Floating Network Login Licenses in AIX 4.3

Setting up the iFOR/LS "floating" license includes five major steps:

• Install the iFOR/LS filesets.
• Configure iFOR/LS on the server.
• Start server daemons.
• Configure iFOR/LS on the clients.
• Enable the floating license on the server and the clients.

           glbd      - Global Location Broker Daemon
           llbd      - Local Location Broker Daemon
           i4glbcd   - iFOR/LS Global Location Broker Cleanup Daemon
           i4lmd     - iFOR/LS  License Management Daemon
           monitord  - Login License Request Daemon

1. Install the necessary filesets from your installation media on both the server and the client. These include:
   • bos.sysmgt.loginlic -- License Management (chlicense, monitord)
   • bos.net.ncs -- Network Computing System
   • bos.rte.ifor_ls -- iFOR/LS Libraries
   • ifor_ls.base -- iFOR/LS Base Files
   • ifor_ls.client -- iFOR/LS Client Files
   • ifor_ls.compat -- iFOR/LS Compatibility Code
   • ifor_ls.msg.en_US -- iFOR/LS Messages
   • ifor_ls.html.en_US.base.cli -- iFOR/LS HTML Documentation (optional)

2. Use the following steps to configure the server.
   1. Run the shell script

                        /usr/lib/netls/conf/netls_config
      

   2. When prompted by the following questions, give the following answers.

      NOTE: You may be shown a warning stating that certain daemons need to be shut down before proceeding.

                     From a License Management point of view, you can
                     choose to configure this system as:
      

      Choose option 3.

      NOTE: Under AIX 4.3.0 and 4.3.1, the following two messages will appear later on in the configuration. You will want to use the same answers given here.

                     Do you want this system to be a Nodelock License
                     Server too?
      

      If this machine is going to be used to serve software licenses, answer yes to this question. Otherwise, answer no.

                     Do you want to disable remote administration of
                     this Network License Server?
      

      Answer yes.

                     You have to choose now which mechanism must be enabled
                     to locate this License Server:
      

      Choose option 1.

      You may see a message indicating there is already a database initialized for gldb. This usually means you have already been through this process. If you are sure you want to wipe the old information, you can answer "no" and start a new database.

      You will be shown a menu of options:

                     1) Show all available cells.
                     2) Choose the Default cell for this system.
                     3) Create a new alternate cell for this system.
                     4) Join an existing alternate cell for this system.
                     5) Quit (continue with configuration at a later time).
      

      If you are setting up your machine in a new alternate cell, choose option 3.

      If you intend to join an alternate cell that has already been established, choose option 4. (You may need to choose option 1 first to get a list of alternate cells.)

                     Choose the desired Server(s) logging level
      

      Choose option 1.

                     The default Log file(s) path is /var/ifor
                     Enter blank to accept default or specify a new path:
      

      Typically it is best to go with the default values, but you can specify an alternate location if you wish.

                     Do you want to modify the list of remote License
                     Servers this system can connect to in direct binding
                     mode (both for Administration purposes and for
                     working as Network License Client) ?
      

      Answer no.

                     Do you want the License Server(s) to automatically
                     start on this system at boot time?
      

      Answer yes.

                     Do you want to continue?
      

      Answer yes.

                     Start License Server(s) now?
      

      Answer yes.

      NOTE: The servers must be running in order to proceed to the next step.

      You should then see messages indicating the startup of the necessary daemons.

   3. Register licenses with your server:
      1. Execute chlicense -fon to turn on floating licenses.

      2. Execute smitty install_float.

                           AIX Version for License Registration
         

         Press F4 and select the version of AIX you want to add licenses for (4.3.1 falls under 4.3, 4.2.1 falls under 4.2, and so on).

                           Number of Licenses to Install
         

         Enter the number of licenses you want to allot to this version.

         Press Enter.

3. Use the following steps to configure the clients.
   1. Run the shell script

                        /usr/lib/netls/conf/netls_config
      

   2. When prompted by the following questions, give the following answers.

      NOTE: You may be shown a warning stating that certain daemons need to be shut down before proceeding. Answer yes to the question.

                     From a License Management point of view, you can
                     choose to configure this system as:
      

      Choose option 1.

                     You have to choose now which mechanism must be enabled
                     to locate this License Server(s).
      

      Choose option 1.

                     Your system is currently assigned to the Default cell.
                     Do you wish to remain in this cell your system is
                     currently assigned to?
      

      Answer No.

                     Please type [d] (to join the default cell)
                     enter for a list of available cells.
      

      Press enter.

                     Please enter Alternate Cell number [1,2,.?]:
      

      Specify the number that matches up with the server you just configured.

                     Direct Binding managing.
      

      Choose option 1.

                     Please specify the Central Registry License Server
                     name:
      

      Leave blank and press enter. You will receive a warning message.

                     Do you want to continue? [y,n]
      

      Answer yes.

   3. Setup the client to use floating licenses:

      Execute chlicense -fon to turn on floating licenses.

      NOTE: The default behavior of every AIX 4 client is to request an AIX 4.1 license.

      If you want your 4.3 client to request a 4.3 license, you must start monitord with the flag -v 4.3.

      To restart the monitord process you can do the following:

      1. Execute ps -ef |grep monitord.
      2. Execute kill <process ID of monitord>.
      3. Remove /etc/security/monitord_lock (this may not be necessary).
      4. Execute /usr/sbin/monitord -v 4.3.

      To automate this process, you can edit the monitord entry in /etc/inittab to appear as follows:

                    monitord:2:once:/usr/sbin/monitord -v 4.3 >/dev/console 2>&1
      

• The fileset bos.ifor_ls.client contains some useful commands and GUI tools to display server, product and license information.

• /usr/lib/netls/ark/bin/ls_admin displays server, vendor, product and license information. For AIX login floating license, the product name should say

                 AIX User License [4.x];
  

• The license information includes the number of concurrent access licenses and the expiration dates, as well as the server IP address and the socket port number.

• /usr/lib/netls/ark/bin/ls_tv verifies that license servers are working. It displays the fully qualified names of the active license servers along with the product names and the iFOR/LS version numbers.

• /usr/lib/netls/ark/bin/ls_targetid shows the CPU serial number of the target system.

• /usr/lib/netls/ark/bin/ls_stat shows the status information on network licenses. It has both command line and GUI interfaces.

• /usr/lib/netls/ark/bin/ls_rpt generates reports on license server events. This command can be used to track and monitor license usage, amount and causes of rejected license requests.

[ Doc Ref: 91201133914580     Publish Date: Jun. 06, 2001]