Introduction
Overview
Requesting a License
Starting the License Service
Getting Help
In order to run Entropy, you must have a valid software license. This document outlines how Entropy licensing works, how to request and install a license, and where to find further information.
If you are using an evaluation version of Entropy, a "run anywhere" evaluation license has been included in the Entropy distribution. There is no need to request or install an additional license.
Entropy uses Globetrotter's FLEXlm, the de facto standard network licensing manager, to manage Entropy licenses. In order to run Entropy, you must have:
- A correct installed Entropy 3.1 distribution under Windows or Linux/Irix
- A machine designated to act as a FLEXlm license server
- A license file containing a valid Entropy license generated by Exluna for your license server
When you run Entropy, your FLEXlm license server's licensing daemon process, lmgrd, is contacted, and a request to "check out" one or more Entropy licenses is made. If enough unused Entropy licenses are available, they will be checked out, and Entropy will run as requested. If the license server cannot be contacted, or if not enough free Entropy licenses are available, the checkout will fail, and Entropy will issue an error message. When a run of Entropy finishes, any checked out licenses are immediately made available for checkout by other users.
Due to its power and flexibility, setting up and administering FLEXlm licensing can be complicated; you should contact your System Administrator or on-site FLEXlm licensing expert, if available. Detailed, in-depth documentation on FLEXlm licensing considerations made be found on the Globetrotter web site.
If you are using an evaluation version of Entropy, a "run anywhere" evaluation license has been included in the Entropy distribution. There is no need to request or install an additional license.
Otherwise, if you have not yet requested and installed a flexlm license from Exluna, you must do so now.
- Choose a machine to act as the Entropy FLEXlm license server
If only a single computer will be running Entropy, that machine can be used as the FLEXlm server. If you are planning on running Entropy on multiple computers (i.e., "floating" your Entropy licenses), your should choose an appropriately configured server-class machine to serve licenses.
- Determine your license server's FLEXlm host ID ("FLEXid")
Run "lmhostid" from a command prompt on the license server machine. "lmhostid" is located in the "etc" folder of the Entropy install directory.
Note the resulting FLEXlm host ID of the machine.Request an Entropy license file
Send mail to license@exluna.com containing:
- Your name, email address, and contact phone number
- Your company name (if any)
- The FLEXlm host ID of the license host (see #1)
- The hostname of the license host
Exluna Licensing will email back a license file.- Install the Entropy license
Save the license file data provided by Exluna to "license.dat" in the etc directory of the Entropy install directory (e.g. $ENTROPYHOME/etc/license.dat (linux/irix), or c:\Program Files\Exluna\Entropy\etc\license.dat (Windows)).
Be sure to include all of the license file text. FLEXlm will ignore any text it doesn't recognize -- you can simply save the entire licensing email from Exluna as "license.dat".
If you have received a "floating" Entropy license, you must start the license service, "lmgrd", on the license server machine. If you have received a "nodelocked" license, there is no need to start the licensing service.
Start the FLEXlm daemon
Under Linux/Irix:
% cd $ENTROPYHOME/etc
% ./lmgrd -c ./license.dat
Windows:
Select Start->Programs->Exluna Entropy->Entropy Licensing->Start License Server
or, from a "cmd" window:
> cd \Program Files\Exluna\Entropy\etc
> lmgrd -c license.dat
lmgrd should report something resembling:
...
15:19:09 (lmgrd) Started exlunad (internet tcp_port 3707 pid 24333)
15:19:09 (exlunad) FLEXlm version 7.2h
15:19:09 (exlunad) Server started on servername for: entropy
...
You should now be able to test Entropy by rendering a test image under Windows or Linux/Irix.
Once you have verified that your license has been correctly installed, you should make sure that "lmgrd" is started automatically when the license server is rebooted. Under Windows, this can be accomplished by running Start->Programs->Exluna Entropy->Entropy Licensing->Install Licensing Service. Contact your system administrator to permanently set up lmgrd under Linux/Irix.
Further information on lmgrd, license files, selecting a license server, and other FLEXlm related topics may be found on Globetrotter's web site. More information on using FLEXlm with Entropy can be found on the Entropy Support section of Exluna's web site.
Thirty (30) days of free installation and licensing technical support is included in your purchase of Entropy. To contact Exluna Technical Support with a licensing question, send email to support@exluna.com detailing your installation configuration and the exact nature of your problem.