Licensing model

A licensing model consists of an application that needs a license, and a license file that contains the license information.

The license file defines what software or features the license is for, how long it is valid for, how many users can use the software, the computers on which the software can be used, and so on. The license file can be stored locally on the same computer as the application, or on a remote license server. In a served license model, where licenses are stored and served from a common license server, the applications that require a license connect over a Internet Protocol network to obtain the licenses from the license server. IBM® Common Licensing supports both options: local license file deployment and the served license model.

The IBM Common Licensing model consists of the following components:
  • Rational client application: the application in use that requires a license. For example, a IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) or IBM Rational® product such as IBM Rational Functional Tester.
  • License Key Server: the server application that hosts the license files.
  • Optional, License Key Server Administration and Reporting Tool: the tool that is used to remotely administer your License Key Servers and to generate reports on license usage data from the license servers.
When you purchase an ELM or IBM Rational product, you receive a license entitlement that authorizes you to generate and download license files from the IBM License Key Center. The IBM License Key Center is an online service that you use to create license files (.dat, .upd, and .txt) for the application or applications that you purchased, or in IBM parlance, “have entitlement for.” The license file:
  • Contains license data for one or more products or product features.
  • Specifies the period of use or validity of the license.
  • Applies to the machine where your License Key Server or your licensed application is hosted. If you change the computer where your License Key Server is hosted or your client application is installed, you must get an updated license file that is configured for use on the new host machine.
Note: Do not change the hostname when you migrate your license server from one computer to another. If you must change the host name, be sure to log in to the IBM License Key Center, return your existing license, and regenerate licenses for the new host computer.

For single desktop applications, you can store the licenses on the same computer as the application. You can also run multiple instances of the application on the licensed computer. For applications that are used on several computers by different users, you can use a served license model. The licenses are held centrally by the License Key Server and served up to requesting applications and users.

Here is an illustration of the concept of a served licensing model.

IBM Common Licensing process

Log in to the IBM License Key Center to generate and download your licenses. After you download the license files from the IBM License Key Center, you can use the License Key Server Administration Agent to import and deploy the license files to the license server. Depending on your product type, you might need to use different mechanisms to point to the license server:
  • For ELM or IBM Rational products, such as Rational ClearCase® and Rational ClearQuest®, use the License Key Server Administration Agent to deploy products for ELM or IBM Rational products.
  • For former Telelogic products, such as Rational Rhapsody® and Rational Change, configure the environment variables in the Telelogic license file to point to the license file.
  • For Software Delivery Platform products such as Rational Functional Tester and Rational Performance Tester, use the IBM Installation Manager > Manage Licenses option.

The two daemons in the illustration (the lmgrd, manager daemon, and the ibmratl, or Telelogic vendor daemon) manage licenses on the license server. The lmgrd daemon runs on the license server. The vendor daemon information is supplied for each application in the license file for the application. The lmgrd daemon handles the initial contact with the client application or the ELM or IBM Rational product. The daemon reads the license file, identifies and starts the appropriate vendor daemon, and then passes on the connection to the vendor daemon. The vendor daemon tracks how many licenses are checked out and who has the licenses. An application that requires a license connects to the license server and requests a license. The license server provides a license that is based on the availability of the license. The daemons write information about license usage to the lmgrd.log file. The reporting tool uses the information in this log file to generate license usage reports.