FLEXnet network licensing

Network licensing allows a limited number of analysis jobs and interactive sessions to be run simultaneously on any supported computer connected over a network. SIMULIA network licensing uses the FLEXnet network license manager from Flexera Software (formerly Acresso Software) to control a SIMULIA license server, which is a process running on a single computer (license server host) on a network. SIMULIA products can run on any supported computer on the network, including the license server host, as long as the necessary tokens are available.

A license file allows you to run subsequent Abaqus 2017 hot fix maintenance deliveries, previous releases dating back to Abaqus 6.2-7, and two future major releases. For example, a new license file for Abaqus 2017 can be used to run all Abaqus 2017 hot fixes and any earlier releases of Abaqus still installed on your network.

Multiple FLEXnet license servers can be selected to provide redundancy in case the license server or its host fails. For information on redundant license servers, see Redundant FLEXnet license server configurations.

Any supported computer on the network can be used to run the FLEXnet license server as long as the computers that will run SIMULIA applications can communicate with the license server. A computer running Windows can act as the license server host for a Linux network and vice versa.

Each Abaqus analysis or interactive session must contact the license server prior to beginning execution and periodically while Abaqus is running. Therefore, Abaqus must have uninterrupted communication with the license server throughout the analysis or interactive session. If the license server or the computer on which it runs fails, it should be restarted as quickly as possible to ensure minimal interruption of Abaqus jobs.

License activity is recorded in a log file, called the server log. Tools to manage licensing activities are described in FLEXnet Licensing administration tools, and The FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide; the latter document is available for download from the Licensing section of the Support page at www.3ds.com/simulia.

Restrictions can be applied to tokens to control access to Abaqus. A number of tokens can be reserved for certain users, or access can be denied to specific users and computers. These restrictions are defined in the network license options file. See Using the FLEXnet options file, for more information. You can also customize the behavior of a license server through settings in the Abaqus environment file.

The FLEXnet license server continuously tracks which tokens on the network are available and which are in use. Prior to beginning an analysis or interactive session, the Abaqus job (client) requests tokens from the license server. If tokens are in the available pool, the license server transfers tokens from the available pool to the in-use pool, and the tokens remain in the in-use pool until the end of the analysis or interactive session.

If no tokens are available, an analysis job or interactive session can be placed in the license queue to wait for a token, depending on the settings of the lmlicensequeuing and lminteractivequeuing parameters. If no tokens are available and the lmlicensequeuing and lminteractivequeuing parameters are set to OFF, the analysis job or interactive session exits with an error message. At the normal completion of the analysis or interactive session, the Abaqus client notifies the license server and the server returns the tokens to the available pool. If the analysis or interactive session aborts, the tokens are returned immediately.

For help in resolving questions relating to FLEXnet licensing, see Troubleshooting SIMULIA FLEXnet licensing.”

Note: A network card or on-board network chip is required for a computer to operate as a license server.

Stopping and removing an existing FLEXnet license server

If you have an existing SIMULIA FLEXnet license server, the SIMULIA installer attempts to stop the license server; if it is unable to do so, it provides the option to install only the licensing administration tools. If you install only the FLEXnet licensing administration tools, you must manually configure the license server. If the installer is unable to stop the existing license server and you want to complete a full automatic license server installation, you need to stop the existing server using the procedure described below. 

Linux platforms

  1. Enter the command 

    flex_install_dir/os/code/bin/lmdown -c [port]@license_server_host -vendor ABAQUSLM

    where:

    • os is either win_b64 or linux_a64

    • license_server_host is the hostname of the FLEXnet license server. If the license server is using a port that is not between 27000 and 27009, you must specify the port number as well.

  2. Verify that the server has been stopped by running the command 

    flex_install_dir/os/code/bin/lmstat -c [port]@license_server_host

    Verify that no ABAQUSLM vendor daemons are reported. An error status message may appear if the SIMULIA FLEXnet license server was successfully stopped and there are no other vendor daemons running on the specified host. 

Windows platforms
  1. In addition to terminating the FLEXnet license server, you must remove licensing as a Windows service.

  2. From the Start menu, select FLEXNet Licensing Utilities to display the LMTOOLS dialog box.

  3. Verify Configuration using Services is enabled on the Service/License File tabbed page.

  4. Select the Start/Stop/Reread tab, select the SIMULIA FLEXnet license server and click Stop Server.

  5. Select the Config Services tab, select the SIMULIA FLEXnet license server, and click Remove Service.

  6. Select FileExit to close the LMTOOLS dialog box.