SERIAL_NUMBER=<host machine id> <TCP socket>
DAEMON avs_lmd <pathname>/avs_lmd [options file]
FEATURE <feature name> <vendor daemon> <vers> <date> <#> <code> <"vendor_string"> ¬ DISK_SERIAL_NUM=<node machine id>
On a UNIX platform an example might look like this:
SERVER cobra 77baf8d9 7121
DAEMON avs_lmd <install_dir>/express/bin/<machine type>/avs_lmd
FEATURE EXPRESS avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 60 7B08006171C7E6B68242"GgVvDdCcJT" ¬
[77baf8d9]
On a Windows platform the same example would look like this:
SERVER cobra DISK_SERIAL_NUM=77baf8d9 7121
DAEMON avs_lmd <install-dir>\runtime\bin\<machine type>\avs_lmd.exe
FEATURE EXPRESS avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 60 7B08006171C7E6B68242 "GgVvDdCcJT" ¬
DISK_SERIAL_NUM=77baf8d9
However, there are two different kinds of AVS/Express licenses: node-locked licenses and floating licenses. Other configurations such as combining node-locked and floating licenses or running redundant licensing servers are also possible. The sections that follow describe the different types of licensing configurations. As you read the information, you should pay close attention to the license-related information that is shown; in some cases the differences are subtle, in other cases, they differences are obvious.
Node-locked, or fixed, licenses reflect a configuration in which AVS/Express is installed and executes on a designated host system. In this configuration, AVS/Express users access the host from the main console or via rlogin from other workstations and run express on the host machine. In most node-locked configurations, the execution node and the licensing server is the same machine, although this is not always the case.
The following figure illustrates such a configuration. AVS/Express is installed and executes on hostA. The hostA system also serves as the host server for the licensing daemons lmgrd and avs_lmd. Up to n users can log in to hostA and run AVS/Express there (n reflects the number of licenses purchased). The license.dat file resides on hostA.
The license.dat file for such a configuration looks similar to the following:
SERVER hostA <machine idA> 1700
DAEMON avs_lmd <install-dir>/express/bin/<machine type>/avs_lmd
FEATURE EXPRESS avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 <n> FB4FB43AFD04E643099C ¬
"GgVvDdCcJjTt" <machine idA>
Floating licenses use one central host server to administer licenses for users who are running AVS/Express locally on their networked workstations.
In the following figure, hostA is the host license server where the lmgrd license daemon runs continually. Requests for licenses come in to the lmgrd daemon from client systems. When a license is granted, AVS/Express runs locally on the client workstations (client host 1, client host 2, and so forth). The license.dat file resides on hostA. (Note that any host in the configuration could actually be used as the license server.)
For this floating license configuration, the license.dat file looks similar to the following:
SERVER hostA <machine idA> 1700
DAEMON avs_lmd <install-dir>/express/bin/<machine type>/avs_lmd
FEATURE EXPRESS avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 <n> FB4FB43AFD04E643099C "GgVvDdCcJjTt"
There may be situations when you want to set up redundant licensing so that if one lmgrd license server fails, an alternate server continues license administration. You create redundancy by running several lmgrd daemons on different license servers. To do so, you include multiple SERVER lines in your license.dat and you put a copy of that license.dat on each server. An lmgrd license daemon would run on each machine.
As long as a majority of the daemons are active and AVS/Express can contact two of the three (or three of the five), the conditions for continuous license administration will be satisfied.
Because license administration requires that a majority of the daemons are active, you must set up an odd number of redundant license servers. Thus a minimal redundant configuration would require three license servers.
You must specifically arrange for the use of redundant license daemons when you arrange to obtain your license.dat file from Advanced Visual Systems. If you wish to add redundancy at a later time, you will have to contact Advanced Visual Systems to obtain a new license.dat file.
The following figure illustrates a configuration with three license servers. The license daemons communicate and a majority constitutes a quorum that permits AVS/Express access.
The license.dat file for the above configuration looks similar to the following:
SERVER hostA <machine idA> 1700
SERVER hostB <machine idB> 1700
SERVER hostC <machine idC> 1700
DAEMON avs_lmd <install-dir>/express/bin/<machine type>/avs_lmd
FEATURE EXPRESS avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 <n> FB4FB43AFD04E643099C "GgVvDdCcJjTt"
It is possible to have both node-locked and floating licenses within one configuration providing that the node-locked FEATURE line precedes the floating FEATURE line in the license.dat file. When the express process starts on a node-locked workstation, it will try to use the node-locked license first (and run express locally). Otherwise, it will issue a request to the lmgrd license daemon for a floating license.
