Issuing and Deploying Alternate Server Hostids

Summary

This article guides ISVs (Independent Software Vendors) through configuring their Activation Pro service to issue licenses using Alternate Server Hostids.

With Alternate Server Hostids, ISVs can designate a single parent license to which all other licenses are locked. If needed, the ISV can remotely disable the parent license, immediately revoking licensing on the customer's on-premises RLM license server.
Note: this feature requires the RLM license server to have an active internet connection.

When using Alternate Server Hostids, activation becomes a two-step process:

1. The Alternate Server Hostid is activated on the customer's RLM server.
2. The standard product activation key is activated.

Alternate Server Hostid Product Definition

1. Log into your Activation Pro instance and navigate to Products > New Product.
2. Enter a Product Definition Name. This is the human-readable name your team will use when working in Activation Pro.
3. Set the Product Name to "rlm_server".
4. Set a Product Version.
5. Under License Type, select Alternate Server Hostid.
6. (Optional) Configure the Alternate Server Hostid check-in parameters:
   • None — The on-premises RLM server will not check the activation key status with Activation Pro. This means remote disable is not available, but this option can be used for offline customers.
   • At Startup — RLM checks in with Activation Pro only when the RLM process starts. Note that this does not include the nightly re-read/restart RLM performs at midnight.
   • Daily — RLM checks in with Activation Pro once per day.
   • Every 6 Hours — RLM checks in with Activation Pro every 6 hours.
   • Check Failure Tolerance — The number of consecutive check-in failures allowed before RLM disables the Alternate Server Hostid on the server. Consider setting a grace period to account for internet or service disruptions.
7. Under Allowed Hostid Types, select only the Rehostable checkbox.
8. Save your product definition.

Configuring Your Standard Floating License or Product Bundle

When issuing a standard floating license or product bundle, set the Allowed Hostid Types field on the Activation Key to AlternateServer/Nodelock.

Customer Deployment

1. Install the RLM server using your existing procedure(s).
2. Prepare a "keep-alive" license file for your ISV server. This is a .lic file containing HOST and ISV lines that RLM will read to start your ISV server. Replace "demo" with your ISV name:

  HOST localhost ANY
  ISV demo


3. In the ISV server UI, click the three-dot menu (⋮) to expand the command menu and select Alternate Server Hostid.
4. Enter the Activation Key for the Alternate Server Hostid product definition issued to your customer.
5. Check the newly generated license file and note the hostid value from the HOST line. For example: license=12900
6. Click Activate.
7. Navigate to the Activate tab.
8. Override the Host ID field with the value obtained in step 5.
9. Complete a standard activation.
10. Restart the license server.

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