Document revision date: 30 March 2001
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Compaq Advanced Server for OpenVMS
Guide to Managing Advanced Server Licenses


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1.1.3 PATHWORKS Client Licensing Software

If the file server offers server-based licensing, and a sufficient number of server-based licenses are available, the client computer needs no special software for requesting and storing the Advanced Server license. However, if the licenses are managed as client-based licenses, the client computer must have PATHWORKS client licensing software to request and store Advanced Server licenses.

The PATHWORKS client licensing software is automatically installed and configured as part of the PATHWORKS client software installation procedure. Therefore, if the client is running Compaq PATHWORKS 32, no additional client licensing software is needed.

If the client computer is not running PATHWORKS client software (for example, on a retail Windows NT V4.0 workstation), the PATHWORKS client licensing software components (Client License Requester and Client License Transponder) must be loaded and set up on the client computer to request and store Advanced Server client-based licenses.

These client components are available on the file server system after you install the file server software. For information about loading and customizing the client software for client-based licensing, refer to the README.TXT file provided with the Advanced Server PWLICENSE share on the file server.

Note

The PATHWORKS 32 system license PWXXWINAT07.nn:
  • Grants the right to run the PATHWORKS 32 software on a client system
  • Is not required and does not grant the right to access a PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) or Advanced Server for OpenVMS server
  • Can be served to clients using the License Server, for administrative purposes only

Note

The License Server included with the Advanced Server will not issue or manage PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (NetWare) licenses. If you have clients using NetWare networking software, maintain the existing version of the License Server on a different system from the one that is running Advanced Server.

1.1.4 Upgrading the License Server

No special upgrading procedures are required for installing a new version of the License Server.

1.2 License Management Models

The file server requires that clients accessing file and print services be appropriately licensed. To meet this requirement, one of the following must be true:

In either case, the license required to access each version of the file server is listed in Table 1-1, File Server Licenses.

Table 1-1 File Server Licenses
To access this file server... The client needs this Client Access license...
PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) One of the following:
PWLMXXXCA06.00
PWLMXXXCA07.02
PWLMXXXCA07.03
Advanced Server V7.2 for OpenVMS One of the following:
PWLMXXXCA07.02
PWLMXXXCA07.03
Advanced Server V7.3 for OpenVMS PWLMXXXCA07.03

These licenses can be configured to be used as either client-based licenses, as server-based licenses, or as a combination of both.

Clients currently using client-based licenses to access PATHWORKS V6 for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) servers need not be changed. These clients will continue to access PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) servers using their client-based license. However, to access the Advanced Server for OpenVMS, they must obtain a new client-based license or a server-based license must be available for them on the file server system.

1.2.1 Server-Based License Management

Server-based licensing grants a specific number of clients connected to a file server (on a first-come, first-served basis) the right to use server software on a single server and allows clients access to file and print services resident on the server.

1.2.1.1 When to Use Server-Based License Management

Server-based licensing is best suited for clients that need access to file and print services on a single server, or for a large number of clients that need occasional access to file and print services. Server-based licenses:

1.2.1.2 How Server-Based License Management Operates

On a file server that is not running the License Server, Client Access licenses loaded into LMF are automatically used as server-based licenses. From a license management point of view, this is the simplest form of management and does not require use of the PATHWORKS client licensing software, or performing management tasks with the License Manager. License management consists of loading the appropriate Client Access PAKs information into LMF on the file server node.

When a client connects to the file server, one server-based license is consumed and the client is granted access to the file server. If there are no server-based licenses available when the client requests a connection to the file server, the connection request is denied.

After a server-based license has been used to grant a client access to a file server, the client is licensed to access resources on that server until the client disconnects from the file server.

When the client disconnects from the file server, the license assigned to that client is released (except with Windows NT V4.0 clients, noted below), the number of available server-based licenses is incremented, and the license becomes available for another client.

