Important: SLiM key usage is no longer supported. All active licensing of EnSight is provided through the Ansys License Manager (Ansys LM) key system. The following documentation is provided for reference, for those that still need reference to the SLiM usage documentation.
Though we encourage all customers to migrate to Ansys licensing,
for a limited time EnSight and related tools also support Ansys's legacy license
manager, Simple License Manager (SLiM). You can force EnSight to use this licensing system by
setting the environmental variable ENSIGHT10_LM to be slim.
Setting it to ansys will instead force EnSight to use the
Ansys License Manager. From a Windows Command window, set
ENSIGHT10_LM=ansys and then starting up EnSight from that window
will enable you to test out your Ansys FlexLM license. If your license is pointed to
the wrong location then set the environmental variable
ANSYSLMD_LICENSE_FILE=port@flexlm.yourdomain.com (e.g.,
1055@flexlm.mycompany.com).
If you are using SLiM, you are issued a license key that is either 'node-locked' or 'floating'. A node-locked license key is limited to a single computer or a small set of specified computers. A floating license can be shared among many computers on your network. Installation is slightly different for each. The license key file is always named slim8.key.
Windows
You can install a legacy SLiM license file on your Windows machine by copying a slim8.key file into one of these directories:
C:\Program Files (x86)\CEI\license8\ (64-bit Windows - default folder)
drive:\full\path\to\installation\location\license8\ (Custom installation folder)
Linux
RPM install: You can install a license file by copying the slim8.key file to /usr/local/CEI/license8/slim8.key
Debian install: You can install a license file by copying the slim8.key file to /opt/CEI/license8/slim8.key
Apple
You can install a license file for your computer by copying the slim8.key file into one of these directories:
/Applications/CEI/license8/
custom installation location/license8/ (Custom installation folder)
The following topics are included in this section:
To request a slim8.key, you need to run
slim8_get_info from your Ansys installation and submit the entire
output to your Ansys representative. For node-locked keys you need to run
slim8_get_info on each computer you wish to license to run EnSight. Once
you receive your slim8.key license file, copy it into the license8/ directory
on each computer you ran slim8_get_info on.
For node-locked licenses, you will not run the slimd8 license manager.
A floating license allows you to use EnSight on any computer in your
network as long as they can communicate with the specified computer running the
slimd8 license manager. This requires that you have a floating license,
that each computer intended to run EnSight has a copy of slim8.key
installed (shared, network file systems make this easier), that the specified computer
intended to run slimd8 has a copy of the key, and that it is also running the
slimd8 license manager.
To request a slim8.key, you need to run
slim8_get_info from your Ansys installation only on the computer
intended to run the slimd8 license manager and submit the entire output to
your Ansys representative. Once you receive your slim8.key
license file, copy it into the license8/ directory on each computer intended
to run EnSight as well as the computer you ran slim8_get_info on.
The license manager application needs to be running on the computer
you ran slim8_get_info on. Start the license manager by running the command
slimd8_start. Should you run into a problem, please review Detailed Instructions for Legacy SLiM Licensing and Legacy SLiM Troubleshooting.
When the EnSight starts, it will read
license8/slim8.key to determine the name of the computer running
the slimd8 license manager. It will communicate with the application to check
out a token to run.
The following topics are included in this section:
Legacy SLiM keys can be either node-locked or floating. The choice
for your installation was made when you purchased EnSight or requested a trial
evaluation. In a node-locked installation, the slim8_get_info output for all
computers intended to run the EnSight Client was provided to Ansys. The EnSight
Client will read the license key file (slim8.key) to determine if it
is running on a licensed computer. The key file also contains information on the licensing
company and expiration date.
The advantage of a node-locked key is that it is simple to install
– only the slim8.key file is required. You do not run the
slimd8 license manager with a noded-locked key. The disadvantage is that
you can only run the EnSight on only those computers for which you have submitted
slim8_get_info information.
Note: If you are using a trial evaluation slim8.key, it will normally be node-locked but useable on any compute node at your site for a limited time trial period.
If you have purchased or are leasing an EnSight license, you have
the option of a shared floating license, in which the EnSight Client reads the
slim8.key file as before, determines the name of the computer
running the slimd8 license manager, and then communicates with
slimd8 on that computer to check out a token. The number of concurrent
EnSight sessions is tracked by the slimd8 license manager. The advantage of
a floating license is that EnSight may be used on any computer in your network as long as
the maximum concurrent sessions has not been exceeded. The disadvantage is that the
slimd8 license manager must be installed and running in order to track the
session count.
Once you receive your slim8.key, place a copy of
it in the license8/ directory of each computer intended to run the
EnSight Client. If the slim8.key is a node-locked key, it will only
be those computers for which you submitted slim8_get_info output.
Additionally, if the slim8.key is a floating key, place a copy of it
in the license8/ directory on each of the computers intended to run
the slimd8 license manager.
The EnSight Client will always look for the slim8.key file in the license8/ directory. Be sure the slim8.key file is readable by all users of EnSight. For example, in Linux, to change file permissions, execute:
chmod 644 slim8.key
Important: You cannot edit nor modify your slim8.key. Doing so will invalidate it.
