PQ Systems License Manager 8.0

Installation and Administration Guide

Date: 11-April-2011
 Copyright © 2008-2011 PQ Systems, Inc.

Contents

What is PQ Systems License Manager?

This document is available on the web here.

The PQ Systems License Manager (PQLM), referred to as the license manager in this document, is used to support the concurrent-user license model with PQ Systems software products. It is not used for the per-computer license model. Please refer to the concurrent-user license information page for more information about this license model.

The license manager is installed as a Windows service on one computer in your network.

IMPORTANT: Unless you obtain specific written permission from PQ Systems, you are only authorized to run a single instance of the license manager within your network. To do otherwise is in violation of your concurrent-user license agreement.

When a user starts a PQ Systems application (licensed under the concurrent-user license model) on a computer in your network, the license manager is contacted to verify that the application may run based upon the number of users who are concurrently running the application at that time.

Preparing to install PQ Systems License Manager

Obtain the license manager setup program. This setup should be available on the PQ Systems' software CDROM, however if you have internet access please download the most current version of the setup program here.

Differences between the 5.0 and 8.0 versions of the license manager:

  1. The default port for the administrative web interface changed from 9000 to 5054. Thus a URL for the web interface that looked like http://MyLicenseServer:9000 for the 5.0 version will look like http://MyLicenseServer:5054 for the 8.0 version.
  2. The 8.0 version no longer creates and uses the C:\Rlm folder on the computer where the license manager is installed.

Follow these steps to prepare to install the license manager at your site.

  1. The license manager is installed as a Windows service on one computer in your network. Determine which computer will be used to run the license manager service. It is strongly recommended that the computer have a static IP address.

    You should choose a computer that will be running whenever someone wants to use the PQ application, since the PQ application will not run if it cannot contact the license manager. The license manager is typically installed on a Windows server, but it can be installed on either a workstation or server version of Windows 2000 or higher. If the computer is running a firewall, you will need to ensure that you allow the service to accept connections from other computers in your network.
  2. The license manager uses the Reprise License Manager 8.0 (RLM) software from Reprise Software.

    If another software vendor is also using RLM, and you want to install that vendor's RLM license service as well as the PQ Systems License Manager on the same computer, please contact PQ Systems technical support for help in accomplishing this.
  3. When the license manager is installed it will use the service option defaults shown below. If you want to use different service options, you must delete the license manager service and re-install it to reflect your desired options (more on how to do that below).

    Listed below are the various service options and their default values:

    Web administration interface - The license manager service has a web based administration interface that is very useful in administering the license manager. You have the option of disabling this administration interface. However, administering the license manager without the administration interface can be cumbersome. Unless you have a definite need not to have a web administration interface, it is suggested that you use it. If you are concerned about your users finding the web administration interface and making unauthorized changes, then change the administration interface port number to one known only to authorized personnel. The default is to use the web administration interface.

    Web administration interface port number - The default TCP/IP port number for the web administration interface is port 5054. You can specify a different port number if you desire. Note that this is a change from port 9000 that was used in the 5.0 version of the license manager.

    Respond to the rlmdown command? - It is possible to shut down the license manager by running the administration tool rlmdown.exe. The default behavior is for the license manager service to shut down when commanded to do so by rlmdown. You have the option to tell the license manager to ignore a shut down command sent from rlmdown.

    Respond to the rlmremove command? - It is possible to remove a checked-out license by running the administration tool rlmremove.exe. The default behavior is for the license manager to remove the specified checked-out license when commanded to do so by rlmremove. You have the option to tell the license manager to ignore a license removal command sent from rlmremove.

Installing PQ Systems License Manager

Follow these steps to install the license manager at your site.

  1. You must only run a single instance of the PQ Systems License Manager. The concurrent-user license agreement (available here) says:

    Concurrent-User License Model - The Concurrent-User License is offered under a subscription license term. Under the concurrent-user license model, PQ Systems grants to you a nonexclusive right to install the Software on multiple networked computers that are owned or controlled by you, and to concurrently use the Software, such that at any time, the total number of concurrent users of the Software is equal to or less than the number of concurrent users purchased by you. You agree to run a single instance of the PQ Systems License Manager software within your network in order to limit usage of the Software such that no more than the purchased number of users can concurrently run the Software. You may install the PQ Systems License Manager software on a backup computer to use only in the event that the primary computer fails. Any attempt to concurrently run more than one instance of the PQ Systems' License Manager, or by any other means to concurrently run more than the purchased number of users, is in violation of this license and may result in termination of this license agreement.
  2. Use an account with local administrator privileges to perform these steps.
  3. It is recommended that the computer where the license manager is installed have a static IP address.
  4. Run the license manager setup program (which typically is pqlm8.0_setup.exe). The license manager setup program is available here.
  5. After the setup program has completed, the Windows service called "PQ Systems License Manager" will be installed and started using the service options default values.
  6. Follow these steps if you want to use service options that are different from the defaults discussed above.
  7. PQ Systems will send you a license file (a text file with a LIC file extension) that enables your license entitlement for each PQ Systems software product that you run under the concurrent-user license model. If you have one or more LIC files at this time, copy the file(s) into the installation folder, which typically is "C:\Program Files\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 32-bit computer or "C:\Program Files (x86)\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 64-bit computer and follow the instructions for Adding or changing a license entitlement.
  8. Copy a suitably configured LicenseServer.ini into the installation folder of each PQ application that will use a concurrent-user license. Follow the instructions in the Configuring PQ applications to use the license manager section below.

Administering PQ Systems License Manager

The PQ Systems License Manager (PQLM) is implemented by using the Reprise License Manager (RLM) software from Reprise Software.

