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Floating license server operation manual - On-premises version

The following explains the on-premises version floating license.

  • set up
  • Operation
    • Check license usage status
    • Update license
  • Uninstall
  • troubleshooting

set up​

Learn how system administrators can set up a floating license server for Next Design. The steps to set up a floating license server are as follows:

  1. Download
  2. Installation
  3. Configuration
  4. Activate your license
  5. Server auto-start registration
  6. Change firewall settings
  7. Operation confirmation
Caution

When operating multiple editions with floating licenses, you need to prepare a different license server for each edition.

info

Administrator privileges are required to execute the commands described in the following steps. For Windows, run the command prompt as an administrator. For Linux, use the sudo or su command.

1. Download​

Download the files necessary to build a floating license server from Next Design's support page.
The required files are as follows.

  • LexFloatServer-Win.zip
  • NextDesignProduct.dat
Caution

After downloading the zip file, remove the security protection and unzip the file as follows:

  1. Right-click the zip file and display Properties.
  2. Read the [Security] explanation displayed at the bottom of the [General] tab, check the [Allow] checkbox on the right, and press the [OK] button.

2. Installation​

Extract the downloaded zip file and save it to your desired installation folder.

  • LexFloatServer.exe ･･･ License server executable file
  • config.yml ･･･ Configuration file
  • NextDesignProduct.dat ･･･ Next Design product identification data file
info

Running a floating license server requires the Visual Studio 2015 redistributable package. If it is not installed, please download and install it from Microsoft site.

3. Configuration​

Configure the information required to operate the floating license server.

Open "config.yml" stored in the folder with a text editor and edit it as shown below.

server:
  port: {port number used by floating license server}
  licenseKey: {license key for issued floating license}
  productFilePath: NextDesignProduct.dat
auth:
  admins:
    - username: {Username to sign in to the license management screen}
      password: {password to sign in to the license management screen}
note

Next Design product identification data file: If you store "NextDesignProduct.dat" in a different folder than the license server executable file, please specify the relative path from the license server executable file for productFilePath: above.

4. Activate your license​

Activate your license using the command line. Learn how to activate online and offline.

note
  • Activation can also be performed using the license management screen accessed from a browser, but since the procedure is simpler using the command line, we will explain the procedure using the command line below.
Operating instructions

Run the following command:

lexfloatserver -a

5. Server automatic startup registration​

Starting a floating license server requires service registration. By executing the command below, it will be registered as a service, and the floating license server will automatically start the service when the server starts.

lexfloatserver -i --service-name {Service name to be registered} --service-display-name {Service name to be displayed on management tool}

6. Change firewall settings​

Configure your firewall to allow access to your floating license server.

  1. Open [Network and Internet] from [Windows Settings].
  2. Open Windows Firewall.
  3. Open Allow an application through firewall.
  4. Click [Allow another app] to open the [Add app] dialog.
  5. Press the [Reference] button and select [LexFloatServer.exe].
  6. Check Private and Public for Floating license server in the list of Allowed apps and features.
  7. Click the [OK] button to close the dialog.

7. Operation confirmation​

This section explains the steps to check whether the floating license server is operating normally.

You can confirm that it is working properly by starting Next Design on a separate machine from the server and actually activating the license.

  1. Launch Next Design.
  2. If you have not registered your license for Next Design, the [Register License] dialog will be displayed.
    (If the license is already registered, please cancel the license by following the license cancellation procedure described below before starting.)
  3. Select Floating License from the License Type selection.
  4. Select On-premises from the License server selection.
  5. For Server Address, specify the URL of the server where you set up your license server.
  6. For Port, specify the port number that you specified in the license server configuration.
  7. If necessary, change your system's proxy settings to connect to the license server. Please check with your network administrator for details.
  8. Press the [Register] button.
  9. If the license server is working properly and the license is activated, Next Design will start.
License cancellation procedure
  1. Select Help > License Management to display the License Management dialog.
  2. Click the [License Cancellation] button, and then click OK in the confirmation dialog that appears.
  3. The license will be canceled and Next Design will close.

Operation​

Check license usage status​

System administrators can check license usage status from their browser. The information that a system administrator can confirm is as follows.

  • Current number of licenses in use/maximum number available
  • License activation status
  • Information about users currently using the license
    • Machine name
Operating instructions
  1. Launch your browser.
  2. Enter [http://floating license server host name:port number to use] in the address field.
  3. Sign in with the configured user name and password.

Update license​

To update your license, such as extending the license expiration date or adding the maximum number available, you must complete the following steps:

Operating instructions

  1. Run the following command on the command line to activate it again.

    lexfloatserver -a

  2. Run the following command on the command line to restart the service.

    sc stop {registered service name}
    sc start {registered service name}

Uninstall​

Service registration will be canceled by following the steps below.

Operating instructions
  1. Run the following command on the command line: 
    lexfloatserver -u --service-name {registered service name}
    lexfloatserver -d

troubleshooting​

This section explains the causes and solutions when license authentication fails.

  1. Unable to connect to floating license server.

Cause

  • Either the server address or port is incorrect

  • Floating license server is not started

  • Floating server's firewall is preventing license authentication

  • Proxy server is interfering with license authentication

Occurrence conditions

  • [Server Address] is different from [http://floating license server host name], or [Port] is different from the port number specified in the configuration

  • Floating license server is not started

  • Floating license services are not excluded in the server's firewall settings.

  • The floating license server address is not excluded in the client's proxy settings.

Workaround

  • Please enter the correct values ​​for server address and port.

  • Start the floating license server. Please follow the steps described in Service Registration.

  • Please allow the floating license service in your firewall's application permissions. Please follow the firewall instructions in the configuration.

  • Do not use a proxy server for local addresses or exclude floating license server addresses. Please perform step 5 of operation check.

  1. The license is not registered on the floating license server.

Cause

  • License not registered on floating license server

  • The registered license key is incorrect

Occurrence conditions

  • Step (-a) for registering license on floating license server is not performed

  • The registered license key is incorrect and an error occurs when -a is executed.

  • License key has been deregistered

Workaround

  • Check the license key for your floating license and follow the activation steps.
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