Setting up a License Server on Windows

This page describes the standard procedure for setting up a FlexNet License Manager on a Windows computer.

Before You Begin

The operation of a license server requires an internet connection between the server computer and the client computer(s). The server must accept incoming connections from the clients on two TCP ports: one for the license manager process lmgrd.exe and one for the vendor daemon process plexim.exe.

By default, if you use the server license file plexim.lic provided by Plexim as is, the license manager opens a TPC port in the range 27000-27009 and the vendor daemon opens a port with a random number which is chosen anew whenever the vendor daemon is started.

However, it is considered best practice to assign two dedicated and otherwise unused port numbers (outside the range 27000-27009). You must assign dedicated port numbers if there is a port-based firewall between the server and the client or if there is no free port in the range 27000-27009.

To assign dedicated port numbers, edit the server license file plexim.lic as follows:

SERVER this_host <hostid> <port1>
VENDOR plexim PORT=<port2>
​[...]

If the license manager port number <port1> is outside the range 27000-27009, it must also be specified in the client license file network.lic:

SERVER <licenseserver> ANY <port1>
​USE_SERVER

(Note that the angular brackets < and > are part of the placeholders and are not actually entered into the license files.)

Installation

  1. Download the appropriate Windows package from https://www.plexim.com/dstlm and extract it e.g. to C:\PLECS_License_Manager.
    Note: Do not use the folder name Plexim or plexim as this may create a conflict with the locking mechanism of the vendor daemon plexim.exe.
    If you choose to install to the Program Files folder, you will need to provide a different log file path in step 5 because a service does not have the permissions to create files in the Program Files folder.
  2. If you run the Windows Firewall (or a similar process-based firewall) on the server, you must set up rules that allow incoming connections for the two executables C:\PLECS_License_Manager\lmgrd.exe and C:\PLECS_License_Manager\plexim.exe.
  3. Copy the server license file plexim.lic to the installation folder.
  4. Start the executable lmtools.exe located in the installation folder.
  5. Open the Config Services tab and complete the form as follows:
    Service Name PLECS License Manager
    Path to the lmgrd.exe file C:\PLECS_License_Manager\lmgrd.exe
    Path to the license file C:\PLECS_License_Manager\plexim.lic
    Path to the debug log file C:\PLECS_License_Manager\plexim.log

    Ensure that the options Use Services and Start Server at Power Up are checked.
    Note: The debug log file does not exist initially but will be created by the license manager. It is useful to pinpoint licensing errors.

  6. Click on the button Save Service.
  7. Open the Start/Stop/Reread tab. Ensure that the new service PLECS License Manager is selected and click on Start Server. The status bar should show the message "Server Start Successful".
  8. Open the Config Services tab once more and click on View Log... to inspect the debug log file. The final lines should be similar to these (summary log lines (SLOG) omitted):
    12:32:10 (lmgrd) FlexNet Licensing (v11.13.1.3 build 176543 x64_n6) started on AMPERE (IBM PC)
12:32:10 (lmgrd) Copyright (c) 1988-2015 Flexera Software LLC. All Rights Reserved.
12:32:10 (lmgrd) World Wide Web:  http://www.flexerasoftware.com
12:32:10 (lmgrd) License file(s): C:\PLECS_License_Manager\plexim.lic
12:32:10 (lmgrd) lmgrd tcp-port 1701
12:32:10 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemons ... 
12:32:10 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemon at port 1702
12:32:10 (lmgrd) Using vendor daemon port 1702 specified in license file
12:32:10 (lmgrd) Started plexim (pid 2644)
12:32:10 (plexim) FlexNet Licensing version v11.13.1.3 build 176543 x64_n6
12:32:12 (plexim) Server started on AMPERE for:	plecsedit	
12:32:12 (plexim) EXTERNAL FILTERS are OFF
12:32:12 (lmgrd) plexim using TCP-port 1702
  9. Quit lmtools.exe.

Next Steps

Edit the client license file network.lic as needed and distribute it to the end users.

If PLECS cannot obtain a license from the license server, please follow the troubleshooting guide to identify the problem.