If you are installing a node-locked key, your installation is
complete. If you are installing a floating key, you must also run the slimd8
license manager.
Running the Legacy slimd8 License Manager for Floating Keys
For floating legacy SLiM keys, you will run one or more
slimd8 license managers. They will run on the computers you ran
slim8_get_info on when you requested your slim8.key. A
slim8.key for a floating license will contain lines beginning with
the word slimd. Each one of these lines corresponds to one computer for which
slim8_get_info output was given.
Note: Customers typically specify only one computer to act as their slimd8
license manager computer. However, multiple computers can be used as
slimd8 license managers as redundant backups. Typically, this is only
needed in environments that have either network reliability issues or if those
computers are taken out of service frequently for maintenance. In practice, most
customers do not need to use redundant slimd8 license manager
computers.
After placing a copy of the slim8.key file in
the license8/ directory, the slimd8 license manager must
be running for EnSight to check out a token.
On a Linux machine or a
Mac, start the slimd8 license manager by running
the slimd8_start command. You can stop the slimd8 license
manager by running the command slimd8_stop. This command will succeed only
when running it on the computer that is running the slimd8 license
manager.
On a Windows machine, head to
license8/machines/win64, right-click on
slimd8_install.exe and select Run as
administrator. Enter the list of Windows Services, find the
slimd8 service and start it. Make sure the Startup
Type is set to Automatic to have the license manager
restart automatically at every reboot of the machine.
Verify operation and check for errors by looking at the text log file
found in the license8/ directory. The log file will be named
something like slimd8-log-hostname.txt where
hostname will be replaced with the name of your computer. Most
errors should be self explanatory. However, if you are having problems getting the
slimd8 license manager to run, please contact Ansys support.
Note: Log files will grow to a certain size and then automatically be rotated out with a
trailing number. Also note that the slimd8 license manager must be able
to write to the license8/ directory.
You can verify operation of your slimd8 license manager
by running the command slimd8_status -v. The -v gives verbose
output (per-user information).
This completes the legacy SLiM license installation process. If you encounter problems, consult Legacy SLiM Troubleshooting before contacting Ansys support.
Additional information regarding SLiM can be found in the installation location in the license8/README.TXT file.
Note: Consider migrating to the automated Ansys installation and licensing rather than troubleshooting a legacy, deprecated licensing mechanism. Migration now may be a net savings in terms of time and trouble.
Do not run the
slimd8license manager for node-locked licenses.You must have the
slimd8license manager running for floating licenses.If you receive a new slim8.key (for example, renewal), for floating keys you must restart any associated
slimd8license managers after installing the new key.The slim8.key file cannot be edited by the customer. There is one exception: for floating keys, the slimd hostname can be changed in the slim8.key to address DNS issues in your network. Be sure not to change format or spacing in the file in any other way. All other changes require a new key from Ansys or your local EnSight distributor.
Be sure that your
PATHenvironment variable includes /path/to/installation/location/CEI/bin/. The license manager requires that the CEI/bin/ directory be in yourPATH.The license8/ directory must be writable by the user running the
slimd8license manager. The license manager will write its log files into this directory. Read the log file carefully for error messages if you are having trouble.Customers running the
slimd8license manager on a Windows computer are strongly encouraged to use the Windows Serviceslimd8_service. Installation (or removal) of this Service is performed by running the slimd8 Service Installer for Windows: license8\machines\win64\slimd8_install.exe.The computer(s) running the
slimd8license manager must be able to listen for TCP connections on the TCP port specified in the slim8.key file. The slimd line specifies the TCP port number immediately after the word “slimd”. Typically, this port number is 7790 unless a different port is requested. Be sure your firewall or router is not blocking this TCP port.If EnSight cannot check out a token from a floating key, check the following:
Be sure the
slimd8license manager is running;Check the license8/slimd8-log-hostname.txt log file for errors;
Make sure firewalls, routers, etc aren’t blocking access to the TCP port
slimd8is listening on;Run “
telnet hostname 7790”, where “hostname” is the name of the computer running theslimd8license manager and7790is the TCP port number specified in the slimd8.key, to verify that you can connect to the TCP port thatslimd8is listening on;Specify the command line option
-v 3toensightto get verbose diagnostic output. It will show additional information as it tries to obtain a license token.Note: The Ansys recommended licensing system uses the popular FlexLM. The legacy, deprecated SLiM licensing software is not FlexLM. FlexLM commands, environment variables, host id numbers, etc. do not apply to SLiM.
If you have problems with licensing, contact your local Ansys distributor. Be sure to include all of the following to ensure timely assistance:
A description of the problem
Your current slim8.key from the
license8directory.The entire error message from EnSight (typically found in the 'console' window).
Note: Running EnSight with the command line option ‘
-v 3’ will generate additional diagnostic output. Use that when generating output for support.If you’re using a floating license:
The output from
slimd8_status.The slimd8-log*.txt file found in the
license8directory.
The output from
slim8_get_infofrom the affected computer.