Specify Port Numbers Used by FlexLM

Introduction

The FME floating license server runs on two ports, and by default, communication between the floating license server and a client running FME occurs on a random port. If these ports aren't specified and configured correctly, it could prevent FME Form from successfully picking up a floating license.

A license server admin will need to specify ports for FlexLM to:

Ensure FME can communicate with the license server through existing firewalls to access a floating license. This is the most common use case.
Avoid port conflicts with other license servers installed in the same environment, such as ArcGIS, which may use a fixed port.
Configure a three-server redundancy floating license.
Configure a license server on a cloud machine (see the articles below).
- Creating an FME License Server in Amazon AWS
- Creating an FME License Server in Microsoft Azure

This article will walk you through how to set the SERVER and VENDOR ports, which can be manually edited to use specific port numbers in the safe.lic file.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: Floating License Server

1. Locate and open the safe.lic in a text editor
Your safe.lic file should be in your FlexServer directory on the license server machine. Make a copy of the safe.lic file and open it using a text editor.

By default, the first two lines of a safe.lic file looks like this with no port numbers:

1   SERVER servername 065a942c8ec3
2   VENDOR safe

2. Add the SERVER port (typically between 27000 and 27009) to Line 1

Edit line 1 to replace xxxxx in the sample below with a SERVER port in the typical range (27000-27009).

1 SERVER servername 000c290de0df xxxxx

And the result should look something like this:

1 SERVER servername 000c290de0df 27000

3. Add the VENDOR port (typically between 1700 and 8000) to Line 2

Edit line 2 of the safe.lic file to add Port=yyyy as a VENDOR port that you want to be used for communication to the client machine running FME. Replace yyyy with a value in the typical range (1700-8000).

2 VENDOR safe PORT=yyyy

So the final result should look something like this:

1   SERVER servername 065a942c8ec3 27000
2   VENDOR safe PORT=1700

Save your changes and replace the old safe.lic file in the FlexServer directory.

4. Have an IT Administrator set firewall port exceptions for both SERVER and VENDOR ports
On Windows, you can open the Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Defender Firewall > Advanced Settings and select Inbound Rules.

Select 'New Rule' > Port > and in Specific local ports: enter your chosen SERVER and VENDOR ports separated by a comma. Accept changes.

5. Restart the FME License Server
After making the change to the safe.lic file, the FME License Server must be restarted for the port number to take effect. This can be done by:

Windows: Start Menu > FlexNet for Safe Software> Start - Restart FME License Server
Linux: % <FlexServerDir>/lmgrd -c <FLEXServerDir>/safe.lic

Part 2: Client Machine (FME Form)

6. Open FME Licensing Assistant on the client machine

If the VENDOR port is specified on the floating license server, FME running on the client machine must also specify this port. In FME Licensing Assistant on the client machine, specify the port number when prompted to "Connect to a Floating License Server," as shown below:

LicenseServerName:xxxxx

(where xxxxx is the port number used in the SERVER line of the safe.lic file).

You should now successfully be able to connect to your floating license server.

Note for Older Versions of FME

In earlier releases of FME, the fme_license.dat file in the <FMEDir>\licenses\ directory on the client machine had to be edited manually. It should contain the following line by default:

SERVER LicenseServerName Any

Change it to:

SERVER LicenseServerName Any xxxxx

(where xxxxx is the port number used in the SERVER line of the safe.lic file)

Considerations

The port numbers for the SERVER and the VENDOR must be different.
Be sure to add the SERVER port and VENDOR port to the firewall exceptions.
Restart the license server after updating the firewall exceptions
If FME License Assistant presents you with a successful connection but reports that it's unable to create license files locally, it may be that you'll need Admin access to run Licensing Assistant as an Administrator for the first time

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