Follow the platform-specific procedure to install and start the license server.
- cd <install-dir>\runtime\bin\pc
- where <install-dir> is the directory in which you installed AVS/Express.
3. If an earlier version of the FLEXlm license server is running on your system, type the following commands to stop and uninstall the license server.
- A licensing wizard is displayed.
6. Go to the Setup tab, and provide the necessary information. We recommend selecting the "Use NT Services" option as well as the "Start Server at Power-Up" option.
- cd <install-dir>/express/bin/<machine type>
- where install-dir is the directory in which you installed AVS/Express and machine type is a string that corresponds to the platform on which you are running. (Refer to the table on page 1-vi for a listing of machine types.)
3. If an earlier version of the FLEXlm license server is running on your system, type the following command to stop the license server.
- Note: The -c <new path>/license.dat is only necessary if you have moved the license.dat file from its standard location, and license.log is only necessary if you want to maintain a record of any error messages.
- If you see any warnings or errors, contact Advanced Visual Systems before continuing.
5. If the license server came up correctly, add the lmgrd command to your system start up files. The start up files are listed in the table below.
- You should contact your system administrator if you need help with setting up your start up file.
The lmutil license administration utility provides an easy way to monitor and administer licensing at your site. By default, lmutil is installed in the <install-dir>\runtime\bin\<machine type> directory. The command line syntax for lmutil is shown below.
The following lmutil command options are available.
- Generates diagnostic information on a licensed feature when you cannot check out a license for that feature. You can use the -n command line option to run lmutil lmdiag in non-interactive mode.
- Prints the FLEXlm version of the specified binary file.
- Generates status on all network licensing activities. Arguments include:
- -a - Display everything.
- -A - List all active licenses.
- -c license_file - Use the license file named license_file.
- -f feature_name - List all users of feature_name.
- -l regular_expression - List users of matching license(s).
- -S daemon - List all users of daemon's features
- -s server_name - Display status of node named server_name.
- -t value - Set lmstat time-out interval to value.
- Performs a graceful shutdown of all license daemons (both lmgrd and all vendor daemons).
- Removes the specified licenses. For example, this could be required in the case where the licensed user was running the software on a node that subsequently crashed. This situation sometimes causes the license to remain unusable. The lmremove utility allows the license to return to the pool of available licenses. Arguments include:
- Causes the specified daemon process to reread the license file.
- Reports what FLEXlm thinks is the machine id of the system on which it is executed.
Skip this information if you have licensed the Visualization Edition of AVS/Express.
To deploy your application as a runtime version to customers, you can distribute the application with a runtime license that will not allow users to edit the application.
You (and your customers) specify usage of the runtime license by setting the XP_FEATURE environment variable before starting the application. Alternatively, you can create custom runtime licenses (refer to Custom Licenses).
- Note: If you want to incorporate a non-FLEXlm-based licensing mechanism into your runtime applications, you must contact your Advanced Visual Systems sales representative to make arrangements to do so.
The usable/editable objects or components in the AVS/Express application are controlled by letters in the vendor string section of the runtime license. Here is an example of a runtime license:
SERVER hostA DISK_SERIAL_NUM=<machineidA> 1700
DAEMON avs_lmd C:\express\bin\PC\avs_lmd.exe
FEATURE XP_RUNTIME/PC avs_lmd 3.000 1-jan-00 4 FB4FC43AFE04E653099D "gvdc"
The "gvdc" vendor string in this FEATURE line specifies that:
- the Graphics Display, Data Visualization, and Database kits can be used but not edited
- the Projects->Save Compiled Project pulldown command on the Network Editor menubar is inactive; in other words, a runtime application cannot create another runtime application.
When you have a "use-but-not-edit" license, you cannot:
- open any macros that are in libraries with the edit license property set; for example, any of the viewers
- instance objects in libraries with the edit license property set; for example, GD.DataObject.
However, some commonly used objects that are in restricted libraries are duplicated in unrestricted libraries. The GD.DataObject, for example, is also in VIEW.DataObject so that it can be instanced in a runtime application.
When you build a runtime application, you will need to keep these restrictions in mind. You should always test your runtime application using an XP_RUNTIME license to ensure that it does not violate the use/edit restrictions.
If you are developing applications and you want to incorporate GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) or TIFF (Tag Image File Format) by using LZW compression image readers or writers in your runtime application, you must make licensing arrangements with Unisys Corporation and abide by the following Unisys notice.