Note

In addition to the session that the client establishes when a share is initially mapped, Windows NT V4.0 client computers typically establish a second session with the file server. This session uses a null (blank) user name and connects to the IPC$ share. While this second session will not cause the client to consume two server-based licenses, it might prevent the client from releasing the server-based license when the user disconnects all mapped drives. Use the ADMINISTER SHOW SESSIONS command to view client sessions on the file server. If necessary, terminate the client session, using the following ADMINISTER command, where computer-name is the computer name of the Windows NT client:


CLOSE SESSION computer-name

1.2.1.3 Server-Based License Management in an OpenVMS Cluster

When using server-based licenses for access to file and print services in an OpenVMS Cluster environment, Compaq recommends that clients connect to the cluster using the Advanced Server cluster alias, if this option is available. Clients connecting using the alias consume one server-based license. Clients connecting directly to specific cluster members consume one server-based license for each connection to a different cluster member.

A client can map multiple drives and printers to a single server while consuming a single server-based license.

1.2.2 Client-Based License Management

A client-based license is assigned on a per-workstation basis. A client-based license for accessing OpenVMS file servers allows a client to access multiple file servers with the single license. Client-based licenses are managed using LMF, the License Server, and the License Manager.

After a client-based license has been assigned to a client, the license applies only to that client until it is revoked or released. After a license has been revoked, it is available for assignment by the License Server. To revoke a client license, use the License Manager.

A license PAK is loaded in the LMF database on the system running the License Server. The License Server assigns a client-based license upon request for a license by a client. After the client receives the license, it is stored on the client.

1.2.2.1 How Client-Based License Management Operates

License management for client-based licenses consists of these types of client activities:

These interactions require no specific actions on the part of a user once a client is configured to use client-based license management.

1.2.3 Combining Server-Based and Client-Based License Management

You can use both server-based and client-based license management together on one file server, allowing you greater flexibility.

Appropriate client-based licensing assures access to file servers. Clients that do not have client-based licenses may access a file server if sufficient server-based license capacity exists.

1.2.3.1 How Combined License Management Operates

In a combined-license environment, licenses are loaded in the LMF database on the system running the file server and the License Server. Client Access licenses loaded into LMF are automatically loaded by the License Server. When the licenses are first loaded by the License Server, they are allocated to the Default license group to be used as client-based licenses. The License Manager allows you to allocate any number of these licenses to the Server-Based license group so that they can be used for server-based licensing. The remaining licenses, those in the Default group, or allocated to other license groups, are managed as client-based licenses.

1.3 License Management Tasks

The Advanced Server licensing software includes the License Manager. This software provides a user interface for system administrators to manage licenses.

If the licensing environment consists of only server-based licensing, it is not necessary to use the License Manager. When the licensing environment includes client-based licensing, or a combination of client-based and server based licensing, the License Manager is an invaluable tool for managing the licensing software.

The tasks you perform with the License Manager include:

Note

To organize client-based licenses into groups, you must take additional steps when configuring your client software. Specifically, you must configure your clients to request a license from a particular license group. See Chapter 5, Configuring Client Software, for more information.


Chapter 2
Setting Up License Management

License management can be nearly transparent to both system administrators and users. However, the License Manager provides optional capabilities that allow you to configure your server in a way that best supports your computing environment. This configuration may include client-based licensing, or a combination of client-based and server-based licensing.

This chapter describes how to set up the Advanced Server for server-based licensing, for client-based licensing, and for a combination of client-based and server-based licensing. It also provides a set of examples of licensing setup. In addition, this chapter includes information about configuration parameter values in effect when the License Server and License Registrar are running. All this information is presented in the following sections:

2.1 Setting Up Server-Based License Management

The simplest form of license management is a configuration that supports only server-based licenses. Use the following steps to configure your Advanced Server to support server-based licensing:

  1. Acquire the appropriate license PAK --- PWLMXXXCA06.00 or later for PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server), or PWLMXXXCA07.03 for Advanced Server for OpenVMS.
  2. Register and load the license PAKs using the License Management Facility (LMF) on the system where you will also be installing and running the file server software. For information on the LMF database, refer to the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual.
  3. Install, configure, and run the file server software. When you configure the file server software, do not configure the file server to run the License Server. In other words, follow these steps:
    1. When you run the initial configuration procedure (PWRK$CONFIG.COM), do not configure the Advanced Server to run the License Server.
    2. Start the Advanced Server.

