Server Reboot gives FlexLM Problems

[Darren J. Young]

Here's the problem, when out IT guys work late or on a weekend and end
up rebooting the server that FlexLM is running on, rarely am I ever made
aware of it. And never are they aware of FlexLM running despite my
telling them.

FlexLM is setup as a service and starts automatically when the server
starts back up, however, the AdskFlex report log and Adskflex debug log
are appended to. The Lmgrd Debug log reports that the other two logs
aren't able to be opened. If I then go to the LMTools GUI, and shut down
and restart the license server, the reports are then found and properly
appended to.

I'm assuming this is a result of one of three things...

1) FlexLM is not being started up properly when the Windows Server
reboots and automatically starts the service.

-OR-

2) FlexLM is not shut down properly when the Windows Server shuts down
leaving the report logs somehow locked.

-OR-

3) Both of the above.


Assuming it's (1), I assume I can configure the service to not start up
automatically and instead have a batch file run upon startup that
launches the FlexLM Server.

But if it's (2) or (3), how can I configure the server to automatically
run a batch file to terminate the FlexLM server as the Windows Server is
shutting down?

How are other people handling this type of problem? Or if my assumptions
are wrong, what's going on and how can I correct it besides killing our
IT staff and hoping they give the position to me (which I don't want
anyway)? ;-)


--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[jerry milana (Autodesk Co]

Darren,

There is no good reason for what you describe. What version of LMGRD and
ADSKFLEX are you running? My experience is that the debug log gets
overwritten when you restart but the report log is appended to. Can you be
more specific as to the errors you are seeing and where you are seeing them?


--
Jerry Milana,
Autodesk Consulting

"Darren J. Young" <See.Signature.For@Email.Address> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bcde8f51a059311989778@discussion.autodes k.com...

Here's the problem, when out IT guys work late or on a weekend and end
up rebooting the server that FlexLM is running on, rarely am I ever made
aware of it. And never are they aware of FlexLM running despite my
telling them.

FlexLM is setup as a service and starts automatically when the server
starts back up, however, the AdskFlex report log and Adskflex debug log
are appended to. The Lmgrd Debug log reports that the other two logs
aren't able to be opened. If I then go to the LMTools GUI, and shut down
and restart the license server, the reports are then found and properly
appended to.

I'm assuming this is a result of one of three things...

1) FlexLM is not being started up properly when the Windows Server
reboots and automatically starts the service.

-OR-

2) FlexLM is not shut down properly when the Windows Server shuts down
leaving the report logs somehow locked.

-OR-

3) Both of the above.


Assuming it's (1), I assume I can configure the service to not start up
automatically and instead have a batch file run upon startup that
launches the FlexLM Server.

But if it's (2) or (3), how can I configure the server to automatically
run a batch file to terminate the FlexLM server as the Windows Server is
shutting down?

How are other people handling this type of problem? Or if my assumptions
are wrong, what's going on and how can I correct it besides killing our
IT staff and hoping they give the position to me (which I don't want
anyway)? ;-)


--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[Darren J. Young]

In article <4164d20f$1_1@newsprd01>, milanaj@autodesk.com says...

Darren,

There is no good reason for what you describe. What version of LMGRD and
ADSKFLEX are you running? My experience is that the debug log gets
overwritten when you restart but the report log is appended to. Can you be
more specific as to the errors you are seeing and where you are seeing them?

Hi Jerry,

LMGRD Version = 8.3.1.0 (what shipped with AutoCAD 2004 Mechanical)


Yes, the LMGRD Debug log get's over written each time the license server
is started and stopped (the physical Windows server too for that
matter).

But if the physical windows server is shut down and restarted, the
AdskFlex Debug and report logs are not opened.

Here's my LMGRD Debug log...

