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Error when installing Rational product licensesFLEXlm -96: Server node is down or not responding

Troubleshooting


Problem

This technote identifies a potential cause and resolution to the FLEXlm -96 error that you might encounter when you are installing IBM® Rational® License keys on the License Server.

Symptom

The full error message is:

FLEXlm -96: Server node is down or not responding; the Rational License Server is pointing to a nonexistent server name.  

Cause

This error is potentially the result of your Hostname not been identified correctly on the network.

Resolving The Problem

Use the following procedure to validate your Hostname has been identified correctly on the network:

  1. Select Start > Run, type CMD and click OK
  2. Ping the License Server using Hostname:

    Ping LicenseServerName


    If the Ping command times out, run the Ping command again using the server IP Address.

    To identify the License Server IP address, from a command prompt on the License Server run a ipconfig command to identify the IP Address.

    If you are able to ping the License Server by Pinging it using the IP Address the License server's Hostname is not populated in your DNS Servers tables or the system is not configured correctly for your network.

If you are unable to connect to your License Server using the Hostname you can use the following workaround to register your licenses against your License Servers IP Address:

Change the SERVER line in the rational_server_perm.dat and rational_server_temp.dat files on the License Server from the server name to the IP Address

Note: The rational_server_perm.dat and rational_server_temp.dat files are located in the <LiceseServerInstallDriver>\Program Files\Rational\common

On the client system, in the Rational License Key Administrator you can point to the License Server using the IP Address by accessing the Settings menu, select Client/Server Configuration and entering the License Server IP address instead of the server Hostname.



An alternative option is to create a Hosts file on the client trying to reach the server.

This file is located in the following directories depending on Operating System:

WINDOWS: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
LINUX or UNIX: /etc/hosts

The format of this file is: IP Address Host Name

example:

127.0.0.1       localhost

1.23.45.67     LicenseServerHostName


[{"Product":{"code":"SSTMW6","label":"Rational License Key Server"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU053","label":"Cloud & Data Platform"},"Component":"FLEXlm","Platform":[{"code":"PF033","label":"Windows"}],"Version":"2002.05.00;2002.05.20;2003.06.00;2003.06.01;2003.06.10;2003.06.12;2003.06.13;2003.06.14;2003.06.15;2003.06.16;7.0;7.0.0.1","Edition":"","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB45","label":"Automation"}}]

Historical Number

20320

Document Information

Modified date:
16 June 2018

UID

swg21132775

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