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KnowledgeBase

License Server

With a network license, any number of users on the same network can access the product license simultaneously. The License Server program, which must be installed on a server, controls the distribution of licenses to users.

The License Server can be downloaded from the FVA Download Center.

Installation requirements

  • 64-bit Windows operating system

  • Administrator rights on the target computer

  • 600 MB free hard disk space

  • Port 5006 (inbound) must be enabled in the firewall

  • The server uses the HTTP protocol, and should therefore only be used on the LAN/intranet for security reasons.

  • Write permissions on the installation directory

Starting the License Server

The "application" and "service" folders are created in the specified directory during the installation. The License Server can be managed by clicking on the desktop shortcut or the LicServer.exe file in the "application" folder.

LicServer_exe.png

Logging in

A login dialog appears when starting the License Server for the first time.

ErstAnmeldung.png
Table 2. Information for first login

Username

admin

Password

pw

Server address

"Hostname of the license server": "port number"

Example server address

BLNSCR2033:5006 or

194.234.501.200:5006 (IP address of the server)



Notice

The administrator password should be changed after the first login.

Selecting licenses

Multiple licenses of the file type .lic can be added via upload license. The following information is shown for each license in the overview:

  • License ID

  • Maximum number of users

  • Number of users currently using the license

  • Order date

  • Expiration date

  • Name of licensee

Lizenzserver.png

Rights management

profiles.png

Individual user profiles can be created under the user management tab. A username and password must be specified. The user can provide these details to login to the FVA-Workbench during the license query.

Notice

Multiple clients can login using the same username.

The same user can login multiple times using the same host.

A host can also be created. In this case, the computer name is used to login for the license query; no other login details are needed.

profileName.png

The computer name can also be specified without a domain suffix.

Starting the FVA-Workbench with a server license

To start the FVA-Workbench with a floating license (server license), the following parameters must be specified at startup:

Table 3. Login information

License type

Server license

Servername:Port

"Hostname of license server": "port number"



Once both fields have been completed, a license can be selected in the drop-down menu.

Login information must only be provided to access a user profile. No login data is required for a host login.

startWorkbench.png

License Server service

During installation of the License Server, a service called FVAWBLicenseService4.1 is created and runs in the background.

The service can be started or stopped via the Microsoft Service Control Panel. To start the Microsoft Service Control Panel, enter the command services.msc in the search field of the Windows task bar.

Monitoring sessions

All active sessions can be monitored, and disconnected if necessary, under the "Monitoring" tab.

User statistics are available in .json format, as long as they are enabled in the server settings.

For the GET setting (unauthorized access):

  • Browser: http://"Servername":5006/licserver/stats

  • MS-PowerShell: Invoke-WebRequest http://"Servername":5006/licserver/stats

For the POST setting (authorized access):

  • MS-PowerShell: Invoke-WebRequest http://"Servername":5006/licserver/stats -Method POST -Body @{user='admin';pwd='pw'}

To save the results of the query as a file, the following MS-PowerShell command can be used:

  • MS-PowerShell: Invoke-WebRequest http://“Servername":5006/licserver/stats -OutFileC:\out.txt

Monitoring.png

Uninstalling

Before the License Server can be uninstalled, LicServer.exe should be terminated. The server can then be uninstalled under "Apps & features“ in the Control Panel.

All files created in C:\FVA\Lizenzserver_4.1_x64 during installation (such as uploaded licenses and settings) are not deleted during the uninstall.

User migration when updating the License Server

The file ProfileStore.xml is saved from the installation directory of the old version of the License Server in order to migrate users from version 3.3.0/4.0.0 to License Server 4.1.0. (C:\FVA\FVA-Lizenzserver_3.3\Service\data) or (C:\FVA\FVA-Lizenzserver_4.0\Service\data)

This file is then moved to the same location in the License Server 4.1.0 installation directory.

Setting up HTTPS encryption

As of license server version 4.2.0 and FVA-Workbench version 9.0.0, data can optionally be transferred between the license server and FVA-Workbench via the HTTPS protocol.

An SSL certificate is required to enable connections via HTTPS. A self-signed certificate can be created for use on the intranet or for test purposes.

