Q4. FLEXlm Versions

Q4.1 I have products from several companies at various FLEXlm version levels. Do I have to worry about how these versions work together?

If you're not combining license files from different vendors, the simplest thing to do is make sure you use the tools (especially lmgrd) that are shipped by each vendor.

lmgrd will always correctly support older versions of vendor daemons and applications, so it's ALWAYS safe to use the latest version of lmgrd. If you've combined license files from 2 vendors, you MUST use the latest version of lmgrd.

If you've received 2 versions of a product from the same vendor, you MUST use the latest vendor daemon they send you. An older vendor daemon with a newer client will cause communication errors.

Please ignore letters appended to FLEXlm versions, i.e., v2.4d. The appended letter indicates a patch, and does NOT indicate any compatibility differences. In particular, some elements of FLEXlm didn't require certain patches, so a 2.4 lmgrd can work successfully with a 2.4b vendor daemon.

Q4.2 I've received a new copy of a product from a vendor, and it uses a new version of FLEXlm. Is my old license file still valid?

Yes. Older FLEXlm license files are always valid with newer versions of FLEXlm.

Q4.3 I've received a new license file, and the format is different from the old one I had from the same vendor? Why? Are they compatible?

As of v3.0, FLEXlm has an optional new format for license files, which is explained fully in Q3.1. FLEXlm products always understand older versions; therefore, the pre-v3.0 files are understood by every FLEXlm version. However, your old applications (pre-FLEXlm v3.0) will not be able to use the new license file.

Q4.4 How do versions of FLEXlm differ?

This is a short, incomplete summary of the features introduced with each FLEXlm version. Each version had minor security, convenience and reliability enhancements, which are not listed.

v1.0 1988, First FLEXlm Release

v1.5 February, 1990, First widely-used version, containing all the basic FLEXlm features, including:

Basic license file format
Floating and node-locked licenses
lmgrd and vendor daemons
TCP/IP communications
DEMO, expiring licenses
Basic end-user utility set, including lmdown, lmhostid, lmremove, lmstat, lmver
lmgrd log file
LM_LICENSE_FILE to locate license file
End-User Options file to control daemon behavior, including RESERVE and TIMEOUT, etc.
License Queueing.
Redundant Servers

v2.1 March, 1991

Improved TIMEOUT support
Improved ethernet hostid support
More customizable by vendor

v2.21 November 1991

Added support for many platforms, and some platform- specific improvements, such as hostid.
Hostid ANY added

v2.26 March 1992 - Released only to Sun

Added license lingering
Other bug fixes and minor enhancements

v2.4 December 1992 - Currently (Summer 1995) the most commonly used version.

Added `use-all-feature-lines' capability for incremental license distribution.
Enhanced vendor customization routines.
Enhanced End-User Options file.
Added new hostid types: USER, HOSTNAME and DISPLAY
Added `port@host' to LM_LICENSE_FILE capability - down-loads license file from server.

v2.61 March 1993 - Released only to Sun

Added INCREMENT and UPGRADE lines to license file

v3.0 May 1994

INCREMENT and UPGRADE behavior changed and improved
Added UDP protocol support.
Added 'uname -i' hostid for hp.
Added 'multiple jobs,' for enhanced support of LM_LICENSE_FILE as a colon-separated list.
New, optional license file format, with `name=value' syntax for optional new features, including: asset_info, ISSUER, and NOTICE, '\' license file continuation character, 2048 character limit per feature

v4.0 December 1994

Removed use of floating point, for enhanced reliability
FEATURE line additions: ck (for use with lmcksum), OVERDRAFT, DUP_GROUP, INTERNET hostid
PACKAGE line
License Finder
lmdiag for end-user diagnostics

v4.1May 1995

Same features as v4.0, with bug fixes and new platform support

v4.1 Patch Release 6, October 1995

PC patch release for Windows 95 and various bug fixes.

v4.1b January 1996

Bug fixes.

v5.0 March 1996

Improved port@host behavior - client application doesn't read license file.
Automatic port@host via USE_SERVER line in license file.
Hostid lists - lock a feature to several hostids.
Improved firewall support. (Available upon request now)
New FEATURE attributes: SN (serial number), USER_BASED, HOST_BASED, MINIMUM, SUPERSEDE, ISSUED (issued date), CAPACITY (charging based on system capacity).
Optional avoidance of NIS and DNS via IP address instead of hostname.
Improved REPORTLOG format
Server, upon startup, notifies of licenses that will expire within 2 weeks.
Improved end-user options file functionality.
New FEATURE attributes: SUPERSEDE, ISSUED, USER_BASED, HOST_BASED, SN.

v5.0a June 1996

Bug fixes.

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