Software License Management Cloud Registration and Configuration Guide (SLMC)

Introduction

Software License Management Cloud is a platform for managing and monitoring software licenses. In this delivery model, the software is hosted and licensed by a third party by subscription. Organizations choose the cloud to outsource hardware and software maintenance and reduce IT costs. OpenLM offers a cloud solution that enables organizations to implement license monitoring with minimal installation and maintenance efforts.

To implement the Software License Management Cloud solution, organizations need to do the following:

• Register to Use the Software License Management Cloud
• Configure OpenLM Broker for Software License Management Cloud
• Install and configure other components such as Applications Manager, Workstation Agent, and Directory Sync.

For additional information that gives broader perspectives on Software License Management Cloud, OpenLM Broker, and the OpenLM system, please see the following documents and resources:

• OpenLM System Structure Overview

If you have questions about Software License Management Cloud configuration, please get in touch with our support team (support@openlm.com).

Register to Use the Software License Management Cloud Solution

To start using the Software License Management Cloud solution, follow these steps to complete the registration process:

1. Visit the OpenLM Free-Trial page on the company website.
2. Locate the link to sign up for Software License Management Cloud (hosted on the European Union Server or USA Server; see Figure 1).

   

3. Select a desired server location to open the Identity Service registration page (see Figure 2).
4. Choose your preferred registration method:
   • Direct Registration: Provide an email and a password with at least ten characters, including at least one non-alphanumeric character.
   • Third-Party Accounts: Register with Google, Microsoft, or GitHub.

   

5. For Direct Registration, click the Register button.

   

6. Click LOGIN. The Welcome page opens up.
7. Introduce yourself and click CONFIRM.

   

8. Click LET’S GO. The Active Products tab opens:

   

9. Activate the required products. The first product to activate is the Software License Management Cloud. Click on Software License Management Cloud → ACTIVATE:
   

   

10. It will take a few moments until the Product moves to the Active Products pane:

    

11. Once the panel turns blue, click Open:

    

12. The Welcome to OpenLM Cloud screen opens:

Configure the license monitoring on Software License Management Cloud

To start monitoring licensing data, configure a License Manager. There are two options:

• Manual: no other installation is required. This configuration is dedicated to FlexLM License Manager.
• Automatic: it requires the OpenLM Broker configuration on your license Server machine. The Software License Management Cloud creates a secure connection over a dedicated port between the OpenLM Broker and the cloud-resident OpenLM SLM.

Manual mode

Let’s add a FlexLM license manager:

1. During the onboarding tour, continue using the manual method.
2. You will be redirected to EasyAdmin User Interface → License Manager Servers.
   

   

3. Enter a description in the Display field to help you recognize the license manager.
4. From the Type drop-down menu, select FlexLM.
5. Type in the license server’s Hostname and Port number.
6. Set the Time Zone to where the license server physically resides (e.g. UTC +02:00 Jerusalem).
7. Triad Configuration: Enable the Triad Configuration toggle if needed:
   On: The OpenLM server will monitor the activity of all FlexLM servers in the triad.
   Off (Default): The OpenLM server will monitor the activity of a single FlexLM license server.
8. Drag or select the FlexLM license manager license file. Click Submit.
   Important: if you have more than one license file for the same license manager, upload all of them before submitting.
   
9. Optionally, you can switch the tab to Custom fields and add information such as country, usage scope, and description:

   

10. Click SAVE.
11. Approve the newly added license manager.
12. Then, the licensing data will be displayed in various OpenLM reports, such as License Activity:

    

Automatic mode

1. During the onboarding tour, continue using the automatic method.
2. Download and install the OpenLM Broker on your license server machine.

   

3. In the onboarding tour, click NEXT:
   

   

4. Let’s generate the authorization file. Navigate to your Cloud Portal→Client Authorization files tab, and click ADD.

   

5. The Add Client form appears. From the Type drop-down list, select Broker. Enter a descriptive text in the Description field:

   

6. Click SAVE.
7. Note: The Secret key will be displayed only once; please save it before closing the window.
8. The Secret Key and Secret ID are generated. Download the JSON file and have it ready on the License manager machine.

Pro-tip: Here’s a tip for accessing the OpenLM Broker remotely!

While the OpenLM Broker is typically installed on a specific machine, you can access it from any device on your network. Here’s how:

• Locate the Broker Machine: Identify the machine where you installed the OpenLM Broker.

Generate a Token:

• Open a web browser on the Broker machine.
• Navigate to http://localhost:yourPort/api/new-token (replace yourPort with the actual Broker port).
• A single-use token will be displayed. Copy this token.

Access the Broker Remotely:

• Open a web browser on any device within your network.
• Enter the Broker’s fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and port in the address bar, like http://demo.openlm.net:5090/#/.
• Paste the copied token into the appropriate field.

1. Access your OpenLM Broker instance. Navigate to the OpenLM Servers tab.
2. Click Add Server. Select OpenLM Cloud and click ADD. Click Import Broker Authorization File. The fields are automatically populated. Click CHECK CONNECTIVITY.
   

   

3. If successful, click SAVE. The Broker is now successfully connected with the OpenLM SLMC.

Adding a License Server

Adding a license server involves adding the server and then configuring it.
OpenLM supports the monitoring of a wide range of License managers.
To set up a license manager, visit our knowledge base and access the Monitoring License Managers category. Then, choose the required license manager and follow the instructions.