License Server: Advanced Topics

Activations of Entitlements Across Multiple Accounts on a Single Device

Producers with the FlexNet Advanced Organization module that use FlexNet Embedded licensing technology can take greater advantage of their account hierarchies and channel partner sets during entitlement mapping operations. This capability also supports producers who want end users to be able to activate entitlements on any device.

FlexNet Operations enables accounts, other than the device owner, to map entitlements to a device. Producers can map entitlements from the device owner's sub-accounts to any device, and End-User Portal users can map entitlements from their account, or its sub-accounts, to any device visible to them.

Activate Remaining Available Copies of an Entitlement

The FlexNet Embedded client API has a “partial” option when specifying activation IDs for a capability request intended for the back office. It is now possible to request, if there are insufficient copies of the entitlement to satisfy the request, that the back office instead activate the remaining available copies. Without this option, such a request would fail with a message indicating that the number of copies requested exceeds the available copies. With the option, the request succeeds with a status message indicating that the request was only partially fulfilled.

This partial option can be added for each activation code requested. For example,

-activate activation-id [copies] [partial]

Note:The partial option does not take into consideration optional limits imposed by the device series.

Refer to your FlexNet Embedded API documentation for details.

Associating a Server with an End User

A FlexNet Operations server can be associated with an end user or contact called the Device User. Associating a server with a Device User allows an End-User Portal administrator to communicate with someone regarding the licenses on that server. For example, if the End-User Portal administrator needs a license for a new device but there are no licenses available, the administrator can search for all existing devices using that license and request that one of those Device Users return their license so it can be used on the new device.

With the proper combination of system configuration and user permission settings, a Device User can be added, edited, or deleted via capability request, sync request, the End-User Portal, the Producer Portal, or Web Services. The same Device User can be associated with multiple devices, but a device can only be associated with one Device User.

Mapping a Product to a License Server Using an Activation ID

License servers often include pre-installed products but also permit the optional addition of new products. When the current owner of a license server is entitled to additional products, those products can be mapped programmatically to the license server using an activation ID.

Removing Product Licenses from a License Server

Licenses for additional products that are mapped to a license server can be manually removed via the Producer Portal’s View Server page.

The following table lists limitations for removing licenses from a license server:

Server Type	Limitation
Local License Server	Only concurrent licenses that are not in use can be removed from a local license server. To remove used licenses, you must unmap the licenses before deleting them. Licenses that are currently in use cannot be removed.
CLS Instance	• Licenses for counted features that are currently in use cannot be removed. You must unmap used licenses first before deleting them. (Only licenses for uncounted features that are currently in use can be removed.) • At any one time, you can remove licenses from a total of five activation IDs.
Auto-Provisioned License Server	Only unused licenses for metered features can be removed using Licenses > Remove Licenses. Refer to Auto-Provisioning for more information.

Moving a License Server

A license server can be moved from an account to a related account via the Producer Portal’s View Server page.

Note:Auto-provisioned license servers that have entitlements mapped for metered features cannot be moved to another account. Refer to Auto-Provisioning for more information.

Returning a License Server

A license server can be returned via the Producer Portal’s View Server page. Returns are irreversible actions intended for server hosts that will no longer receive a capability response or license file.

Making a License Server Obsolete

An active license server can be made obsolete from its View Server page on the Producer Portal. When a license server is made obsolete, its licenses are removed and returned to the pool of unused licenses, and it becomes unable to acquire new license rights. Obsolete license servers cannot be re-activated. Obsolete status is permanent.

Note:Making an auto-provisioned license server obsolete that has entitlements mapped for metered features will remove all licenses mapped to the server. However, this is not recommended, because future line items will not be mapped automatically to the auto-provisioned license server. Refer to Auto-Provisioning for more information.

Activating an Unclaimed FlexNet Embedded License Server

A FlexNet Embedded license server can be created in the Producer Portal, but an unclaimed license server can be created by submitting an activation request to the FlexNet Operations back office. The request must include an activation code and host information. When it receives such a request, FlexNet Operations creates the license server and maps the activation code to that license server with the requested quantity.

Note:A site can be configured so that an activation code is not required to create an unclaimed license server.

FlexNet Operations processes activation requests from an unclaimed license server using the default server host type FLX_SERVER, then assigns the FLX_SERVER server host type to each license server created through this process—thereby defining the server’s identity.

Note:The pre-defined server host type, FLX_SERVER, is associated, by default, with the first identity a producer creates.

Viewing License Server Request History

You can view the history of all license server requests and filter the history by ID and date range.

Using Server Sync to Send License Transaction Data to FlexNet Operations

As transactions occur between a FlexNet Embedded server and its FlexNet Embedded devices, the license server incrementally updates the device status and activation data it stores. When syncing is enabled, the license server syncs with FlexNet Operations, providing the back office with information about how customers use served devices and what features they use. Sync data transmission to FlexNet Operations is configured by the device producer when the FlexNet Embedded license server is configured.

Note:Sync messages can be viewed by viewing the device’s history. The history of a FlexNet Embedded license server shows sync messages related to all its served devices, while the history of a served device shows only the messages specific to that served device.

Usage

Refer to Getting Started with Usage Management for information about FlexNet usage management concepts, exercises, and advanced activities.