Name: Shadow Licensing Uncovered: Smart Control for Unmanaged Software
Start: 2026-02-04T10:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-02-04T17:00:00+00:00
Location: OpenLM

Advanced optimization for COMOS license manager (COMOS LM)

COMOS is a powerful plant engineering software suite from Siemens used for the integrated engineering, operation, and maintenance of process plants across industries like Oil & Gas. The COMOS License Management (COMOS LM) system, which includes the COMOS License Server (CLS), is critical for controlling access to this high-value, central data platform.

OpenLM provides a comprehensive solution for interfacing with the COMOS license manager. OpenLM COMOS monitoring delivers crucial, granular usage data and detailed reporting, enabling informed cost-saving decisions and ensuring your engineering teams maintain full access to their essential design tools.

Understanding COMOS licensing: Named and Floating

The COMOS platform utilizes a sophisticated licensing system designed to support the management of complex plant lifecycles across various disciplines.

What is COMOS license manager?

The COMOS License Management (COMOS LM) system is the central mechanism for administering and serving licenses for the COMOS platform. This system typically includes the COMOS License Server (CLS), a COMOS License Server Monitor, and a COMOS License User Manager to handle central and local license administration.

COMOS licensing schemas

COMOS supports several enterprise licensing models to match organizational needs:

CentrallLicenses: These are administered by the COMOS License Server (CLS) for network-based sharing.
Local licenses: These are administered locally for single-machine use.
Floating (Concurrent) licenses: These licenses are pooled and shared across the network.
Named licenses (Named_USER): These are licenses assigned to specific, named individuals.
License packages: COMOS utilizes license packages to group software modules, allowing administrators to manage license assignments efficiently.
Failover system: The COMOS LM can be configured with a failover system to ensure continuous operation.

OpenLM’s solutions for COMOS license management

OpenLM is fully equipped to monitor license usage and retrieve statistics from the COMOS license manager. This is achieved by installing the OpenLM Broker on the same machine as the COMOS License Manager, where it monitors the license server’s log file (ComosLSLicenseWorkload) and polls usage data.

OpenLM capability	Value for COMOS licenses	Supported by OpenLM
Real-time usage monitoring	Tracks usage activity with high-resolution reporting, available by second.	Yes
Total no. of licenses	Report the total number of licenses owned and available in the pool.	Yes
License usage	Provides detailed reports on who is using which feature or package.	Yes
Denial reporting	Capture and report on instances where a user is denied access, providing essential evidence for capacity planning.	Yes
Expiration date reporting	Track when your COMOS licenses are due to expire, allowing for proactive renewal planning.	Yes
Multiple server redundancy	OpenLM does not currently support monitoring COMOS’s multiple server redundancy schemes (failover).	Yes

The OpenLM advantage for COMOS license manager

OpenLM turns the complex logging data from the COMOS License Manager into clear, actionable business intelligence, leading to measurable cost savings and increased productivity.

Granular data and denials: High-resolution, per-second usage data and reliable Denial reporting allow IT administrators to precisely identify bottlenecks and justify license pool size adjustments.
Informed procurement: OpenLM enables companies to track usage of COMOS features, helping them decide confidently whether to reduce or renew specific license packages.
Simplified SAM: By consolidating COMOS usage data with all your other supported engineering license managers, OpenLM provides a single, unified environment for effective Software Asset Management (SAM).
Broker reliability: The OpenLM Broker ensures a stable connection and buffers communication, maintaining data integrity even during temporary network issues.