X
70 Rate this article:
No rating

INTERNAL: How do I limit user access to specific license feature lines in my FLEXlm network license file?

Anonym
Topic:
Controlling license access to specific lines in a FLEXlm license file (Options File).

Occasionally customers need to limit user access to specific feature lines in a license file.

For example, an RSI FLEXlm license file issued for a single license server contains multiple IDL license floating network feature (INCREMENT) lines owned by different departments at a site. The following license.dat shows three separate 1-user floating IDL license feature lines, each owned by a different group at the user site. Each group would like exclusive access to their own IDL license seat.

##########################################
# License Installation ID Number(s): 123, 456, 789

SERVER myserver 12345678 1700
DAEMON idl_lmgrd /usr/local/rsi/idl_5.4/bin
INCREMENT idl idl_lmgrd 5.400 1-jan-0000 10 ABCXXXXXXXXXXXXXXABC \
   VENDOR_STRING="123Group #1" ck=15
INCREMENT idl idl_lmgrd 5.400 1-jan-0000 10 DEFXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDEF \
   VENDOR_STRING="456Group #2" ck=15
INCREMENT idl idl_lmgrd 5.400 1-jan-0000 10 GHIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXGHI \
   VENDOR_STRING="789Group #3" ck=15
FEATURESET idl_lmgrd B5A72B206C386768
##########################################

LICENSE ID  OWNER
  123          Group 1
  456          Group 2
  789          Group 3

In this example, the groups are composed of users as follows:

Group 1
alfred
alice
alex

Group 2
betty
bob
buford

Group 3
chris
charlie
clementineDiscussion:
Specific user access of individual license feature lines in a server type FLEXlim license file can be limited by use of an Options file. The Options file for RSI product licenses must be called "idl_lmgrd.opt" and must be a plain text file located in the same directory as the license file used to start the license manager. To recognize the Options file specifications, the "idl_lmgrd.opt" file must exist at the time the license manager is started. The Options file must have read permissions by the owner of the license manager process.

NOTE: The lmreread command will not allow the license manager to recognize changes in the "idl_lmgrd.opt" file. To implement a new Options file or to have the license manager recognize changes, the license manager program must be stopped and then restarted with respect to the altered Options file.

In the example above, you can restrict access to the individual license feature line for specific users by group, by using the GROUP and INCLUDE tokens in the "idl_lmgrd.opt" file. To specify individual IDL license feature lines, the KEY descriptor and the license feature line's encryption string (example: ABCXXXXXXXXXXXXXXABC) must be included in the INCLUDE line. In this case the "idl_lmgrd.opt" file might look like this:

    ####### begin idl_lmgrd.opt file #######

    GROUP Group1 alfred alice alex
    GROUP Group2 betty bob buford
    GROUP Group3 chris charlie clementine

    INCLUDE idl:KEY=ABCXXXXXXXXXXXXXXABC GROUP Group1
    INCLUDE idl:KEY=DEFXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDEF GROUP Group2
    INCLUDE idl:KEY=GHIXXXXXXXXXXXXXXGHI GROUP Group3

    ####### end idl_lmgrd.opt file #######

Then after the license manager is started with respect to the given license.dat file and "idl_lmgrd.opt" file, users of each group will be restricted to obtaining an IDL license from their specific group's license feature line.

In this scenario, if user "alfred" (Group 1) is using an IDL license, "alice" (also Group 1) will not be able to obtain use of an IDL license until "alfred" releases his. On the other hand "betty" (Group 2) will still be able to check out an IDL license as long as nobody else in Group2 is already using their 1 IDL floating license, and the third license will still be available for a member of Group 3.

Additional information about the license Options file for RSI product licenses can be found in the RSI Product License Manager Guide online manual, included on the product CD or RSI product installation. Complete information about FLEXlm Options files can be found in the Globetrotter Software FLEXlm End User Manual, located on their website at http://www.globetrotter.com/manual.htm. Note, not all Options file information in the FLEXlm End Users Manual applies to RSI Product licensing.
Solution:
[Edit this field in the IDL-based Tech Tip Editor, v3]