---snip---
12:10:53 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
12:10:53 (lmgrd) Please Note:
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) This log is intended for debug purposes only.
12:10:53 (lmgrd) There are many details in licensing policies
12:10:53 (lmgrd) that are not reported in the information logged
12:10:53 (lmgrd) here, so if you use this log file for any kind
12:10:53 (lmgrd) of usage reporting you will generally produce
12:10:53 (lmgrd) incorrect results.
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) Detecting other lmgrd processes...
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Done rereading
12:10:55 (lmgrd) FLEXlm (v8.3a) started on CSGNTI (IBM PC) (10/6/2004)
12:10:55 (lmgrd) FLEXlm Copyright 1988-2002, Macrovision Corporation
12:10:55 (lmgrd) US Patents 5,390,297 and 5,671,412.
12:10:55 (lmgrd) World Wide Web: http://www.globetrotter.com
12:10:55 (lmgrd) License file(s): C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network
License Manager\License\adskflex.lic
12:10:55 (lmgrd) lmgrd tcp-port 27000
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemons ...
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemon at port 2080
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Using vendor daemon port 2080 specified in license file
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Started adskflex (pid 1500)
12:10:55 (adskflex) Using options file: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk
Network License Manager\License\adskflex.opt"
12:10:55 (adskflex) Server started on CSGNTI for: 43400AMECH_PP_
2004_0F
12:10:55 (adskflex) FEATURE 43400AMECH_PP_2004_0F INACTIVITY TIMEOUT
set to 1800 seconds
12:10:55 (adskflex) BORROW_LOWWATER 43400AMECH_PP_2004_0F 7
12:10:55 (adskflex) Report log started (+\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log
\AdskflexReport.log).
12:10:55 (adskflex) Debug log started (+\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log
\AdskflexDebug.log).
---snip---


Now this debug log is fine and does NOT show the problem. I didn't get a
chance to save the one that showed the problem prior to FlexLM being
shut down and restarted.

But when the physical server is rebooted, these last two lines (AdskFlex
report & debug logs) say something along the lines of not being able to
open the log files (it gives the exact path and file name) even though
they are there. Using LMTOOLS to shut down FlexLM and restart it then
allows FlexLM to append to those logs properly.

If you need a LMGRD debug log that shows the exact error, I can have
them reboot the server over night and should be able to get the exact
syntax.


--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[jerry milana (Autodesk Co]

Darren,
I see that you are writing the log file to a UNC path. That is likely the
problem as the network connection may not be established by the time the
FLEXlm service starts automatically. This is why we recommend that the log
files be written to the server's local disk. So, specify a local, drive
letter path and see if the problem goes away.

Jerry
"Darren J. Young" <See.Signature.For@Email.Address> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bceea10d0212c98989779@discussion.autodes k.com...

In article <4164d20f$1_1@newsprd01>, milanaj@autodesk.com says...
Darren,

There is no good reason for what you describe. What version of LMGRD
and
ADSKFLEX are you running? My experience is that the debug log gets
overwritten when you restart but the report log is appended to. Can you
be
more specific as to the errors you are seeing and where you are seeing
them?

Hi Jerry,

LMGRD Version = 8.3.1.0 (what shipped with AutoCAD 2004 Mechanical)


Yes, the LMGRD Debug log get's over written each time the license server
is started and stopped (the physical Windows server too for that
matter).

But if the physical windows server is shut down and restarted, the
AdskFlex Debug and report logs are not opened.

Here's my LMGRD Debug log...

---snip---
12:10:53 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
12:10:53 (lmgrd) Please Note:
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) This log is intended for debug purposes only.
12:10:53 (lmgrd) There are many details in licensing policies
12:10:53 (lmgrd) that are not reported in the information logged
12:10:53 (lmgrd) here, so if you use this log file for any kind
12:10:53 (lmgrd) of usage reporting you will generally produce
12:10:53 (lmgrd) incorrect results.
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) -----------------------------------------------
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd)
12:10:53 (lmgrd) Detecting other lmgrd processes...
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Done rereading
12:10:55 (lmgrd) FLEXlm (v8.3a) started on CSGNTI (IBM PC) (10/6/2004)
12:10:55 (lmgrd) FLEXlm Copyright 1988-2002, Macrovision Corporation
12:10:55 (lmgrd) US Patents 5,390,297 and 5,671,412.
12:10:55 (lmgrd) World Wide Web: http://www.globetrotter.com
12:10:55 (lmgrd) License file(s): C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network
License Manager\License\adskflex.lic
12:10:55 (lmgrd) lmgrd tcp-port 27000
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemons ...
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Starting vendor daemon at port 2080
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Using vendor daemon port 2080 specified in license file
12:10:55 (lmgrd) Started adskflex (pid 1500)
12:10:55 (adskflex) Using options file: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk
Network License Manager\License\adskflex.opt"
12:10:55 (adskflex) Server started on CSGNTI for: 43400AMECH_PP_
2004_0F
12:10:55 (adskflex) FEATURE 43400AMECH_PP_2004_0F INACTIVITY TIMEOUT
set to 1800 seconds
12:10:55 (adskflex) BORROW_LOWWATER 43400AMECH_PP_2004_0F 7
12:10:55 (adskflex) Report log started (+\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log
\AdskflexReport.log).
12:10:55 (adskflex) Debug log started (+\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log
\AdskflexDebug.log).
---snip---


