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Setting Up the STI Floating License Manager and Clients

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Section 1. Setting Up a Floating License Manager

Quick Overview of Steps:

  1. Select system to host license server.
  2. Install license server.
  3. Determine the "almhostid" of the server.
  4. Obtain license file from STI.
  5. Install the license file.
  6. Start the license server.
  7. Test with a client app.
  8. If on Unix, optionally place the server startup command in system startup scripts.

1.1 Select system to host license server

The license server can be any Unix or Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP/2003 system which is accessible from the client that will be running STI software. It cannot be hosted by Windows 95/98/ME machines. You can mix and match operating systems, for example you can run a client on Windows 95 and use a Unix system as the license server.

1.2 Install license server

Understand and the stand-alone License Manager can both be downloaded from www.getunderstand.com.

Each Understand installation kit contains the needed license manager software. So if you intend to also run Understand on the server (or if you don't mind a little extra stuff on the server) install the full kit.

If you don't want Understand on the server, theninstall the "License Manager" kit appropriate for the architecture of your server. This is convenient for instance if you want to run Understand on Windows machines, but host the license server on Solaris.

To install, just create a directory and extract the kit into that directory. It will be in a gzipped tar file on Unix or a ZIP file on Windows.

NOTE: It is CRITICAL that the "alm" kit be extracted in a manner that retains its directory structure. Once extracted the directory containing the tools can be moved around, but the entire structure must be moved.

1.3 Determine the "almhost" of the server

Unix: Understand's Help->Licensing dialog box OR run "almhostid" command line program
Windows: Understand's Help->Licensing dialog box OR run "almhostid.exe" command line program

Note . almhostid is a binary program included in the bin directory of the installation kit for Understand and SourcePublisher.

1.4 Obtain the license file from SciTools

Email the almhostid information to keys@scitools.com. Include your customer id (if known). We will email you a license.dat file for your system. If the request is made during US EST working hours (8-6 EST), you should get a license.dat file back within one hour (usually much quicker).

1.5 Install the license file

Place the license.dat file that we send back into the conf/license/ subdirectory of your Understand installation area on the license server system as well as any clients which have Understand installed.

1.6 Start the license server

Unix server

From a command line window on the server system, run almd and specify the location of the license file with the -l option.

almd -l /sti/conf/license/license.dat

This is your license server for Understand and must stay running. Note that there are other options. almd -h. gives the options.

Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP/2003 server

From a command line window on the server system, run the almdNTconfig program with the -c option to install and start the license manager as an NT service. A log file may also be specified with the -f option if desired. By default, a log file is not created.

almdNTconfig -c -l "c:\program files\sti\conf\license\license.dat"

This both installs the license manager as an NT service and starts up the license manager.

If you encounter an error where "msvcr71.dll is not found", download and extract these Microsft libraries into windows\system32.

If you encounter another error while starting the license manager, run the same command again and append -d3 to enable logging.

If you wish to stop the license server, use the NT Service Control Manager, or specify the -t (for terminate) option from the almdNTconfig command line program:

almdNTconfig -t

To see other options use almdNTconfig -h.

1.7 Test with a client app (Optional)

As long as the license server is running, you will be able to run Understand or SourcePublisher from another client. Be sure that your license.dat file is placed in the conf/license/ subdirectory on all systems where Understand is installed - see the next section for installing clients.

If you want to check on the license server status at a later time, from the command line, run the almstatus program.

almstatus

1.8 Place in System startup scripts (Optional - Unix only)

The "almd" command used in Step 1.6 may now be placed in your Unix system's startup scripts. This may be a task for your system manager. Common locations are /etc/rc.local and /etc/rc.init.

Section 2. Installing a Client (Understand for C++, FORTRAN, ADA, or SourcePublisher C++)

2.1 Install per the instructions for that client (Windows or Unix).

Windows - install by running the self-installing executable.
Unix - install by extracting the compressed .tar file (see the Unix installation instructions)

2.2

Drop the license .dat file for the server being used into the conf/license/ directory of where the client is installed OR run Understand and specify the servername and port (generally 9000) via the Help->Licensing dialog


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