Local License Server
Last updated
Last updated
We offer an on-premise license server solution for facilities with air-gapped computers. Available for Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, and Windows, the Local License Server ("LLS") acts as a floating license server for client licenses.
A Pro license with the required amount of simultaneous activations.
A bare-metal machine in your local network, to run the Local License Server application on. The LLS application is lightweight and can run on about any hardware: a NUC, Raspberry Pi, or Mac Mini suffices.
If you want to run LLS as a VM, reach out. We can host it as a managed service.
When you need a LLS deployed, contact our team. We'll help you set up your licenses and guide you through the (straightforward) deployment process.
To make a license work with the Local License Server, we will manually switch your license to be used with the LLS. Eligible licenses are required to be the Pro tier, and to always be within support and updates. to have your license switched.
A Local License Server can run on a different operating system than your workstations. For example, a common scenario is having the server running on Linux, and workstations run on a combination of Windows and macOS.
Important: any instance of the LLS manages a single license. If you need to deploy multiple licenses or apps, you'll need to deploy multiple instances for the Local License Server.
The Local License Server will run on almost all hardware, requiring practically no resources.
Ubuntu 18.04 or higher. Other distributions may work just as well, but we tested Ubuntu.
sudo or root privileges
unzip and wget
An internet connection for activation and daily license checks.
Download the .dat file for the app you will use with the Local License Server:
Download and install the Local License Server application:
Extract the contents to a directory of your choice, e.g., ~/LocalLicenseServer
Ensure you have the following files in the directory:
A folder bin-linux containing executables for each CPU type
LocalLicenseServer.xml
The product-specific .dat file you download in Step 1.
Before you can use the LLS, you need to switch the LLS from a file to an executable.
Open Terminal.app and enter this one-line command:
Go to Finder, and you'll see the file's icon to have switched:
Open LocalLicenseServer by double-clicking the icon in Finder
Click Allow Anyway
Open LocalLicenseServer.xml in a plain text editor
Set the port number: <bind port="20000"/> (change 20000 to your desired port)
Set the log location (required for Linux and MacOS): <log file="tfs-log.txt" level="warning" />
Save the configuration file
Open LocalLicenseServer.xml in a plain text editor:
Set the port number to the desired port: <bind port="20000"/>
It's mandatory to set the client's lease length (in seconds). Don't change it unless you have a good reason to.
Optional: change the log location to a different folder with <log file="…
Optional: change the time interval that the LLS will check for new license information. Daily is recommended, 90 days the maximum with a 14-day grace period: <isgenuine days_between="1" grace="1" />
There are two ways to run the server: online and offline.
In online mode, LLS checks periodically for license updates like activation count and eligibility for updates.
Linux has many approaches to keep services or daemons running. Because of this, we don’t offer a full installation that autostarts after a reboot. You can create an autostart script yourself for Crontab, Systemd, System V Init, Upstart, etc.
Start the process using the following command:
In offline mode, the LLS does not need to phone home. This has implications for the license's support window. Either the LLS you deactivate and reactivate to load license changes, or the client apps are stuck on the last version of the client supported by the license. A good way to prevent this is to get a license with a multi-year support contract instead.
To activate offline, you generate a challenge file on the server with an additional flag:
Send the resulting file over to us, and we'll send you a file that you can then use to activate the LLS with:
Note that you do need to specify your license key in the Request call but not in the Response call.
Open an elevated command prompt on Windows, use sudo on macOS and Linux.
Shut down the service by running the following command:
Update the license information by running the following command:
On Windows, restart the service by running the following command:
Uninstall the server:
Deactivating the license . Requires uninstall first.
Running into errors when installing or activation your license?
Failed to resolve this executable's path to a real path. Error: 1
You haven't initialized the server, using the -i flag.
Failed to load the product details file.
You're not referring to the right .xml, or you haven't included the -pdets flag.
Failed to parse the configuration XML file. Make sure it's properly formed XML using UTF-8 characters.
You likely haven't included the -config flag in your command.
Failed to load the product details file TurboActivate.dat. Either the file is missing or corrupt.
You haven't downloaded the .dat file for the product you need to activate a license for
You can only run one instance of this floating license server at a time.
You haven't uninstalled the server before deactivating. Try the -u flag first, then deactivate.
If you want to track the amount of leases, or to which computer leases have been awarded, you can automatically parse the log files present on the server:
The client app can be installed like a regular app, or via MDM. After installation, switch the licensing method from Remote Activation to Local Activation. Each of our apps uses dedicated API calls, in this example we use mimiq.Replace mimiq:with the app name you are deploying the Local License Server for.
Switch to Local Activation (replace the IP and port number):
Switch back to Remote Activation:
An MDM solution is recommended for bulk setting changes on client apps and distribution of app updates.
Ensure access to the server is allowed through the firewall.
On the server, verify that the specified port is open and not used by other applications.
If Mimiq reports it cannot locate the Local License Server, confirm if there's no network roadblock with the following Termina/PowerShell command:
For other apps, .
