Welcome to FLEXlm
Prev |  | Next

## Welcome to FLEXlm

FLEXlm™ is the standard network license manager in the UNIX® software industry. FLEXlm is a flexible license manager used by over 500 leading UNIX software vendors to control the use of their software products. If you are a UNIX systems administrator or user, chances are one or more of the products currently on your network is licensed by FLEXlm.

Over the years Globetrotter Software has answered many questions from users of FLEXlm-licensed products. We realized there was a need for a Ethernet manual that explains FLEXlm from an end-user standpoint. This manual grew out of that need and is provided as a service to you, the end-user.

Keep in mind that certain topics (such as password encryption) are vendor-specific and proprietary so we cannot document them in any detail. Also, because FLEXlm does not enforce a particular licensing strategy, each vendor's implementation can have subtle differences. If you do not find out what you need to know here, you should contact your vendor's technical support group.

## Versions of FLEXlm

This manual covers features of interest to license administrators and end-users in FLEXlm versions 1.0 through 4.0.

## How to Use This Manual

This manual is written for two different audiences: the license administrator and the end user.

### License Administrator

If you are a license administrator, read these chapters:

Table 1. Suggested Reading for License Administrators

This Chapter: | Explains:
--- | ---
Introduction and Overview | FLEXlm basics: license and vendor daemons; the license file; configuring FLEXlm; the license request process.
The License File | The license file format; setting the path at start-up; different types of licensing policies.
The License Finder | Providing license file path information to FLEXlm clients so that you do not have to configure environment variables for all your users.
Combining License Files | Combining license files when managing multiple products that use FLEXlm.
Selecting Server Nodes | Selecting which machines to run the license servers, resources required by the servers, multiple servers, quorums, and redundant servers.ng which machines to run the license servers, resources required by the servers, multiple servers, quorums, and redundant servers.
The Options File | Creating and editing the options file.
License Administration Tools | Managing FLEXlm using utilities Globetrotter supplies to your vendor.

In addition, you can refer to Appendix B, “Troubleshooting Guide,” which contains a list of often-experienced problems and their solutions.

### End User

If you are an end user, read these chapters.

Table 2. Suggested Reading for End Users

This Chapter: | Explains:
--- | ---
Introduction and Overview | FLEXlm basics: license and vendor daemons; the license file; configuring FLEXlm; the license request process.
The License File | The license file format; setting the path at start-up; different types of licensing policies.

In addition, you can refer to Appendix B, “Troubleshooting Guide,” which contains a list of often-experienced problems and their solutions.

## Related Documents from Globetrotter Software

In addition to this manual, Globetrotter Software provides the FLEXadmin™ Users Guide which describes the FLEXadmin license administration tools for managing FLEXlm-enabled applications, the FLEXwrap™ Users Guide for administrators who wish to provide license management for applications shipped without embedded license management, and the FLEXlm Programmers Guide for programmers responsible for incorporating FLEXlm into their products.

Prev | Table of Contents | Next
Flexlm End User Manual |  | Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview