Before You Start

Network security works with the Sentinel RMS License Manager program that runs on a server on your network and serves licenses to "client" PCs. Your first step is to select the server that is going to run the License Manager. We recommend that you choose:

• A computer that runs all the time and is maintained by your site IT staff, such as a server. The computer must have a fixed IP address.
• A computer (server) that is on the same sub-network as the majority of the intended client PCs – this simplifies set-up on each PC.
• A computer running a suitable Linux version. The license server was tested in CentOS 6, which is a version of Red Had Enterprise Linux 6.
• A computer that has at least one spare USB port, to accommodate the security key where appropriate.

Administration of the Sentinel RMS License Manager (SLM) service needs to take place on the server. All other administrative tasks, such as informing the server about new licenses, can be performed from any PC on the network, as well as on the server itself.

When using Sentinel RMS License Manager with other software...

KBC uses the Sentinel RMS product from Safe-Net to protect its software. If you have products from other vendors that also use Sentinel RMS, please set up a separate server for your KBC licenses.

KBC Multiflash software, KBC Energy software (incl. WaterTarget) and SIM Suite v4 upwards require Sentinel RMS version 8.1.1 or higher on the server.

With or Without Hardware Key?

If you have a hardware key (USB "dongle") for a network license, it needs to be plugged into whichever computer you decide to use as the server. The license is specific to the key, not to the server, so it can be moved at any time.

If you are going to use a keyless license, you will need to send us some information, before we can generate the necessary license file. The license will then need to be located on the specified server, and cannot be moved without a new license file from KBC. More information about this can be seen below in "Program Installation"

Virtual Servers

The use of virtual machines running on systems such as VMWare is a common way of setting up license servers. It allows you to keep license servers for different vendor products separate from each other. KBC fully supports this use of virtual servers. We recommend you set up the license security so that it locks against physical characteristics of the server, instead of using a hardware key because it can be difficult to make USB ports work properly in virtualized environments.

Please contact KBC via the helpdesk, if you currently use a hardware key and wish to switch to a keyless license.

Installing Sentinel RMS License Manager

Note: you will need to login as "root" to install this program.

Preparation

1. If you are not using keyless security, plug in any purple or black KBC hardware key (USB dongle).
2. Save the license file issued by KBC to a convenient folder (e.g. the home directory, usually /root) on the server. KBC usually distributes license files by email and each file will be tied to a security key, or to the physical characteristics of a computer.

Program Installation

1. Download the archive containing all the necessary files (SLM_Linux_DISTR.tar.gz).
2. create the directory where the files will be stored. We recommend /opt/SLM.
3. untar the files:

1. if using a keyless license:

1. Once you have the license file, you can run the server:

• the server will automatically start as a background process.
• You should see the message "Running on localhost" when it finishes.

Notes:

1. The server uses UDP port 5093 by default, so the firewall has to allow connections to this port.
2. The tar file that contains the Linux distribution contains the following files

• echoid : program to get lock code for server
• echoid.dat : definitions used to generate lock code. Do not change this file otherwise KBC may not be able to provide you a license file.
• lserv : the license server program
• lslic : tool used to add licenses to a running server
• lsmon : tool to get license information from license servers
• lsclean : utility to recover various license states
• lsrvdown : tool that can be used to shutdown the license server.
• lsusage : use this tool to get usage reports from the usage files specified in the command line

Hardware keys

If you are using a USB hardware key, the driver needs to be installed. This is provided in the file SUDInstaller.tar.gz To install untar the above file and inside the "usb" directory you will find instructions on how to install the drivers.

Upgrading License Information

KBC may send you new license files from time to time to extend software validity or features. You will need to install these license files to the server, but you will not need to shut the License Manager down to do this. However, we do still recommend such update to be done outside normal working hours. In the Linux version you can use the lslic tool to add the new license.

Further Help

This guide is a starting point to get the server going in Linux. If you still have questions, please email the software helpdesk, giving details on your issue. Please note that the Linux server is not fully supported and a reply to your query may take longer than usual.