Create certificate

Create your own certificate

The keytool program, which is part of the Java JRE, can be used for the creation. The keytool is located in the installation directory of the license server -> jre/bin. The following files are generated below:

  1. fvasslkeystore.jks (Keystore)

  2. localhost.cert (Certificate)

  3. clienttrust.jks (Truststore)

Open the command prompt in the installation directory of the license server and execute the following commands:

fvasslkeystore.jks

keytool -genkey -noprompt -trustcacerts -keyalg RSA -alias localcertificate -keypass changeit -keystore fvasslkeystore.jks -storepass changeit -dname CN=localhost

The domain name should correspond to the server domain (here localhost).

localhost.certlocalhost.cert

keytool -export -keystore fvasslkeystore.jks -alias localcertificate -file localhost.cert 

clienttrust.jks

keytool -import -v -trustcacerts -alias localcert -file localhost.cert -keystore

Configuration

License server configuration

1. Copy the file fvasslkeystore.jks to the installation directory of the license server/service.

2. Add the following 2 parameters to the file FVAWBLicenseService4.2.vmoptions in the same directory:

-Djavax.net.ssl.keyStore=fvasslkeystore.jks
-Djavax.net.ssl.keyStorePassword=changeit

3. The HTTP and HTTPS ports can be adjusted in the installation directory/Service/data/config.ini file:

internationalizing=en_en
[Startup]=
LogFileFolder=C\:\\InstallationTest\\Lizenzserver_4.1_x64\\Service/logs/
protocolUserSessions=false
Port=5006
StartupTime=Tue Jan 16 14\:47\:00 CET 2024-383
generateStatus=POST
Servlet=/licserver/lgt
Log-Filesize=30
HttpsPort=443

Note

  • If the HttpsPort specification is missing, no https port will be opened.

  • If the port specification is missing, no http port will be opened.

4. Copy the file clienttrust.jks to the installation directory/application.

5. Add the following 2 parameters to the LicServer.ini file in the same directory:

-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStore=clienttrust.jks
-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword=changeit

Configuration of the FVA-Workbench

1. Copy the file clienttrust.jks to the installation directory of the FVA-Workbench.

2. Add the following 2 parameters to the file FVAWorkbench.ini in the same directory:

-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStore=clienttrust.jks
-Djavax.net.ssl.trustStorePassword=changeit

Login to the license server

login_licserver_https.png

In the license server login dialog, the https protocol and the corresponding port must be specified in the server address field.

Java runtime environment

A Java runtime environment is required to operate the license server. This is installed by default and is located in the installation directory in the /jre folder.

The license server can also be started with a runtime environment of your choice. To do this, the following files in the installation directory must be adapted:

  1. Installation directory/Application/LicServer.ini

  2. Installation directory/Service/FVAWBLicenseService4.2.vmoptions

In both files the entry ../jre/bin/javaw.exe be replaced by the path to the desired runtime environment. If the entry is omitted, the runtime environment stored in the operating system is used.

Note

-vm 
../jre/bin/javaw.exe

The -vm key and the corresponding path to the JRE must be on consecutive lines.

Troubleshooting checklist

Problem: unable to connect to the License Server

  1. Verify that the FVA License Server service has been started on the server. To do this, start the Windows application services.msc.

  2. Check the version of the License Server service that is running. For License Server 4.1, the service is called FVAWBLicenseService4.1.

  3. Connect to the License Server with the FVA License Server Client and your login credentials.

  4. If a connection cannot be established, check the server URL. The server name is composed as follows: serveradress:port/licserver/lgt (Example: http://localhost:5006/licserver/lgt)

  5. If you are not sure which port is being used, you can view or change it in the License Server installation directory. To do this, open the config.ini file in the License Server installation directory/Service/data. You can find the port number used by the License Server under the entry for Port. If you wish to change the port number, the FVAWBLicenseService4.1 service must be restarted.

  6. Connect with the FVA License Server Client. If a connection still cannot be established, try to connect to the License Server locally on the server at the address: http://localhost:port/licserver/lg.

  7. If a connection can be established locally but not via a remote PC, check the firewall settings and the port sharing on the server.

Problem: unable to upload a license to the License Server

  1. If multiple versions of the License Server are installed, verify that the correct version of the License Server service has been started. For LicenseServer 4.1, this is FVAWBLicenseService4.1.

  2. Restart the FVAWBLicenseService4.1 service.

  3. Open the license file (.lic) and verify that the entry for TYPE is set to FLOATING.

  4. Open the license file and verify that the hardware key under the entry for HOST matches the key generated by the Hardware Key Tool.

  5. If points 3 or 4 are correct, please contact support. We will issue you a new license.

Problem: the FVA-Workbench returns "invalid license" when connecting after installing a new license.

  1. Click OK to confirm the message.

  2. Select the new license in the dialog that appears.