Installing IBM Common Licensing on Windows

Learn how to install the license server and license key files on Windows.

Before you begin

  • Read the System Requirements for Rational® License Key Server technical document to ensure that you understand the requirements.
  • Know how to download installation files from the IBM® Website.
  • Ensure that you have a current backup of your registry and system directories before you start the installation program.
  • Download the IBM IBM Common Licensing from the IBM Website.
  • Work with a supported network configuration.
    • Rational floating licenses can be used over a wide area network if the floating licenses are in compliance with the geographical allowance of the License Agreement. If you choose to use licenses over a WAN, be aware of how your systems resolve host names. Always use the fully qualified domain names in the SERVER line and on the clients. This technique tends to reduce the number of issues with host name resolution.
    • You can use floating licenses with a dial-up network connection that supports a constant TCP/IP connection to the IBM Common Licensing. All clients must have a constant TCP/IP connection to the license server. If the dial-up connection is lost while a client checks out a floating license, the server automatically reclaims the floating license. When the connection is lost, the client is unable to periodically refresh its license from the license server. As a result, you can use the Rational product for a limited time. This time period depends on the Rational product in use.
  • You must have Windows administrator privileges on the local computer. The Windows server must have a C:\ drive. The default TCP/IP port number is 27000.

About this task

Use IBM Installation Manager to install the IBM Common Licensing. See the Installation Manager IBM Knowledge Center.

You can install the IBM Common Licensing for an IPv4 or IPv6 network.

Important: You cannot install a new version of IBM Common Licensing if earlier versions of Rational or Telelogic license key servers are running. Before you install a new version, you must stop all earlier versions of Rational or Telelogic license key servers.
Note:
  • For IPv6, the IPv6 stack must be enabled on Windows before you install the IBM Common Licensing. At the same time, on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 operating systems, the IPv4 based license server can be contacted by IPv4 FlexEnabled clients only if the IPv6 stack has been uninstalled before you install the license server.
  • You cannot upgrade from an earlier release of IBM Common Licensing. If you have Rational License Server 7.1 or earlier installed, you must uninstall the license server before you install Rational License Key Server 8.x. You cannot upgrade license servers versions 7.1 or earlier to version 8.x.
  • IBM Common Licensing version 8.x cannot be on the same computer as IBM Rational Common License version 7.1 or earlier and IBM Rational License Server TL 2.0.

Procedure

To install the IBM Common Licensing:

  1. Download IBM_Rational_License_Key_Server_815 zip file against required operating system from Fix Central.
  2. Log in as a user with administrator rights on the local computer where the IBM Common Licensing will be installed.
  3. Extract the installation files for IBM Common Licensing. The extracted files are the repository for IBM Common Licensing. The installation files include Installation Manager. You do not need to download Installation Manager separately. 
  4. Go to the //RLKSSERVER_SETUP/disk1 directory.
  5. Double-click launchpad.exe. The IBM IBM Common Licensing splash screen opens.
  6. Click Readme to read the release information.
  7. Click Install or Update IBM IBM Common Licensing to open the Installation Manager interface.
    If Installation Manager is not installed or the installed version of Installation Manager is an earlier version than the Installation Manager version included with IBM Common Licensing, you must install Installation Manager before you install IBM Common Licensing:
    1. Installation Manager opens to the Install Packages window. Only Installation Manager is listed. IBM Common Licensing is not listed.
    2. To install Installation Manager, follow the instructions in the Install wizard.
    3. When the installation finishes, click Restart Installation Manager.
  8. Click Install to install IBM Common Licensing.
  9. Select IBM Common Licensing and click Next.
  10. After the prerequisites are validated, click Next. To validate prerequisites again, click Recheck Status in the lower right corner.
  11. Accept the license agreement and click Next.
  12. For both the Shared Resources directory and Installation Manager directory locations, either accept the default value or enter a different directory location and click Next.
    Important: You cannot change the location of the Shared Resources directory after Installation Manager is installed.
    Default values:
    • Shared Resources directory: C:\Program Files\IBM\IMShared
    • Installation Manager directory: C:\Program Files\IBM\Installation Manager\eclipse
  13. Accept the default installation directory for the license server or enter a different installation directory.

    Default installation directory: C:\Program Files\IBM\RationalRLKS

  14. Select required languages to install and click Next.
  15. In Packages, click Install to start the installation.
  16. Click Finish to close installation wizard.
  17. Import the license keys and start the server. The license server will not start until license keys are installed. See the Starting the Windows license server topic.

What to do next

You can install the Server Administration and Reporting Tool to administer license servers on Windows and UNIX operating systems. Use the reporting feature of the application to generate license usage reports for IBM Rational products that are served by the Rational License Key Server and IBM solution for Collaborative Lifecycle Management (CLM) license server.
Related reference:
System requirements
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