Thursday, March 29, 2007

Upgrade Autodesk Network License Manager for Autodesk 2008 products

Here is a quick way to upgrade NLM for you Autodesk 2008 products.

On the DVD your Autodesk 2008 product is delivered on the files needed are found to easily upgrade the license manager. There is no need to reinstall Autodesk Network License Manager.

In the following folder on the AutoCAD 2008 DVD they are found:
\x86\support\nlm\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager

Identify the location of these files on your server(s):
adskflex.exe, lmgrd.exe, lmtools.exe, lmutil.exe

Now copy the 4 exe files  adskflex.exe, lmgrd.exe, lmtools.exe, lmutil.exe from the DVD to your license server.

Run lmtools.exe and start the service(s).

If you do the above quick enough (stopping the service, copying the files and starting the service again) and is cool you can do it even when users are using AutoCAD. I don't recommend it but I have done it so I know it works. Recommendation is to do it at a time so you can recover the errors that might happen.

Install the Network License Activation Utility. If you don't have internet access on the license server do it on your PC so you directly can connect and request a new license file or append to your existing license file the new feature. Start the Installation Wizard and select Install Tools and Utilities. When installed "AutoCAD 2008 Network License Activation Utility" or the like is found on the Windows start menu in the folders Autodesk>Network License Manager.

When you have made the change to the license file go to the license server and stop the FLEXlm/FLEXnet service(s) using lmtools.exe. See the Start/Stop/Reread tab. Close lmtools.

To easier and better control the license usage give JTB FlexReport a try if you are not happy enough with SAMreport-Lite.

Create the deployment and test that it works before rolling out for all users.

FLEXnet Licensing End User Guide is still version 10.8 so there is probably not much changed in the 11.4 version.

The files adskflex.exe and lmutil.exe are still version 10.8.

The files lmgrd.exe and lmtools.exe are version 11.4.

The above raises the question if it really is needed to upgrade. At this point I don't know but it is so easy I recommend to do it.

Feel free to contact me or add a comment below if you need some help or have some questions.

2 comments:

  1. seems like a very attractive approach. is this also doable from 2008-2010 ?

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  2. Daniel,
    It sure works for AutoCAD 2009 and AutoCAD 2010 and other Autodesk 2009 or Autodesk 2010 applications.

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