Now this debug log is fine and does NOT show the problem. I didn't get a
chance to save the one that showed the problem prior to FlexLM being
shut down and restarted.

But when the physical server is rebooted, these last two lines (AdskFlex
report & debug logs) say something along the lines of not being able to
open the log files (it gives the exact path and file name) even though
they are there. Using LMTOOLS to shut down FlexLM and restart it then
allows FlexLM to append to those logs properly.

If you need a LMGRD debug log that shows the exact error, I can have
them reboot the server over night and should be able to get the exact
syntax.


--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[Darren J. Young]

I see that you are writing the log file to a UNC path. That is likely the
problem as the network connection may not be established by the time the
FLEXlm service starts automatically. This is why we recommend that the log
files be written to the server's local disk. So, specify a local, drive
letter path and see if the problem goes away.

The UNC path does point to a local resource. I use this for 2 reasons. I
access the license manager files though an the UNC path so al I need to
do is copy/paste the UNC path into the logs. I also do it because the
network license manager is (I believe) by default installed in "Program
Files" and the options file can't contain spaces. I suppose I could move
the logs but I'd prefer to have them under the same folder structure as
the software so housekeeping purposes.

Do you still thing the UNC path, despite pointing to a local resource is
the problem?

In the case of my options file...

This path...
\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log\

Is the same path as this on that server...
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\Log\



--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[jerry milana (Autodesk Co]

Yes, I do think that may be the problem.

Jerry

"Darren J. Young" <See.Signature.For@Email.Address> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bd8548cd6b1e48698977a@discussion.autodes k.com...

I see that you are writing the log file to a UNC path. That is likely
the
problem as the network connection may not be established by the time the
FLEXlm service starts automatically. This is why we recommend that the
log
files be written to the server's local disk. So, specify a local, drive
letter path and see if the problem goes away.

The UNC path does point to a local resource. I use this for 2 reasons. I
access the license manager files though an the UNC path so al I need to
do is copy/paste the UNC path into the logs. I also do it because the
network license manager is (I believe) by default installed in "Program
Files" and the options file can't contain spaces. I suppose I could move
the logs but I'd prefer to have them under the same folder structure as
the software so housekeeping purposes.

Do you still thing the UNC path, despite pointing to a local resource is
the problem?

In the case of my options file...

This path...
\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log\

Is the same path as this on that server...
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\Log\



--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

[Darren J. Young]

I'll switch the options file to point to a local drive letter path and
have them reboot the server over the weekend and see how it goes.

Thanx much!

--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

In article <416e9bea$1_2@newsprd01>, milanaj@autodesk.com says...

Yes, I do think that may be the problem.

Jerry

"Darren J. Young" <See.Signature.For@Email.Address> wrote in message
news:MPG.1bd8548cd6b1e48698977a@discussion.autodes k.com...
I see that you are writing the log file to a UNC path. That is likely
the
problem as the network connection may not be established by the time the
FLEXlm service starts automatically. This is why we recommend that the
log
files be written to the server's local disk. So, specify a local, drive
letter path and see if the problem goes away.

The UNC path does point to a local resource. I use this for 2 reasons. I
access the license manager files though an the UNC path so al I need to
do is copy/paste the UNC path into the logs. I also do it because the
network license manager is (I believe) by default installed in "Program
Files" and the options file can't contain spaces. I suppose I could move
the logs but I'd prefer to have them under the same folder structure as
the software so housekeeping purposes.

Do you still thing the UNC path, despite pointing to a local resource is
the problem?

In the case of my options file...

This path...
\\csgnti\adskflex$\Log\

Is the same path as this on that server...
C:\Program Files\Autodesk Network License Manager\Log\



--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email: dyoung@coldspringgranite.com
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052