Enabling DSLS Concurrent Offline Licensing

Concurrent offline licensing allows users to extract a concurrent license from a license server for a certain number of days and to use it on a Windows laptop disconnected (or not) from the network, and applies to CATIA, ENOVIA DMU or DELMIA (or RADE) software.

When the concurrent offline license is reserved for use, a license is installed on a laptop connected to the network. For the duration of the reservation, the extracted license is considered as a nodelock license tied to the laptop. This license is called an offline nodelocked license. Once the offline nodelocked license has been installed on the laptop, the laptop can be disconnected from the network.

Once extracted, the license is no longer available from the license server. The license only becomes available once more to other users when one of the following occurs:

• the reservation period expires
• the license is returned to the server from the laptop (end-users can return the license before the expiry date).

The maximum extraction duration is 30 days.

When using DSLS an offline license can be extracted from a DSLS failover cluster.

Implementing concurrent offline licensing involves the following steps which should be performed on the laptop.

1. Check that your laptop is connected to the network.
   
2. Check you have write access to the folder containing the nodelock files.
   
3. Make sure that the DSLS server has been set in DSLicSrv.txt.
   
4. Select the Start > Programs > CATIA VersionNumber (or ENOVIA_DMU_Navigator VersionNumber, or DELMIA VersionNumber) > Tools > Nodelock Key Management (DSLS) VersionNumber command.

   The Local License Key Management tool appears.
   

5. Select the Offline Management tab and click RefreshList to display the available licenses.

   The Local License Management dialog box displays.

   

   The lower pane of Local License Key Management dialog box displays licenses corresponding to all installed roles declared on the servers referenced on your license client (in the DSLicSrv.txt file). A separate line is displayed for each server when a keyword is set (a lock is present), and a single line is displayed for all servers when no keyword is set. The license server name is also displayed in the Server column for the lines having a lock, but not for the line without lock.
   
   In the above example, the tool is connected to several license servers containing the same licensed feature. Two ME2 licenses are available via two different license servers: a lock is displayed for the same feature on each server since an authorization rule for different extraction durations has been set.
   

6. If you wish to extract licenses, you must select them in the lower pane, right-click then select the Extract command. When you extract the license, you can reset the license duration to extract the license for a lower duration than the one authorized.

   To do so, right-click the appropriate license and use the slider to set it to a new value (30 days maximum).
   In certain cases, you may attempt to set a value greater than the value registered for that license on the DSLS server. In that case the extraction date fits the Max Duration (Days) displayed in the Licenses available for offline extraction from license servers section.

   In our example, the ME2 license will expire in 22 days.

   After validation, the license(s) is(are) extracted.

   You cannot extract a license if the same license already exists as a nodelock license (either standard nodelock or offline nodelock).
   
   Note: You can extract several licenses if required. A message popup confirms that the license was successfully extracted. Once the license has been extracted, it is no longer available on the license server for network users. The new status of the license can be tracked on the license server using the kbd>License Administration Tool.

7. To test that you can use the license offline, disconnect the laptop from the network.
8. Start a Version 5 session.
9. Check if you are using a nodelock license by selecting the Tools > Options... command, then the Licensing tab.

   If you were using a network license beforehand, the request for this license is still stored in your licensing settings. Consequently, at this point, the License Manager will inform you that the requested license is not available (you are now disconnected from the network) and prompt you to select the offline license and restart.

   Once you have finally displayed the Licensing tab, you will then see the following:

    

   Note: The Licensing tab does not specifically identify the license as an offline nodelock license, but as a Local license).
   
   You can now use your license for the duration specified when it was extracted. Once that duration has expired, the license will no longer be available.
   

10. You may also return the license before the expiry date. To do so, reconnect the laptop to the network, then make sure that the DSLS client is correctly configured and points to the machine running the DSLS license server to which you are going to return the license.
    
    
11. Select the kbd>Start > Programs > CATIA VersionNumber (or ENOVIA_DMU_Navigator VersionNumber, or DELMIA VersionNumber) > Tools > Nodelock Key Management (DSLS) VersionNumber ccommand.
    
    
12. Using the Local License Key Management tool, select the Properties tab. The Properties tab contains the following:
    
    
    1. License Repository
       Specifies the path containing extracted offline licenses.
       By default, the path is (Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008) is C:\ProgramData\DassaultSystemes\Licenses
       
       
    2. Expiry Alert
       The expiry alert informs you by a message (popup in the interactive app and written in logs for batch apps) that a license will soon expire. The value is 7 days by default.
       
       
    3. Computer ID
       Displays the computer id for your computer. Selecting the Target ID > Copy to clipboard command is a useful way of retrieving your computer id instead of typing it in manually. You can then paste it as required.
       
       
    4. Network Adapter
       Displays the current network adapter used to compute your computer's computer id. Click Change Network Adapter used for Computer ID to select another network adapter. The following warning message appears:
       
       WARNING: changing the network adapter used for the Computer ID
will change the value of the Computer ID, invalidating all previously extracted licenses
Click OK to continue.
       Choose the adapter from the dialog box and click OK.
       
       
    5. License Servers
       Displays a list of referenced license servers and indicates server status:
       
       
       • green: server OK
         
       • red: server not running
         
       • orange: client and server not synchronized, due to a time difference between the two machines
         
       • gray: host unreachable, or the host status is unknown
         
       • purple: offline extraction has been forbidden on the DS License Server.
         
         
         
    
    However, you can still restitute previously extracted licenses.
    
    
13. Select the Offline Management/kbd> tab. The license you extracted is listed in a dialog box.

    Note: You can return more than one offline license.
    

14. Right-click the license and select Restitute. A message popup asks to confirm the restitution.
    
15. Click kbd>OK.

    AA message popup confirms that the license was successfully returned. Once the license has been returned, it becomes available once more on the license server for network users. The status of the license can be tracked on the license server using the License Administration Tool/kbd>.

    Warning: If you are using ENOVIAV5VPM or ENOVIA 3d com, these product brands use concurrent licenses only: nodelock licenses are not supported. This means that, although nothing stops you physically from extracting licenses for these brands, the extracted licenses will be useless. Therefore, do not extract concurrent-offline licenses for ENOVIAV5VPM or ENOVIA 3d com.