License Server Version 12.4

This document is intended to describe the installation of a floating license server.

The license server setup
Introduction
rlm startup options
Running the rlm server as a service on Windows
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The license server setup

To install the license server, you need to

Install license server binaries (rlm and obj-sys.set)

rlmsvrw32.exe - Windows

rlm.exe

obj-sys.set

rlmutil.exe

README.html

Install license file (you should have been provided with a license file with extension "lic", for example asn1ve.lic)
Start license server (if you are using floating licenses). See the description of the rlm startup options below.
Set up environment (RLM_LICENSE) for users to find the license server when running the application.

Introduction

The license server consists of two processes

The generic server, called rlm
An ISV (Independent Software Vendor) server, named obj-sys

The rlm server is provided by Reprise Software, and is completely generic. The obj-sys server is configured to contain license key validation that is objsys-specific.

The rlm server is delivered with an embedded Web Server to perform normal administration tasks. The web server is started automatically on port 5054 when rlm is started. To use the web server, simply point your browser to: http://ServerHostName:5054 and select the operation you would like to perform. You will be prompted for any required information.

rlm startup options

The rlm command is:

% rlm [-c license_file] [-dlog [+]logfile]
      [-nows] [-ws port] [-x [rlmdown|rlmremove]]
      [-install_service] [-service_name sname]

The -c license_file option specifies which license file to use. This option overrides the setting of the RLM_LICENSE environment variable. The license_file parameter can be a directory containing license files, all of which will be processed.

The -dlog logfile specifies the pathname for the server debug log. If logfile is preceded by the '+' character, the logfile will be appended, otherwise it is overwritten. (Note: all ISV servers will write their output to the same logfile specified in the -dlog option.)

The -nows and -ws port options control the operation of the embedded Web Server. The -nows option instructs the rlm server to not start the embedded web server. The -ws port option instructs the rlm server to use port as the port number for the web server.

The -x [rlmdown | rlmremove] option controls whether the rlmdown and/or rlmremove commands will be processed by the server. Specifying only -x will disable both commands. Specifying either command name after the -x will disable just that command.

The -install_service and -service_name sname options are used to run the rlm server as a service under windows. See the description of running the rlm server as a service below.

These options can appear in any order on the command line.

Note that if the rlm server cannot bind the web server port (5054 by default), it will exit.

Running the rlm server as a service on Windows

On Microsoft Windows servers, you may want to install and run the rlm server as a Windows service process. A service process can start automatically at boot time and remain running as long as the system is up, regardless of user logins and logouts.

You can install RLM as a service either in the RLM web interface or in a command window. Once installed as a service, it remains installed until it is explicitly deleted as a service. Installing RLM as a service does not start RLM; services are started via the Windows Services control panel, and at boot time.

To install using the web interface, select "Manage Windows Service" from the main menu on the left. You will get a form with 3 data fields:

service name
logfile name
optional command-line arguments

All 3 fields will be filled in with default values. You can just select "Install Service", and the "rlm" service will be installed for you. By default, the logfile is put in the directory with the rlm.exe binary, and it is named rlm.log. Also, by default, rlm will search for all license files in this directory.

If you select "Remove Service", the service name specified in the form will be removed.

NOTE: If the instance of rlm which you are running is actually running as a service, you will not be able to Remove the Service (since it is running). To remove the service, you will have to stop the service, and then either use the service control panel in Windows, or run rlm in a command window and use the Remove Service option in the web interface.

Optionally, you can install RLM as a service in a command window. To do this, use the rlm program itself (in a command window), with special arguments:

rlm -install_service -dlog [+]logfile [-service_name sname] <rlm runtime args>

where:

logfile is the pathname for the server debug log. This parameter is required. If preceded by the '+' character, the logfile will be appended, rather than created.
sname is an optional name for the installed service. If not specified, sname defaults to "rlm". If sname contains embedded whitespace, it must be enclosed in double quotes.
<rlm runtime args> are any other command line arguments to be passed to rlm when it is started.

Example:

rlm -install_service -service_name rlm-xyz -dlog c:\logs\server.log -c c:\licenses\xyz.lic

This installs rlm as a service under the name "rlm-xyz". When started via the Services control panel or at boot time, rlm will be passed the "-c c:\licenses\xyz.lic" args, and it will write it's debuglog information to the file c:\logs\server.log

Installed RLM services are also deleted with the rlm program. Services must be stopped via the service control panel before they can be deleted. Note that deleting a service deletes it from the Windows service database; it does not delete the rlm executable or associated license file(s):

rlm -delete_service [-service_name sname]

where:

sname is an optional name for the installed service. If not specified, service_name defaults to "rlm". If service_name contains embedded whitespace, it must be enclosed in double quotes.

Notes:

It is desirable to use the -c <license file> command line argument with RLM when installed as a service. Use of environment variables with Windows services is undesirable, as the environment passed to started services is the one in effect at boot time.

Because the Service Controller on Windows invokes services under a special user account in a special default directory, it is necessary to use full paths:
- for the -c <license file> argument on the rlm command line
- in ISV daemon paths in the license file
- in options file paths in the license file
- in debug log paths in the ISV options file
- in report log paths in the ISV options file
- for the -dlog debug_log argument on the command line

When running as service, rlm changes its working directory to the directory where rlm.exe is installed. This is so that log files will be written there instead of in c:\windows\system32 as in prior versions (if log file paths are not specified as absolute paths.) rlm.exe checks to make sure that it can write to that directory before changing its working directory. If it can't be written, rlm leaves its working directory as c:\windows\system32.

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