Application Note 1004: OpenLM Broker quick start guide

Scope

This document presents the OpenLM Broker software module. It elaborates the module’s installation process, and conveys basic information regarding the OpenLM Broker’s functionality and configuration options.

General

The OpenLM Broker tool is a Java software module installed on the License Manager Server. The Broker interacts directly with the License Manager Server, initiating queries in order to get the current License Server status. It communicates the answers to these queries to the OpenLM Server.

Being a Java component, OpenLM Broker can run on any Java-supported platform. It can be installed on any platform that is supported by the license managers that work with OpenLM; i.e.: FLEXlm (FLEXnet), IBM LUM, HASP, Sentinel RMS, RLM and more.

The OpenLM Broker provides the following services to the OpenLM server:

Sending license usage information from the license manager to the OpenLM Server.
Reading the information in FLEXlm debug log files and pushing it to OpenLM Server.
Reading and Editing the FLEXlm option files information from the OpenLM EasyAdmin interface.
Starting/Stopping/ of the license server.

At the time of writing this revision (Rev 1.3), the installation of the OpenLM Broker on Windows license servers is easier than for Unix license servers. This is because the Windows installation incorporates an automatic configuration software. This software automatically detects the license servers installed on the machine, and configures the Broker accordingly.

Regardless of this, manual configuration is comprehensive, and includes all the options implemented by the automatic configuration software available for Windows platforms.

OpenLM Broker - Installation Guide

The OpenLM System components are available for download on the OpenLM site. After filling in your name and email, you would be directed to the download section. Select the OpenLM Version 1.7 section

UNIX/LINUX

In order to install the OpenLM Broker module on Unix/Linux platforms:

Please go over the installation prerequisites for the OpenLM Broker.
Download the Broker for Unix/Linux from the OpenLM version 1.7 section.
The installation requires root user privileges.
cd to the folder that contains the setup file
Run the following command:

sudo ./openlmbroker-linux-install

In order to run the Broker configuration tool, type in the following command:

sudo -jar /BrokerConfigurator.jar -setup

e.g.:

sudo /usr/bin/java -jar /usr/local/openlm/broker/BrokerConfigurator.jar -setup

The broker is not run automatically after restart. In order to start the Broker service, follow these steps:

cd to the installation folder
Run the following command:

sudo -jar /OpenLMBroker.jar

start /broker.xml

e.g.:

sudo /usr/bin/java -jar /usr/local/openlm/broker/OpenLMBroker.jar start /usr/local/openlm/broker/broker.xml

Do not close the terminal.
After configuration changes, the Broker needs to be restarted.

In order to uninstall the Broker:

cd to the installation folder
run the following command :

sudo ./uninstall

WINDOWS

In order to install the OpenLM Broker module on Windows platforms:

Please go over the installation prerequisites for the OpenLM Broker on the OpenLM site.
Download the OpenLM Broker for windows from the OpenLM version 1.7 section (see above), and follow the installation instructions.
When installing a Broker on a 64bit Windows system, with a JRE version for 64bit installed, the following “Browse for Folder” window appears:

Please select the jre6 (or higher) folder and click OK.

FOR BOTH OPERATING SYSTEMS:

When the installer finishes its installation procedure it launches an automatic configuration tool. This tool automatically detects the settings of the license mangers installed on the machine. In most cases, all that is left for the user to do is to configure the receiving OpenLM server parameters.

At the time of writing this revision (Rev 1.3), The existence and location of an Option File is not automatically configured. Setting its name and path remains to be done manually.

OpenLM Broker - Configuration Tool

OPENLM SERVERS - ADDING A SERVER

The “Servers” folder holds a list of the designated receiving OpenLM Servers. In order to add an OpenLM server, do as follows:

Mark the “OpenLM Servers” directory icon.
Click the green “Add” icon
Select “OpenLM Server” from the selection list.

OPENLM SERVERS - CONFIGURING THE SERVER

Select the OpenLM server targeted for configuration (i.e.: localhost:7016). The “OpenLM Server Connectivity” form appears on the right-hand side of the window.

Configure the OpenLM Server’s parameters:

OpenLM Server: The server’s name or IP address (e.g.: localhost).
Port: The OpenLM port dedicated for the Broker (7016 by default). This is the same port number as appears in the “OpenLM Server Configuration” tool, under the “Port Settings” tab, in the “License Managers Reporting Port” text box.
Sending Timeout: The Broker’s sending timeout limit (e.g.: 45 sec).
Active: Check this box in order to enable the Broker’s communication with the OpenLM Server (Enabled by default).
The “Check connectivity to OpenLM Server” button literally performs a connectivity check. The function of this button is similar to that of the “Check” button in the “OpenLM Server Configuration” tool, under the “License Servers” tab.

LICENSE SERVERS - ADD A LICENSE SERVER

Upon start-up, the Broker recognizes all License Servers, and displays them under the “License Servers” folder on the left of the screen.

The user may add any number of License Servers. In order to do so, please perform the following actions for every additional License Server.

Select “License Servers” on the left side of the screen.
Click “Add”. A drop-down list appears.
Select “License Server” from the list. The right-hand side of the Broker configuration window changes.
Type in and enter the Description and the Host Name / IP of the new License Server

LICENSE SERVERS - LICENSE MANAGER PORT

Click on the “Port …” bullet under the new License Server key symbol. The “License Manager Port” form appears on the right-hand side of the Broker Configuration window.

