Network License Management Overview

A network license allows a number of users on the same TCP/IP network to share access to product licenses. The Network License Manager (NLM), installed on one or more servers, controls the distribution of licenses to users.

When you start an Autodesk product, it requests a license from the license server through the network. If a license is available, NLM assigns a license to the computer and the user launching the program, and the number of available licenses on the license server is reduced by one.

When you exit a product, the license returns to the NLM. If you run multiple sessions of an Autodesk product on an individual computer, only one license is used. When the last session is closed, the license is released.

Network License Management Overview

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When Does Your Client Need a New License File?

Generate a new license file for your network server in these situations:

• Purchasing or renewing a multi-user network license subscription.

• Adding seats for a network license product.

• Adding new products to your network license server.

• Adding licenses to a new version of a network license product.

• Changing your network license server.

• Changing details of your network license server configuration.

 

Collect License Server Information

To generate a license file, you need the following information:

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• For a single server model, the server host name and physical address

• For a redundant server model, the server host names and physical addresses of the master server and the two backup servers

• For a distributed server model:

  • The number of servers

  • The host name and physical address of all servers

  • The number of seats on each server

​For Windows servers, you can run the LMTOOLS utility that comes with NLM to find the host name. For Mac OS X or Linux servers, use Terminal commands to find the host name.

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Steps for Generating a License File

When you purchase new seats of Autodesk software using a multi-user subscription, Autodesk sends you a serial number and product key, which you use to generate a license file. If you need a consolidated license file that incorporates licenses for different products, Autodesk Account allows you to generate a combined license file for each server. The resulting license file contains seats for every network licensed product, regardless of its associated subscription plan. Go to Generate Network License File on Autodesk Account.

Alternatively, you can use the legacy process for consolidating a license file. This process involves downloading individual product license files from the Autodesk registeronce website and manually combining them into a single license file. To use this method, perform the following steps:

1. Go to https://registeronce.autodesk.com.

2. Log in with your Autodesk ID and password. (Register to create an Autodesk ID if needed.)

3. Select the account where your product is registered.

4. Select the operating system and enter your product serial number.

5. Select your network server type and provide the server information you have collected.

​Autodesk emails your license file to the address associated with your Autodesk ID.

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Save the License File

When you have your license file, save it in a subfolder under the folder where you installed NLM. You can choose any license filename, but use the extension .lic.

Here are examples of license file locations for different operating systems:

• Windows: C:\Autodesk\Network License Manager\Licenses

• Mac: /Users/<user>/adsknlm/Licenses

• Linux: /home/<user>/adsknlm/Licenses

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Confirm License File Accuracy

After saving your license file, confirm that it contains the correct information. Your license file works only on a computer that has the physical address you provided when you obtained the license.

Open the license file. For Windows, use Notepad. For Mac OS X, use TextEdit. For Linux, use a comparable text editor. Do not use Microsoft Word or another word-processing program. These programs can introduce formatting errors or modify the file.

Verify that the physical address matches the address of your server. The first line of the license file, beginning with SERVER, shows your host name and physical address. If they do not match, request a new license file with the correct information.

 

How to Obtain a Host Name and ID

Find Host Name and ID with LMTOOLS on Windows

 

1. While logged in with Administrator rights on a local computer, click All Programs > Autodesk > Network License Manager > LMTOOLS Utility.

2. In the LMTOOLS utility, click the Systems Settings tab.

3. Locate the Computer/Hostname box. This box contains the host name.

4. Locate the Ethernet Address box. The 12-character address is the host ID.

5. Note: If your server has more than one Ethernet adapter, select one that corresponds to a physical network adapter.

6. Close LMTOOLS.

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Find Host Name and ID from Windows Command Prompt

 

1. Launch Windows Command Prompt.

2. Enter ipconfig /all
   A long list of configuration data appears on the screen.

3. From the Windows IP Configuration section, record the host name.

4. From the Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection section, enter the physical address, but eliminate the dashes. This is your 12-character host ID.
   Note: If your server has more than one network adapter, select the one that corresponds to a physical network adapter. View the Description field above each physical address. If there is more than one physical network adapter, it does not matter which one you use. Devices such as VPN adapters, PPP adapters, wireless or Bluetooth devices are not valid.

5. Close Windows Command Prompt.

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Find Host Name and ID on Mac OS X or Linux

 

1. Launch a Terminal window.

2. Go to the folder where lmutil is installed.

3. Retrieve the host name and ID by entering the following in Terminal:

​<prompt>./lmutil lmhostid -hostname

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