Distributed server installation guide

Issue

You are setting up the network license manager for AutoCAD® 2002 software, and you need to know the procedure for installing the distributed server model.

Note: The network license manager for AutoCAD 2002 software uses FLEXlm® technology.

Solution

With the distributed server model, the available licenses are divided (distributed) among more than one license server. The client machines are then pointed to the license server using the environment variable, ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE. When the environment variable is used, the client automatically attempts to get a license from the second license server when the first license server has no more available licenses, or when the first server is unavailable. For the client machine to be able to request a license from more than one server, the environment variable must be set.

Note: If the licpath.lic file and the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable are both used, the environment variable takes priority.

The following process is used to implement distributed license servers:

• Install and authorize the license servers in the same manner as for a single license server.
  
  For information about installing and authorizing a single license server, see related solution TS64756.
  
  Note that each server must be individually authorized.
  
  
• Set the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable (the procedure varies depending on the operating system).

To set the environment variable

Use the procedure described for your operating system to set the environment variable:

For Microsoft® Windows 98 and Windows Me:

1. Open the autoexec.bat file in a text editor, such as Microsoft® Notepad, and add a line to set the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable. The at sign (@) must precede the server name, and multiple license servers can be listed by separating them with a semicolon (;). Use one of the following examples as a guide:
   
   
   • set ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE=@server1
   • set ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE=@server1;@server2;@server3
     
   
   
2. Save the autoexec.bat file with the file type set as All Files (*.*).
3. Restart Windows for the new setting to take effect.

For Windows NT® 4.0:

1. In Control Panel, double-click the System item to open it.
2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the Environment tab.
3. Under System Variables, select any variable listed.
4. In the Variable box, replace the current value with ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE.
5. In the Value box, replace the current value with the at sign (@) followed by the host name of each license server to which you want to point the client. Separate each server name with a semicolon (;). For example:
   
   @server1;@server2;@server3


6. Click Set.
   
   The values you set should be displayed in the System Variables box.
   
   
7. Click OK.

For Windows 2000:

1. Right-click My Computer and click Properties, or open the System item in Control Panel.
2. In the System Properties dialog box, Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.
3. In the Environment Variables dialog box, under System Variables, click New.
4. In the New System Variable dialog box, enter ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE in the Variable Name field.
5. In the Variable Value field, enter an at sign (@) followed by the host name of each license server to which you want to point the client. Separate each server name with a semicolon (;). For example:
   
   @server1;@server2;@server3


6. Click OK in each dialog box to close all open dialog boxes.

For Windows® XP Professional

1. In Control Panel, double-click Performance and Maintenance.
2. Click System.
3. On the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.
4. Under System Variables, click New.
5. Enter the new environment variable name, ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE.
6. In the Variable Value field, enter an at sign (@) followed by the host name of each license server to which you want to point the client. Use a semicolon (;) to separate each server name. For example:
   
   @server1;@server2;@server3
   
   
7. Click OK in each dialog box to close all open dialog boxes.