2. Fill in the License manager port parameters:

Port Number: This Number is the same as the one configured in the “OpenLM Server Configuration Window”, under the “License Servers” tab.
Description: This is a free text name or description of the License Server.
Keep Alive Interval: A number representing how often the server sends messages to the OpenLM Server, in seconds. It is recommended not to change the 10 seconds default value.
Type: Type of the License server (e.g.: FLEXlm, IBM-LUM, LM-X).
Active: The License manager’s activity status check box. Keep it checked as is by default.
Click the “Apply” button on the bottom-right corner of the Broker Configuration window to accept the new License Server’s configurations.

LICENSE SERVERS - LOG FILES.

Click the “Log Files” bullet under the License server, and select the required log file name (e.g.: “Log File 1”). The Log file definition form appears on the right-hand side of the OpenLM Broker Configuration Window.

Description: Name of the new License Server’s log file
Path: Fill in the Path on which to locate the License Log file.
Type: The log file type. At the time of writing this revision (Rev 0.1), the debug log type is the only type supported. Other log file types may be supported on later versions.

It is recommended not to change any other of the default values presented in this form.

LICENSE SERVERS - VENDORS

Click the “Vendors” bullet under the New License Server Key icon, and a specific vendor bullet from the vendor bullets’ list. The vendor Definition form appears on the right-hand side of the “OpenLM Broker Configuration Tool” window. This form handles the specific vendors’ License and Option files.

Vendor Name: Vendor’s name (e.g.: ARCGIS, adskflex, ptc_d, MLM, ugslmd)
License: The license file is the one supplied by a specific vendor, stated with its full path.
Option File Description: A descriptive name of the user’s choice (e.g.: my_OptionFile).
Option File Path: The option file related to the vendor, stated with its full path.
Watch Option File: This should be checked for the Option File to be effective.
Watch interval: The Interval at which the Option File is read. It is recommended to keep the 600 sec default value.

LICENSE SERVERS - COMMANDS

The “Commands” menu sets the path to License manager commands. These commands are License Manager specific, and the paths for these commands may be set for each License server or vendor (port) individually.

Upon installation, the default search path for FlexLM commands would be automatically detected through the system registry. Other license managers’ commands’ paths (e.g.: IBM LUM) are set by default to: C:\Program Files\OpenLM\OpenLM Broker\tools\

CHANGING COMMAND PATHS

Click the “Commands” bullet under the New License Server’s Port icon. The “Commands” window opens on the right hand side of the Configuration tool window.

There are 3 options for changing the command paths:

In order to set all the License manager’s commands for a specific license manager type (e.g. FlexLM), check the “Update according to Advanced Settings” radio button and click the ‘Update’ button. This applies the globally declared License manager’s command paths listed in the “Advanced settings” menu (marked by the wrench icon) on the selected port.
In order to set all the License manager’s commands of a certain vendor (port), check the “Update to the following path” radio button, fill in the required path in the adjacent text box, and click the ‘Update’ button.
In order to change the path for a specific License manager command to a specific vendor (port), click on the specific command (e.g. Status), change the command path in the “Command line” text box, and click the “Restart Broker” button.

In any case - the updated command path would be visible in the specific command window, as elaborated below.

INDIVIDUAL COMMANDS

The user may edit individual command paths and parameters:

status

Click the “Status” bullet under the “Commands” bullet. The “Status” command definition form appears on the right-hand side of the window.
The default command line calls the command according to the selected license manager type. This command queries the License Server for its status: is it up and working or idle. For example, for FLEXlm the system is using the lmutil lmstat command, for IBM LUM it uses the i4blt command.
It is recommended not to change any other of the default values presented in this form.

Data Inquiry

Click the “Data Inquiry” bullet under the “Commands” bullet. The “Data Inquiry” command definition form appears on the right-hand side of the window.
The default command line is set to send the queried license usage information periodically from the Broker to the OpenLM Server.
The period time is set by the “Interval” parameter.

Start and Stop

Click the “Start” or “Stop” bullets under the “Commands” bullet. The respective command definition form appears on the right-hand side of the window.
The start and stop commands literally start and stop the the License Manager Server’s activity.

Reread

Click the “Reread” bullet under the “Commands” bullet. The “Reread” command definition form appears on the right-hand side of the window.
The command line sets the Broker to update the Option File stated in the License Management Server, by new data inserted by the EasyAdmin OpenLM server application (e.g.: new available licenses).

Save Option File

Click the “Save Option File” bullet under the “Commands” bullet. The respective command definition form appears on the right-hand side of the window.
This command enables the user to save the option file upon demand.

ADVANCED SETTINGS

The advanced settings form handles vendor specific supplied executable files.

Click the wrench icon (highlighted blue) . The “Advanced Settings form appears on the right hand side of the window.
Set the Advanced settings’ parameters:
1. LMUtil Path: This is the path for the FlexLM supplied executable file.
2. i4blt Path: This is the path for the IBMlum supplied executable file.
3. lmxendutil Path: This is the path for the LM-X supplied executable file.
4. Log levels: Set the Log file’s notification level; i.e.: Should it only present Error messages or more verbose information.

OpenLM