The RLM end-user manual, provided by Reprise Software, contains information that, despite the name, is primarily oriented toward the person who installs and administers RLM. In general, you should not need to refer to this manual, but if you do, the RLM end-user manual can be viewed locally here, or here on the web. If you have a question that is not addressed by this guide, you may find the answer in the RLM end-user manual, and you can always contact PQ Systems technical support for help. Some topics in the RLM end-user manual, as noted below, do not apply to the PQ Systems License Manager:

Using the web based administration interface

The web based administration interface to the PQ Systems License Manager service is enabled by default, but you may have disabled it at the time the service was installed. The following information about how to open the administration interface in a browser is useful only when the web interface is enabled.

The web administration interface to the license manager service can be reached using a web browser (like Internet Explorer or Firefox) via a URL similar to that shown below. The following example assumes that port 5054 (the default port number) is used for the web interface, and that the PQ Systems License Manager is installed on the local computer.

http://localhost:5054

If you want to open the web administration interface on another computer, substitute the name of the computer in place of localhost, and specify the appropriate port number in place of 5054. For example, use http://MyLicenseServer:9500 to open the web administration interface on the computer named MyLicenseServer using port 9500 (this assumes that you changed the port from 5054 to 9500).

When the web administration interface is open, the following sections of the interface are typically used:

Adding or changing a license entitlement

PQ Systems will send you a license file (a text file with a LIC file extension) that enables your license entitlement for each PQ Systems software product that you run under the concurrent-user license model. When you receive a new license file from PQ Systems, please copy the file into the installation folder, which typically is "C:\Program Files\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 32-bit computer or "C:\Program Files (x86)\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 64-bit computer. Next, you must tell the license manager to reread the license file(s) so that your new license entitlement becomes active. In order to do that use one of the following methods:

Using the license manager behind a firewall

If a software or hardware firewall exists between the client computers (where the PQ applicaton software is installed) and the server computer (where the license manager is installed) it will be necessary to open two TCP ports in the firewall. When a PQ application contacts the license server it does so on two TCP ports. Thus you should open those two TCP ports so that the firewall allows inbound connections from the client computers to the server computer.

The customer can change these two port numbers if 2764 or 2687 conflict with other applications. By default all license files shipped from PQ have been setup to use port 2764, but most license files have not been setup to specify 2687 as the second port number.

You can edit the license file (a text file with a LIC file extension) with Notepad and change the port numbers. The first two lines of the license file begin with HOST and ISV as shown below (where ports 2764 and 2687 are specified):

HOST localhost ANY 2764
ISV pqsystems pqsystems pqsystems.opt 2687

Your ISV line may look like the example below (in which case the license manager will pick an unused high port number instead of using the specified port number):

ISV pqsystems pqsystems

If that is the case you should modify the ISV line as shown below in order to specify the port number (so that you can open that port number in the firewall):

ISV pqsystems pqsystems pqsystems.opt 2687

If you have multiple license files you must change each of them to use the same specified two ports.

Configuring PQ applications to use the license manager

Each PQ Systems software application that is licensed under the concurrent-user model must have a LicenseServer.ini file placed in its installation folder. This file tells the application how to contact the license manager.

A sample LicenseServer.ini file can be found in the installation folder of the license manager, which typically is "C:\Program Files\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 32-bit computer or "C:\Program Files (x86)\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 64-bit computer.

You must edit your LicenseServer.ini file so that it specifies the proper information for your site. Do not change the file name. Please refer to the comments in the file for specific information. Then you must copy your customized LicenseServer.ini file into the installation folder of each PQ Systems software application that is licensed under the concurrent-user model.

If the Server line in your LicenseServer.ini does not look similar to the following, and the PQ application cannot successfully get a concurrent-user license from the license server, then you should carefully follow the instructions contained in LicenseServer.ini:

Server=2764@LicenseServerName

Helpful hint: If you have a test computer with .NET Framework 2.0 or higher installed you can use the PQLM.Utility.Program.exe program to create and/or edit your LicenseServer.ini file and test communications with the license manager. This program can be found in the PQLM.Utility.Program subfolder beneath the folder where the license manager is installed. Simply copy the PQLM.Utility.Program folder to a test computer (i.e. a computer other than the license server computer) and run the utility. In the Computer field enter something that can resolve to the IP address of the computer where the license manager is installed (i.e. computer name, DNS name, or IP address). Click the "Connect to the PQ Systems License Manager" button. The program attempts to connect to the license manager on the specified computer using the specified port number and query for any CHARTrunner, GAGEpack or SQCpack concurrent-user licenses. After successfully connecting to the license manager you can use File > "Save LicenseServer.ini" to create or update the LicenseServer.ini file with the appropriate parameters. Then you can copy that LicenseServer.ini file into the installation folder of your PQ Systems software applications that run under a concurrent-user license.

Helpful hint: This tip will make your life easier. Have all your users install their PQ applications from the same shared network folder. Put a copy of your customized LicenseServer.ini file in this folder along with the setup program for the PQ Systems software application. When the PQ application is installed on a computer in your network, the setup program will automatically copy the LicenseServer.ini file into the installation folder of the installed PQ application.

Uninstalling PQ Systems License Manager

Please follow these steps to remove the license manager from a computer.

  1. Use "Control Panel" > "Add or Remove Programs" to uninstall  the "PQ Systems License Manager". As an alternative, you can click on the "Uninstall PQ Systems License Manager" shortcut under your Start menu.
  2. Any license files that were copied into the installation folder, which typically is "C:\Program Files\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 32-bit computer or "C:\Program Files (x86)\PQ Systems\License Manager" on a 64-bit computer, will remain in that folder. If desired, you must manually remove those files.