Quick Start: Setting up a license server on Windows

1. Download and install the NLM (Network Licensing Manager) for Windows:

www.autodesk.com/nlm-ipv4-windows

Open the lmtools.exe and make a note of the hostname and etherne address of the license server.

Reference: http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/05/migrating-license-server-to-another-machine.html

2. To get your license and you will need to have your Serial Number, Hostname and Ethernet Address ready:

a. Login to the Subscription Center and go to Contract Administration > Coverage Report to get your serial numbers:

http://www.autodesk.com/subscriptionlogin

b. Login to Register Once to get your license.

http://www.autodesk.com/register

c. Validate your account information.

d. Enter your serial number.

e. Enter your license server information.

Reference: http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/07/general-licensing-requesting-a-network-license-online.html

You can also call this phone number to manually get your licenses. Please have your serial numbers for your Autodesk product, hostname and ethernet address of the license server ready.

1-800-551-1490 - Option 1 (ENU) - Option 2 (Network).

Epilogue

http://www.autodesk.com/licensesupport

http://www.autodesk.com/licensesupport_fr

http://www.autodesk.com/licensesupport_it

http://www.autodesk.com/licensesupport_de

3. You will need to configure and start the license server the EASY way!

a. Watch this video: Quick-Setup-lmtools as a review.

b. The settings are as noted:

Service/License Tab > Configuration using Services

Config Services Tab > Autodesk (delete "Flexlm Service 1") > I like using Autodesk because it is not version specific and this service can be used for all Autodesk products.

The settings for the 3 line items in the Config Services Tab is:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\lmgrd.exe

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\Max2013.lic

C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\Max 2013.log

NOTE: I would not create a License or Log folder because I hate navigating the folders to the lmgrd.exe, the license and log files. Also by naming the files exactly the same, you know that the are together like brother and sister.

Also, do NOT use the Server Diagnostics tab or you will get a "false" error:

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2012/02/general-licensing-flexnet-licensing-error-125147.html

Reference

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/06/general-licensing-dont-use-the-default-name-when-configuring-lmtools.html

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS64756

4. Please check the firewall port numbers quickly and easily on Server and Client computers by putting this in Internet Explorer:

http://Your-LICENSE-server-NAME:2080
http://Your-LICENSE-server-NAME:27000

We get a lot of customers mentioning that they can ping the license server but that is not the most accurate method of checking the license server status!

Reference:

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/06/verifying-if-license-server-is-up-and-running-and-if-firewall-is-blocking-ports-from-a-client-using-.html

http://upandready.typepad.com/up_and_ready/2011/11/windows-is-the-windows-firewall-on-or-off.html

5. If you are setting up a Firewall exception for Autodesk Network Licensing, you will need to know the following:

Port 2080 is used for the adskflex.exe
Port 27000-27009 is used for the lmgrd.exe

The default license file will start with the following 3 lines:

SERVER Your-SERVER-name 0025b3282c6b
USE_SERVER
VENDOR adskflex port=2080

Firewall Exception rules are as noted below:

Incoming > Add Port > Name: Autodesk 2080 > Port Number: 2080 > Protocol TCP
Incoming > Add Port > Name: Autodesk 27000-27009 > Port Number: 27000 -27009 > Protocol TCP

NOTE: For Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, you can actually put in a range of ports. i.e. 27000-27009. If you are using an older server, you will need to have separate entries for each port from 27000-27009.

Windows 7/ Server 2008/Server 2012 Workflow:

Click and select Control Panel.
Click System and Security.
Click Windows Firewall.
Click Advanced Settings.
Click Inbound Rules and select New Rule.
Select Port and click Next.
Select TCP.
Specific Local Ports: 2080 and click Next.
Choose Default settings and click Next.
Choose Default settings and click Next.
Enter a Name and Description of the rule. i.e. Autodesk 2080
Click Finish.

Repeat the same steps again but use a range of ports for the next value. i.e. 27000-27009 name the rule Autodesk 27000-27009.

TIP: This is an incoming rule because a firewall is like your house, you can leave but you can't come in unless you have a key (or have a Firewall Incoming rule).

On the client workstations, you can also edit the licpath.lic file (search in C:\Program Files) and use Notepad to change the info from the old license server to the new license server.

IN some cases, you can also add an the following as an environment variable as well. I typically don't do this if you have correctly edited the licpath.lic file. This would be an optional tip/step.

Variable: ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE
Value: @Your-SERVER-name

http://usa.autodesk.com/getdoc/id=TS1065268

Reference

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Installation-Licensing/Port-number-used-for-network-licensing-of-Autodesk-products/m-p/2807352/highlight/true#M25493

6. If everything looks good from step 3, 4 & 5 and the client still cannot connect to the server and the licpath.lic* file has an entry to the correct server name, you will need to setup IPv6 tools.

*You can search for licpath.lic in C:\Program Files\Autodesk\ and edit using notepad to change the server name.

The typical upgrade process is to install the IPv4 license tools first then run the IPv6 update. The workflow is below:

1. Install the Network Lcense Manager tools as noted in the VERY top of this post.

2. I like to create an IPv4 folder in C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager and then move all the .exe files into that folder. This is to backup the older files.

3. Download and Extract the IPv6 license tools.

Double-click the NLM_IPv6Support_Win##.exe file on your desktop.The IPv6 Support files, lmtools.exe, lmutil.exe, lmgrd.exe, and adskflex.exe, are extracted to C:\install\Autodesk\NLMIPv6Support_Win##.
Copy the new IPv6 Support files from C:\install\Autodesk\NLMIPv6Support_Win## to the location where your existing Autodesk Network License Manager is installed. i.e. C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager