Troubleshoot Broker

Use these answers when the Broker doesn't install, open, connect, or report to OpenLM Platform as expected. For the installation steps, see Install Broker.

Where are the Broker logs?

Open the logs folder in the Broker installation folder: C:\Program Files\OpenLM\OpenLM Broker\logs for the first Windows instance, or /opt/broker/logs for a Linux package installation. The folder holds these logs:

• broker-service.log, the main log of the Broker. At 10 MB, the Broker rolls it over and keeps up to 10 earlier files, broker-service-1.log to broker-service-10.log.
• One log for each license manager port and for each OpenLM server connection.
• auth_import.log, the result of an authorization file import on Windows. On Linux, auth_import.sh writes to auth_import_nohup.log.
• broker_nohup.log, the output of the Broker on Linux without systemd. With systemd, read the output with journalctl -u openlm_broker_root, for the default service name.

The Broker logs only errors by default. To log more, open the Broker UI, select Settings, and change Broker Log Level. To send the logs to OpenLM support, select Download Logs on the same tab. The Broker zips the logs folder as broker-logs.zip.

Why doesn't the Broker UI open?

Check these causes:

• The service isn't ready: after you reinstall into the same folder, the installer can open the browser before the Broker service listens. If the browser says that localhost refused to connect, refresh the page after a few seconds.
• The service is stopped: start OpenLM Broker in Windows Services, or run sudo ./broker.sh start on Linux.
• Port 5090 is in use: the Broker then takes the next free port and saves it as webUIPort in broker.xml. Open http://localhost:<webUIPort> instead. Each additional Broker instance on a machine gets its own port this way.
• The Broker UI is turned off: the Turn off Web UI option in Settings sets webUIPort="off" in broker.xml. To turn the Broker UI back on, set webUIPort to a port number, such as "5090", and restart the Broker service.

Why does the Broker UI ask for a remote access token?

The Broker UI opens without a token only at http://localhost:<port>, on the license server itself. Any other address, including 127.0.0.1 and the machine's name, opens the ENTER REMOTE ACCESS TOKEN page. To get a token:

1. On the license server, open http://localhost:5090/api/new-token, with your Broker UI port if it isn't 5090.
2. Copy the token, paste it in Enter Token on the other computer, and select Continue.

To get a token from another computer for a Linux license server, run this command:

ssh <license-server> wget -O - http://localhost:5090/api/new-token

To get a token from another computer for a Windows license server, run this command:

winrs -r:<license-server> powershell -command "(Invoke-WebRequest -Uri http://localhost:5090/api/new-token -Method GET).Content"

Replace <license-server> with the name of the license server.

A token is valid for 30 minutes. The browser keeps it for the current tab only, so a new tab asks for a token again.

Why doesn't the new Broker appear in Pending Brokers?

A new Broker appears in Pending Brokers when it connects, even before it monitors a license manager. If it doesn't appear, test its connection to OpenLM Platform:

1. In the Broker UI, select OpenLM Servers, then the OpenLM Platform connection.

2. Select Check Connectivity.

   Test completed successfully. means that the Broker reaches OpenLM Platform. Broker failed to connect to OpenLM server. means that it doesn't.

If the test fails, check these causes:

• No route to OpenLM Platform: allow outbound HTTPS (port 443) from the Broker machine to your OpenLM Platform address. If the machine reaches the internet only through a proxy, set the proxy in Proxy Configuration, under Settings in the Broker UI.
• No credentials after a silent installation: the authorization file import failed. Check auth_import.log, as described in Silent installation.
• Rejected credentials: if the authorization client was deleted, or its secret was reset, OpenLM Platform rejects the Broker. The Broker then logs Stop transmitting due to security failure. and stops sending for 12 hours. Import a new authorization file in the connection, select Save, and restart the Broker service.

Why does the bufferfiles folder keep growing?

To stop the growth, fix the connection, as described in Why doesn't the new Broker appear in Pending Brokers?

The Broker stores data in bufferfiles while it can't deliver the data to OpenLM Platform:

• After 3 failed sends in a row, the Broker takes the connection offline and writes new data to the folder, in files of 3 MB by default, with one queue for each connection.
• The Broker keeps retrying, up to 10 minutes apart, and sends the stored data, oldest first, when OpenLM Platform answers again.
• The Broker deletes buffer files that are older than 10 days.

To discard the stored data of a connection, open the connection in OpenLM Servers, expand Advanced, and select Clear Buffer.

Why does the log say "No license servers defined"?

broker-service.log reports No license servers defined, can't run BrokerKeepAlive or GetBrokerCommands while the Broker has no license manager to monitor. Detect or add a license manager, as described in Verify the connection.

Why doesn't a silent installation detect my license managers?

A silent installation detects license managers with detect.bat, which always uses the Java runtime that comes with the installer. With USE_OPENLM_JAVA="false", detect.bat can't run. Detect the license managers in the Broker UI instead: select License Managers, and then select Detect.

Why did the silent installation stop with an error?

Look for the reason in the log file you passed with /l*v. These messages are the most common:

• A newer version of OpenLM Broker is already installed.: the instance ID in TRANSFORMS already has this version or a higher one. Use an installer for a higher version, or a new instance ID.
• MSINEWINSTANCE requires a new instance that is not installed., with exit code 1639: this version is already installed under the instance ID in TRANSFORMS.
• TRANSFORMS property not specified.: add TRANSFORMS, for example TRANSFORMS=":I01".
• Java Path is missing!: with USE_OPENLM_JAVA="false", also pass JAVA_PATH.

The installer also stops without administrator rights, on 32-bit Windows, or without .NET Framework 4.5 or higher.

Why does an upgraded Broker appear as a new Broker?

The Broker keeps its identity in broker.id, next to broker.xml. Without that file, it creates a new ID, and the Broker Hub lists it as a new Broker. When you upgrade a tar.gz installation, copy broker.id along with broker.xml and settings.sh, as described in Upgrade a tar.gz installation on Linux or Unix.

Why can't keytool find the Java trust store after a package installation?

The RPM package sets JAVA_HOME in settings.sh to the parent folder of the bin folder that holds the first java on the PATH, which is often /usr. The path $JAVA_HOME/lib/security/cacerts then doesn't exist. Find the real Java folder with readlink -f "$(which java)", remove /bin/java from the end, and use that folder in the keytool command in Import a TLS certificate on Linux/Unix.

Why does a license manager show no usage data?

Open the license manager in the Broker UI, select its Commands tab, and select Execute on the Data Inquiry command. If the output is empty or an error, fix the executable path, port, or host name. If the output looks right, check the connection status on the OpenLM Servers screen. If it still fails, raise the Broker Log Level to DEBUG, reproduce the issue, and select Download Logs. See Where are the Broker logs?

Why does the Broker Hub show Time Sync Error?

The clock of the license server has drifted. Sync it with Network Time Protocol (NTP). Correct time matters, because the Broker converts usage timestamps from the machine's local time. See Understand Broker status.

Why does the Broker Hub show Duplicate?

Two Brokers share the same identity. This usually happens after you clone a virtual machine that has a Broker installed. Delete the broker.id file of the clone before you start it. The Broker generates a new one. To discard the duplicate row, see Understand Broker status.

Next step

When the Broker appears under Pending Brokers, continue to Connect your first license manager. To change, upgrade, or remove the Broker, see Change, upgrade, or uninstall Broker.