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User-Managed FlexLM Server Setup

This guide walks you through setting up your own FlexLM license server that will integrate with Vantage License Manager. With a user-managed setup, you maintain full control over your license server infrastructure while benefiting from Vantage's monitoring and management capabilities.

Prerequisites​

Before setting up your FlexLM server, ensure you have:

  • License Files: Valid license files from your software vendor
  • Server Hardware: Dedicated server or virtual machine meeting vendor requirements
  • Network Access: Connectivity between your FlexLM server and Vantage infrastructure
  • Administrative Access: Root/administrator privileges on the target server
  • Firewall Configuration: Appropriate ports open for FlexLM communication

Supported Operating Systems​

FlexLM servers can be deployed on:

  • Linux: RHEL 7/8/9, CentOS 7/8, Ubuntu 18.04/20.04/22.04
  • Windows: Windows Server 2016/2019/2022
  • Unix: Solaris, AIX (vendor-specific support)

Installation Steps​

1. Download FlexLM Software​

# Example for Linux installation
wget https://vendor-download-url/flexlm-installer.tar.gz
tar -xzf flexlm-installer.tar.gz
cd flexlm-installer

2. Install License Manager​

# Install FlexLM daemon
sudo ./install_flexlm.sh

# Verify installation
lmutil lmver

3. Configure License Files​

# Copy license files to appropriate directory
sudo cp *.lic /opt/flexlm/licenses/

# Set appropriate permissions
sudo chown flexlm:flexlm /opt/flexlm/licenses/*.lic
sudo chmod 644 /opt/flexlm/licenses/*.lic

4. Start License Server​

# Start the license manager
sudo systemctl start flexlm
sudo systemctl enable flexlm

# Verify server status
lmutil lmstat -a

Network Configuration​

Required Ports​

Configure your firewall to allow:

  • Port 27000-27009: Default FlexLM port range
  • Vendor-specific ports: As defined in license files
  • HTTPS (443): For Vantage integration

Firewall Configuration (Linux)​

# Open FlexLM ports
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=27000-27009/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=443/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

Vantage Integration​

1. Register Server with Vantage​

  1. Log into your Vantage dashboard
  2. Navigate to Licenses → Servers
  3. Click Add License Server
  4. Select FlexLM as the server type
  5. Choose User-Managed deployment
  6. Enter your server details:
    • Server Hostname/IP
    • Port Number
    • Vendor Daemon Information

2. Configure Monitoring Agent​

# Download Vantage monitoring agent
curl -O https://vantage-agents.s3.amazonaws.com/license-monitor/latest/vantage-license-monitor

# Install and configure
sudo chmod +x vantage-license-monitor
sudo ./vantage-license-monitor install --server-type flexlm --server-port 27000

3. Verify Integration​

# Test connection to Vantage
vantage-license-monitor test-connection

# Check license server status
lmutil lmstat -a

Security Best Practices​

Server Hardening​

  • Regular Updates: Keep FlexLM software updated
  • Access Control: Restrict access to license server
  • Encryption: Use TLS for network communication
  • Monitoring: Enable audit logging

License File Security​

# Secure license file permissions
sudo chmod 600 /opt/flexlm/licenses/*.lic
sudo chown root:flexlm /opt/flexlm/licenses/*.lic

# Backup license files
sudo cp /opt/flexlm/licenses/*.lic /backup/licenses/

Maintenance and Monitoring​

Regular Tasks​

  • License Expiration Monitoring: Track license expiration dates
  • Usage Analytics: Monitor license utilization patterns
  • Performance Monitoring: Track server performance metrics
  • Backup Procedures: Regular backup of configuration and license files

Troubleshooting Commands​

# Check license server status
lmutil lmstat -a

# Verify license file validity
lmutil lmcksum license.lic

# Restart license server
sudo systemctl restart flexlm

# View license server logs
sudo tail -f /opt/flexlm/logs/debug.log

Common Issues and Solutions​

License Server Won't Start​

Problem: FlexLM daemon fails to start

Solutions:

  • Verify license file syntax and permissions
  • Check for port conflicts
  • Review system logs for error messages
  • Ensure hostname matches license file

Cannot Connect from Vantage​

Problem: Vantage cannot communicate with license server

Solutions:

  • Verify firewall configuration
  • Check network connectivity
  • Confirm server hostname/IP in Vantage configuration
  • Test with telnet hostname port

High License Denials​

Problem: Users experiencing license checkout failures

Solutions:

  • Monitor license utilization patterns
  • Review license pool allocation
  • Check for license server performance issues
  • Consider license optimization strategies

Support and Resources​

Vendor Documentation​

  • Consult your software vendor's FlexLM documentation
  • Review vendor-specific configuration requirements
  • Check for vendor updates and patches

Vantage Support​

  • Access Vantage documentation portal
  • Submit support tickets through Vantage dashboard
  • Join Vantage community forums

Next Steps​

After setting up your user-managed FlexLM server:

  1. Configure High Availability: Set up redundant license servers
  2. Implement Monitoring: Enable comprehensive license monitoring
  3. Optimize Usage: Analyze usage patterns and optimize license allocation
  4. Security Review: Conduct regular security assessments

For advanced configuration options, contact your FlexLM vendor or see additional documentation in the Vantage dashboard.