License Keys

License Key Files

License key files can be installed either in the local directory of the installation tree or in the product-specific server working directory (SWD). License key files installed in the local directory must be in the format of license.productcode.key, where productcode is one of "lm" or "nc".

License key files that are installed in the SWD can use this format or the name license.key. For example, for Monitor, use the file licmon.swd/license.key and for Accelerator use vnc.swd/license.key.
Note: The SWD is created upon product start up, so ensure the product has been started before attempting to put a SWD license key file in place.
The vovserver searches for the keyfile license as follows:
  1. The file named by the environment variable VOV_LICENSE_KEY, if set. This should be defined in the project's setup.tcl file.
  2. SWD/license.<productcode>.key
  3. SWD/license.key
  4. $VOVDIR/local/license.<productcode>.key

The license key files encodes the host IDs of the hosts where the application is allowed to execute and the maximum allowed number of tokens provided by the license.

The following is an example of one such license key file, to enable an Accelerator project (product: nc) on port 6271 on a machine called mac05 for up to 100 slots (license for: 100 slots).

Example license key file:
#    -----------------------------------
#    -- VOV License  Key  Information --
#    License S/N: 20161110a 
#    VovVersion:  2023.1.0
#    Product:     nc
#    Licensed to: altair 
#    For host id: MAC:00:25:00:9f:76:68
#    For host:    mac05
#    For port:    6271
#    License for: 100 slots
#    StartDate:   Tue Nov 10 10:29:25 2022
#    Expiration:  Thu Dec 31 21:00:00 2023
#    -----------------------------------
#
EFIFFF`gjdCEceFDdd`ekgMDEDMEBGheee`ejcGEiadeifogJA
iel`neC@`eca@EHAMDFAgeD@LENFedfdCEceJE`angFE`dn`AA
L@AAADNGkfA@IADEBAkaB@o`KEceADEFJGlfnbJEd`bdFBeeod
CDeehgidbaOEjgMENE`ejcOEhdeeieedadceMEGEcc@@AECEle
bdHDCEfbDEEBEDICIEIFAFEAG@oeLACDndLEDENAg`KFhgfdAA
BDddodCEbeJBddne@DFFaejeODjdD@AEAALDAAKGk`BDofCGl`
dek`@@OFidd`aeedadheheoeACGEee`eieedadeeceLEAEIGNG
`e

Multiple license key files can be concatenated into the same file and the combined value of all the license keys will be used by the application. The serial numbers of such licenses must be distinct. You must leave the comment lines that precede the encrypted section.

This licensing mode is activated if the license.key file is present, even if it is empty or invalid:

If the software is using the license key, vovserver manages the licenses for any vovtasker that connects it. The vovtaskers do not read the license key files.

Checking the lLcense Key File

An easy way to verify a license key file is with the utility vovreadlicutil.

vovreadlicutil

usage: vovreadlicutil [-f filename] [-P port] [-p product] [-V version]
                    [-I hostid] [-tv]
   -f:         Specify a license file.
   -P:         Specify port number.
   -p:         Product name to test (nc,lm,ft,lam,wa,...)
   -V:         Release date of version to test, in YYYY.MM format
   -I:         HostId to test
   -t:         Generate Tcl array with license info
   -v:         Print version.

Example

The typical use is the following: 
% source /<install_path>/<version>/<platform>/common/etc/vovrc.csh
                    % vovreadlicutil -p nc -f vnc.swd/license.key
                    -----------------------------------
                        -- VOV License  Key  Information --
                        License S/N: 20160909T153538 
                        VovVersion:  2020.1
                        Product:     nc
                        Licensed to: Altair
                        For host id: MAC:00:25:00:9f:76:68
                        For host:    mac05
                        For port:    6271
                        License for: 40 slots
                        StartDate:   Thu Sep  9 06:35:38 2019
                        Expiration:  Fri Dec 31 12:00:00 2021
                        -----------------------------------
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 Valid for product nc
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 Valid for this host MAC:00:25:00:9f:76:68
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 Valid for port 6271
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 Valid for version 2019.01
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 Valid expiration (still 112d21h to go)
                    vovreadlicutil Nov 14 14:11:27 The combined license is:
                    -----------------------------------
                    -- VOV License  Key  Information --
                    License S/N: 20160909T153538 
                    VovVersion:  2020.1
                    Product:     nc
                    Licensed to: Altair
                    For host id: MAC:00:25:00:9f:76:68
                    For host:    mac05
                    For port:    6271
                    License for: 40 slots
                    StartDate:   Thu Sep  9 06:35:38 2019
                    Expiration:  Fri Dec 31 12:00:00 2021
                    -----------------------------------