- Use of this software for providing LZW capability for any purpose is not authorized unless user first enters into a license agreement with Unisys under U.S. Patent No. 4,558,302 and foreign counterparts. For information concerning licensing, please contact:
- Unisys Corporation
Welch Licensing Department - C1SW19
Township Line & Union Meeting Roads
P.O. Box 500
Blue Bell, PA 19422When you have made the necessary arrangements with Unisys Corporation, Advanced Visual Systems will include these components in your license. (GIF and LZW TIFF are separately licensed components of the vendor string part of the AVS/Express XP_RUNTIME/PC license (and in all AVS/Express license FEATUREs). GIF and LZW TIFF will not be licensed in an XP_RUNTIME/PC by default.)
Please contact Advanced Visual Systems customer support for further information.
Runtime licenses come in two forms: a "generic" runtime (using a license.dat feature of "XP_RUNTIME/PC") or a "custom" runtime (with a feature specific to your company).
- Note: The XP_RUNTIME/PC feature can be used to run any application built with AVS/Express (without edit capabilities).
If your application is one such that you want to have an exclusive license to run it, you will want to obtain custom runtime licenses from Advanced Visual Systems.
You must contact support@avs.com and register your custom feature. To set that feature in your application, edit the express.c file in your project and add the information shown below the first lines in the PREinit function.
You should also verify that your application cannot be run using a standard XP_RUNTIME/PC feature. Please contact Advanced Visual Systems Customer Support in case of difficulties.
The following sections describe some of the more common licensing-related problems that can occur.
AVS/Express periodically contacts the lmgrd license daemon while it is running. If AVS/Express loses contact with the license daemon-either because the daemon has died or because the system on which the daemon was running has crashed or become inaccessible- the following message is displayed on your screen.
The connection to the license daemon has been lost.
You have 15 minutes to save your work or
restart the license daemon before your session ends.
If this occurs, you should save your work and then restart the license daemon.
In the terminal emulator window from which you started AVS/Express, this message appears and periodically repeats:
If the license daemon does not restart, the warning message is repeated when 5 minutes remain. At the end of 15 minutes, the AVS/Express session exits. You will need to restart the lmgrd license daemon in order to restart AVS/Express (see Installing and Starting the License Server).
When you start AVS/Express, a number of messages may be written to the terminal emulator window from which you start AVS/Express. Some of the more common messages are described below.
- AVS/Express cannot make a network connection to the designated license server. Check the SERVER line in your license file and ensure that the machine can be accessed through the network at the specified port. It is also possible that the server is no longer running or that network traffic is slow.
- The DAEMON name specified in your license.dat FEATURE line does not match the vendor daemon name.
- The license file cannot be opened. The license mechanism first uses your LM_LICENSE_FILE variable, if present, and then it looks in the default directory. You should have a copy of your server's license file on this machine or at least be able to access it.
- The hostname specified in the SERVER line is unknown to this system; check the spelling and make sure that host names in SERVER lines are not longer than 10 characters. It is also possible that the SERVER name requires a full DNS name.
- The license file cannot be read; check the path and directory/file permissions. All directories to the license file, as well as the license file itself, should be readable.
- The system clock time difference between the client (where express is to be used) and the server (where lmgrd is running) is too large; the maximum allowed time difference between these two machines is 27 minutes.
- The encryption code for the requested FEATURE is inconsistent; that is, it does not match the rest of the data in the license file, such as the SERVER line information, the number of licenses, the expiration date, and so forth. Ensure that you are using the license file that was provided by Advanced Visual Systems.
- This is somewhat serious and should be brought to the attention of the administrator. When it occurs, it is usually because the host on which the application was running has crashed. A license token may be temporarily "lost" from the pool.
- Today's date is after the expiration date in the license file. This may occur if you are running demonstration, evaluation, or beta copies of software.
- The requested FEATURE is not yet enabled; the date on the machine is set prior to the feature's start date.
- The hostid or hostname shown in the SERVER line does not match this machine's hostid or hostname. Check the spelling of the hostname, and also check your domain-the hostname may have to be typed with its full DNS name.
- lmgrd does not support the requested FEATURE; either the feature has expired, or it is no longer supported, or is not supported by your license. Make sure that lmgrd version 5.12a or higher is currently being used; the lmgrd provided with the AVS/Express software is version 5.12a.
- You are authorized for n licenses, and all n licenses are in use. This may also appear as "request for more licenses than this feature supports".
- The requested feature was not found in the license file. You are probably using the wrong license file.
- Your local system administrator has established local access lists for the feature. Contact your system administrator for assistance.
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