Using a license manager server

To use SmartExporter you have to activate the corresponding license key. When starting SmartExporter, the application checks the license key to determine which SmartExporter Edition can be used. For SmartExporter 2018 R1 or previous versions the required license manager had to be installed locally. With SmartExporter 2020 R1 or higher you can use a system environment variable to define whether to search for a license manager server on the network, or you can directly specify the host name or IP address of the computer running the license manager. This allows you to use a central license server.

Note:

Please consult your IT department before setting up the license manager server to make sure that it complies with your company’s IT policies.

 

Specify the SE_LICENSE_MANAGER system environment variable using one of the following values:

  1. Local

    Uses the local license manager on the computer SmartExporter is installed. This is the default setting if no environment variable is defined.

  2. Hostname or IP address

    Enter the hostname or IP address of the license server.

  3. Remote

    Searches a license manager on a different computer in the network.

Note:

The values are not case-sensitive. This means you can enter, e.g. "Local", "local" or "LOCAL" if you want to use the local license manager.

 

Figure: Using a system environment variable for the license manager, e.g. by entering the hostname

 

Hints regarding “Remote” value or hostname/IP address

If you use the Remote value or the hostname/IP address, SmartExporter must be installed as local administrator on the machine you want to use as license manager machine. On this machine you have to activate the corresponding licenses.

Correct order in Remote/hostname/IP address scenarios:

  1. Install SmartExporter on the license manager machine. This installs the license manager on the machine and also makes the activation tool for the license activation available.
  2. Activate the licenses on the license manager machine.
  3. Install SmartExporter on the machine the SmartExporter user has access to.
  4. Define the license manager to be used by entering the corresponding system environment variable on this machine.

 

More details

  1. SmartExporter uses the Sentinel LDK License Manager. It communicates locally with SmartExporter or with other license managers in the network via the TCP and UDP protocol and port 1947.

  2. On the computer of the SmartExporter user you can check in a browser by entering the URL http://localhost:1947/_int_/features.html if the corresponding license manager was found by SmartExporter. If this is the case, the computer should be listed for Vendor 99285 in the Location column with the licenses activated there.

  3. When you enter the “Remote” value, a broadcast request for other license managers is started. This request may not work in certain network types, e.g. if the license manager and the computer of the SmartExporter user are not located in the same local network.

  4. The SmartExporter License Activation creates a file called ActivationLog.txt in the local temporary directory of the Windows user. This file contains further information on the SmartExporter version and the licenses that were found and the licenses in use.