How FlexNet floating licenses work

What happens when you use floating licenses and start the IBM® Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) or IBM Rational® product that connects to the License Key Server?

• The ELM or IBM Rational product uses the RATIONAL_LICENSE_FILE system variable to find out the FlexNet license server name and the port that the server is using.
• The ELM or IBM Rational product contacts the license manager on the FlexNet license server by using the specified port.
• The ELM or IBM Rational product requests a floating license and makes the request for the vendor daemon.
• On the FlexNet license server, the license manager sends the request to the vendor daemon.
• The vendor daemon checks if licenses are available.
• If there are available licenses, the vendor daemon grants a license and the ELM or IBM Rational product runs.
• If licenses are not available, the vendor daemon refuses the request. The ELM or IBM Rational product fails to start and displays a message saying that the product could not obtain a license.