How Do I Combine Multiple License Files?

Note: Intel no longer recommends using combined license files with newer versions of the license manager in most cases. This document is provided as a historical reference. It is now recommended to place individual license files in a single directory or folder rather than combining them.

1.1.1 What are the Criteria for Combining License Files?

Your product’s license file(s) define the license server(s) by host name and hostid in the SERVER line(s) in the license file.  License files are candidates for combining under the following conditions:

• The number of SERVER lines in each file is the same.
• The hostid field of each SERVER line in one file exactly matches the hostid field of each SERVER line in the other file.

Here are some reasons license files may not be compatible:

• License files are set up to run on different server machines, so hostids are different.
• One file is set up for single server (has only one SERVER line), the other is set up for a three-server redundant license server (has multiple SERVER lines). 

Note:  For further information on using redundant servers, see the Intel® Software License Manager User's Guide and the information at /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/redundancy-server-notes.html.

1.1.2 Why Combine License Files?

Here are some reasons you might consider combining license files:

• When you need to serve product packages in a particular order.  
  • For example, to be sure the compiler from a professional edition package doesn't get checked out before the compiler from a composer edition package does.  To avoid this potentially needless restriction on other products in the professional edition (analyzers, for example), arrange the packages in the combined file to place the desired first-served packages (composer edition) at the top.
• Organization.  Sometimes, many individual license files can be more difficult to manage for an administrator.

1.1.3 How to Combine License Files?

If your license files meet the combine criteria, you can complete the process with these steps:

• Concatenate the files
• Remove the duplicate Server and Vendor Lines
• When you update your combined license file, be sure to remove any individual license files that might still reside on the client. 
  • If you need to checkout a license to be used offline, use the borrow feature:
    • Intel® FLEXlm* License Borrowing Capability
      /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/intel-flexlm-license-borrowing-capability.html
  • Otherwise, be sure to set the INTEL_LICENSE_FILE environment variable using the port@host format.
    • See the Intel® Software License Manager User's Guide, section 4.2.1.
• Be sure you use the re-read command to re-initialize the server with the new file.  Consult the following document for more information: 
  • Intel Software License Manager Getting Started Tutorial
    /content/www/us/en/develop/articles/intel-software-license-manager-getting-started-tutorial.html

More Information:
Licensing: Setting up the client for a floating license
/content/www/us/en/develop/articles/licensing-setting-up-the-client-floating-license.html

How to set INTEL_LICENSE_FILE Environment Variable
https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/how-to-set-intel-license-file-environment-variable

Note: The expiration dates can be different.  The number of seats can be different.  But, the lmhostid and hostname values in the license files must be the same.

Examples:

Several detailed examples and more information are provided in the latest user guide that can be downloaded along with the Intel® Software License Manager product.  This download is available at the Intel® Software Development Products Registration Center.  It is always good practice when updating Intel software to also update the license manager, provided there is a more recent version available.