When the License Server is not configured to run with your file server, the file server assumes that any Client Access licenses found on the system are to be used as server-based licenses for licensing client access. After you start the file server, unlicensed clients connecting to the file server will be licensed without any further setup or configuration.

2.1.1 Setting Up Server-Based Licensing Only, for Performance Gains

Optionally, you can configure server-based licensing only, for performance purposes. To do so, define the logical PWRK$LR_DISABLE_CLIENT_PING in the PWRK$LICENSE_R_START.COM file as follows:


$ DEFINE/SYSTEM PWRK$LR_DISABLE_CLIENT_PING 1 

If this logical is not defined or given the default value of 0, even if only server-based licensing is configured, the License Registrar first checks whether a client attempting to connect to the file server has a valid client-based license. Defining this logical with a nonzero value, as in the example, prevents the License Registrar from checking for a client-based license. Instead, it attempts immediately to assign a server-based license. This can improve performance.

This logical does not affect or change the number of licenses assigned to the Server-Based group, the default client-based license group, or any user-defined license groups.

2.2 Setting Up Client-Based License Management

For a configuration that supports client-based licensing, there are additional steps required for setting up the system. This configuration requires the use of the License Server and loading client software. If you decide to configure the OpenVMS system to run the License Server, the default is to allocate all Client Access licenses on the system as client-based licenses.

Follow these steps to support client-based licenses:

  1. Acquire the appropriate license PAK --- PWLMXXXCA06.00 or later for PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server), or PWLMXXXCA07.03 for Advanced Server for OpenVMS.
  2. Identify the system to be used as the License Server system.
  3. Register and load the related PAKs in the LMF database on any License Server on the network. For information on the LMF database, refer to the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual.
  4. Install and configure the License Server software using the normal installation and configuration process for the server. You can install the License Server software on the same system as a file server, or you can install it as a standalone License Server on a different system. The License Server normally puts only a very small additional load on a system. For more information on how to load and configure License Servers, refer to the Server Installation and Configuration Guide for your Advanced Server product.
  5. Start the License Server. (If your License Server is configured on the same system where your file server is configured, the License Server starts when you start the file server.) For information about how to enable the License Server to start when the file server starts, refer to the Server Installation and Configuration Guide for your Advanced Server product.
  6. Invoke the new License Manager user interface using the following command:


    $ ADMINISTER/LICENSE 
    

    Using the License Manager, create any desired user-defined license groups and allocate licenses to these license groups. (For information about using License Manager to perform these tasks, see Section 4.6, Performing License Group Tasks.) By default, all Client Access licenses will be client-based licenses in the Default group.
    Allocate the number of licenses you want to use as server-based licenses to the Server-Based group. This reserves the specified number of licenses for use by the file server as server-based licenses. The number you allocate to the Server-Based license group will not be available as client-based licenses.

  7. Install and configure the PATHWORKS client licensing software on clients that will be using client-based licenses:
  8. Restart the client. During the restart, the client searches for a License Server to acquire the required license.

2.3 Setting Up Combined Client-Based and Server-Based License Management

For a configuration that supports both client-based and server-based licensing, you must use the License Manager to specify how many licenses are to be used as server-based and how many are to be used as client-based.

Follow these steps to configure the License Server to support both client-based and server-based licensing:

  1. Identify the file server system to be used as the License Server.
  2. Register and load the related PAKs in the LMF database on the system chosen as the License Server. For more information about how to load PAKs in the LMF database, refer to the OpenVMS License Management Utility Manual.
  3. Install and configure the Advanced Server software using the normal installation and configuration process for the server. For more information about how to install and configure License Servers, refer to the Server Installation and Configuration Guide for your Advanced Server product.
  4. Start the file server. For information about how to start the server, refer to the Server Installation and Configuration Guide for your Advanced Server product. By default, all licenses will be client-based licenses.
  5. Use the License Manager to configure the server-based licenses required. Use the License Manager to allocate the desired number of server-based licenses from the Default group to the Server-Based group. Licenses allocated to the Server-Based license group are reserved for use as server-based licenses and cannot be assigned to clients by the License Server.
    For more information on how to configure server-based licenses, see Section 4.6, Performing License Group Tasks.
  6. Install and configure the client software on clients that will be using client-based licenses:


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