Specifications

License Authorization Process

Chapter 2 - Configuring the License Server

Step 3: Client Identifies License Server

If the application supports network licensing, when it is started it first tries to

identify a license server. This is how it looks for a license server:

• If the LSFORCEHOST environment variable is set, the application looks

for the specific license server host listed in that variable. If it cannot find

that computer, an error message is displayed, and the application cannot

run.

• If no LSFORCEHOST environment variable is set, the application looks

for the LSHOST environment variable. If this variable has been set, then

the application looks for any of the license server hosts listed. If

LSHOST isn’t set, then a check is made for a file with the name LSHOST

or lshost in the directory where the application is located. If this file is

found, then the application looks for any of the license server hosts listed

in the first line of the file.

• If a license server isn’t found using one of these methods, then a broad-

cast message will be sent out on the client computer’s subnet requesting

all license servers to identify themselves. The application will then

choose one of these license servers. Using the broadcast method of find-

ing the license server allows the server location to be changed without

any actions on the part of the client computer. The broadcast is only used

when the application starts, so it uses very little network bandwidth.

A protected application that has been built to support both stand-alone and net-

work options can be converted to strictly stand-alone operation by setting

LSHOST to NO_NET. (For instructions on setting environment variables, see

“Appendix A - Using Environment Variables to Configure a License Server” on

page 123.)

Step 4: Client Issues License Request

Once the application has identified the license server, it issues a request for one

or more licenses to the license server. The server host name is translated to the