Fortran/C/C++ Compilers & Debugging Tools
Absoft Common License Manager
CLM
Product Overview

Common License Manager (CLM) provides a customizable framework for software license management. It consists of a client library, a license server, and several management tools. CLM is a multi-platform, multi-application licensing solution available for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. A CLM server running on any supported platform can serve licenses to software running on any platform. This allows one license server to manage licenses for an entire network. CLM licensing can achieve many different license types, including one license per application, a number of licenses per application, one application for one OS, one application for multiple OSs or one license for multiple applications to name a few. More...


Key Benefits
  • Licenses can be managed on each machine or consolidated on a single server over a network
  • Licenses can easily be extended with information specific to your needs
  • Each installation is unique, eliminating the possibility of duplicate license key generation
  • CLM can be used for license management of any software product or library
  • A single CLM server can manage licensing for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows clients
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Key Features
  • Network communications can be over IPv4 or IPv6
  • Client supports server auto-discovery and server auto-start
  • CLM client and server are available for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows
  • CLM functions across all common platforms
  • CLM distribution includes library, tools, client and server
Product Description

Common License Manager (CLM) provides a customizable framework for software license management. It consists of a library, a license server, and several management tools. Clients can either obtain their own license or reuse a license checked out by a parent process. This reuse allows a compiler to check out the license in the driver and hold it for the front and back ends; eliminating the chance of the back end being unable to get a license after the front end finishes its work.

CLM is designed to be customizable and extensible. To this end, several of the functions are made to be replaceable. There are four classifications for these functions, depending on their purpose: encoding, decoding, license matching, and human readable formatting. The default functions are provided both for reference, and to serve as examples.

The Absoft High Performance Computing Software Development Kit (HPC SDK) uses the Absoft Common License Manager to handle the licensing requirements of it's components. The Absoft Common License Manager (CLM) increases flexibility, simplifies software management and saves money.

IBM compilers are typically offered with a ‘named user’ license. However, as a result of special collaboration between Absoft and IBM engineering teams, IBM XL Fortran and XL C/C++ compilers are available exclusively through Absoft under control of the Absoft Common License Manager (CLM) which allows licenses to float. Floating licenses are most effective in the HPC environment where different users may require software tools for a limited time. Under control of CLM, ‘n’ licenses may float between different users, not to exceed ‘n’ simultaneous users. This is the most cost effective way to license software and greatly simplifies software management of all software components in the HPC SDK.

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What's New

Automatic server discovery

If no server is specified, either through the configuration file, or the CLM_SERVER environment variable, the client will send an IPv4 broadcast on all interfaces to locate a server. It will connect to whichever server responds first if there are multiple responses. The server will not respond if it doesn't have a license available. This allows for multiple instances of the CLM server to be running without confusing the client.

Local server auto-start

If the CLM server is located on the same machine as the requesting client and server auto-discovery does not locate a server the client will try to auto-start the local server. This behavior can be modified by an environment variable or in the configuration file.

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Special Features

The CLM license structure used for license interactions with the library contains all the information about the license. All fields are filled in when creating and reading a license string. The server maintains a record of all fields and will pass selected information back to the client.

Each license begins with 6 unencoded digits. This aids in identifying the specific license if there are many in a configuration file and ensures that the checksum will be unique even if the rest of the license is the same. Allows for license identification by human visual inspection.

Licenses hold expiration date information allowing evaluation software to use the same license manager that full-versions use. This information is passed back to the client so that it can inform the user of a pending license expiration.

CLM licenses also store the total number of licenses available for use at any one time. This can be set to "no limit".

CLM licenses contains a type field that can be used to indicate that a license is a normal, demo, educational, or other special use license. A request for a license with a type of 0 will match any type and the actual type will be returned to the client. If the request is for a specific type of license, only that type will be returned.

There are four extra fields in the license structure that can be used to encode other information into the license, such as a support expiration date, or client ID.

There can be several products associated with a license. This can be used, for example, to allow a user to use a product on either of 2 operating systems, but not both at the same time unless the quantity is set to greater than 1.

Ease of Use

Using CLM for license management in your application can be as simple as adding the appropriate function calls to your application and recompiling. CLM licenses are extremely customizable and allow for a great variety of licensing schemes from simple single user licenses to complex Network and MaxFlex type licensing schemes.

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Availability Date

December 19 2004
  • Electronic Delivery full Media Documentation

December 31 2004

  • Mail orders shipped
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Terms and Conditions

Agreement: Absoft Software License Agreement.

Limited warranty applies: Yes

Warranty: Absoft and its Licensors warrant that the media on which the software is supplied shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of 90 days from the date of purchase.


Introductory Software Maintenance applies: From date of purchase until version is no longer current; charges may apply afterwards.

Absoft branded products include Premier Technical Support and Initial Software Maintenance at no additional charge from the time of purchase for as long as the purchased version remains the current release version.

Initial Software Maintenance (ISM)

Initial Software Maintenance includes free electronic downloads of all interim Service Packs and Quick Fixes from Absoft. Version upgrades require separate purchase but at discounted prices.

Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM)

At the conclusion of the Initial Software Maintenance term (i.e. when a new version of the purchased product is released) customers may either purchase a Product Upgrade or within 30 days of the new product release, purchase Continuing Software Maintenance (CSM) for an additional 12 month maintenance term. Continuing Software Maintenance includes all elements of Premier Technical support plus all Product Upgrades issued during the 12 month Continuing Software Maintenance term. Annual renewals of Software Maintenance will be made available at low-cost to customers who renew within their unexpired Maintenance term.

For users electing not to renew Continuing Software Maintenance and having expired maintenance terms but later wishing to rejoin CSM, Reinstatement Software Maintenance (RSM) terms may be purchased.

Third party products distributed by Absoft are subject to license terms and policies of their respective manufacturers.

Disclaimer: Premier Technical Support cannot be used as a tutorial to assist in the design and development of applications, use of programs in other than their specified operating environment, provide instructions on general system operation or explore failures caused by products for which Absoft is not responsible under this agreement.

MaxFlex™ Flexible Licensing available: Yes

Floating Network Licenses available: Yes

Copy and use on home/portable computer: N/A


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Compatibility & Companion Products

Current products that utilize CLM licensing include:


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Documentation

User Guide
Product Literature
Presentations
White Papers

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Additional Information / Notices

None

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