I'm going to be upgrading a large number of users over a wide geographic area to the latest versions of our Autodesk software. Our current license server was handed to me without any documentation, and the license file is a mess of pasted on bits. In our latest round of upgrades we have also consilidated our serial numbers down to keep things simple.
My concern is that should I go in and upgrade FlexLM, and try to get the new licenses on the server, folks running older versions are going to run into issues due to the serial changes.
My question is, can I stand up a new server with a fresh copy of FlexLM, get license files for my current serials, and then move people over the course of a couple days from the old server to the new one with their newly installed verisons of the products? Then go and decomission the old server and dump the old license file in the recycling bin?
I just want to make sure I'm not going to run into issues with either licensing agreements or technical issues (Like I go register the serials on the new server and suddenly the seats on my old license server stop working.)
Thanks!
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Solved by DarrenP. Go to Solution.
what versions of product are you talking about? ex 2009, 2006
when you move your users to the server you can set up a windows enviroment variable: http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=8385605&linkID=9240617 to move them to the new server
DarrenP
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Well the license file is at least 5 years of junk. Versions of software are 2009, 2010, 2011 mostly.
Its not moving them to the new server, I'm more concerned about the partial serial number changes. Thats why I was thinking of standing up a 2nd license server to move folks over.
you probably need to work with your reseller to verify the license file has the correct amount of license that your company owns and they should be able to tell you the correct serial number you should be using
the users machine won't notice that a serial number changed
DarrenP
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run the license file through this license parser: www.licenseparser.com to verify everything
DarrenP
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I was under the impression that the serial did matter. For example, I had 20 seats of Product Design Suite, 16 under one serial, and 4 under another. If more than 4 people under the 4 seat serial ran it, it errored them out, even if the 16 seat serial had plenty of seats empty.
So in the past month we had Autodesk combine the 4 and 16 seat serials under the 16 seat one, so now it has 20 seats. If I go and download a new license for that serial, and append it to the license file, what happens to the people that still have the software installed under the 4 seat number?
Also when renewing the serial, I get a long list of software (22 items!) that it says I need to re-register or they might stop working. Only problem is some of them are the old serials that we have merged.
When I run the current license through the parser, it doens't give any errors, but it just shows everything. Including multiple seats under the same serial for different seat ammounts. =/
Darren is right. The serial number for network versions mean absolutely nothing to the client. If you have a 4-seat and a 16-seat for a total of 20 seats, then it doesn't matter if all 20 seats come from one serial number or spit between two. The 4-seat license will be able to use all 20 available seats.
The other thing you have to understand is Subscription and how the cascade works in the licensing. Some products contain crossover in their licenses so you may show more seats available for one product and less for another. This is also true of a new Subscription license supersedes an old one. If you have 2009 under Subscription and add a 2010 license, it will actually ignore the 2009 license and only show the 2010 (which will subsequently allow you to run 3 versions back, including 2009.) Basically if you had 20 seats of 2009 and have an upgrade Subscription license file appended for 20 seats of 2010, then you don't have 40 seats total. You still only have 20 seats and you can run either 2009 or 2010 within those 20.
It's confusing, I know. Also, to properly combine licenses from identical or crossover products, the licenses need to be generated on the same date to properly combine. Otherwise you will either have only a working 16-seat or a working 4-seat but not both. Which ever is newer will take precedence.
That being said, some of your older licenses might not even be valid anymore due to upgrades and cross-grades. Inheriting a license server can really be mind-boggling!
I'm really confused then. My example was taken from my experience. I watched users under a 4 seat serial get denied for the exact same software where the 16 seat serial had plenty of open seats. Is there an option or something I am missing?
So in the end, will going to a completly new license server effect the old server at all? Even if I goto registeronce and get a new license file for the old serials on a new server?
as long as you are not running both license servers at the same time you should be fine
when you set up the new license server make sure you don't start the service yet until you deactive the old license server
DarrenP
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What happens if I do? These are on two different physical/virtual servers.
I'm actually wanting to have both working as I have folks upgrade/reinstall software out in the field and pointing them to the new server. That way I don't have any stoppage as I get the 60 odd folks upgraded, and I'm not going over my licensed number of seats even if there are two servers running.
if your postive about that then leave them both running
its really an honor system if you are exceding the number of license you purchased by running both at the time
the right thing to do is not run both
DarrenP
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Thanks I appricate the help. I'm 100% positive that no one will be exceeding their license count, as I will be removing the old software as it upgrades to the new version and new license server. I have a seat for every user in the enviroment, so that shouldn't be a problem either as far as someone sharing a seat and going over.
I'm just looking forward to having a nice clean file with only the current stuff in it, and finally being done with the whole process. 🙂
Thanks!