Introduction
After confirming that NI License Manager (NILM) and Volume License Manager (VLM) can communicate, have the client attempt to obtain licensing from the licensing server. If unsuccessful, look through the LMGRD log to determine if the licensing server received the request, and if denied, determine why.
Attempt to License and Troubleshoot
Have the client request licensing from the licensing server by opening the NI software that requires licensing:
- For this test, it is often good to rule out any local licensing by moving license files from the <ProgramData>\National Instruments\License Manager\Licenses directory to another directory so that NI License Manager cannot see them.
- One way to do this is to create a folder inside of the Licenses directory named something like "Hidden Local Licenses" and put all the .lc files from the Licenses directory inside of the newly created folder.
- Make sure to hit the Refresh button in NI License Manager after manually moving or editing any license files. If you’ve moved any license files, they should no longer appear in the local licenses tab of NI License Manager.
- After moving any local licenses, attempt to request licensing by opening software on the client like LabVIEW or TestStand.
If you are not prompted to activate or evaluate software, licensing has been obtained. Open NI License Manager and navigate to the Network Licenses tab. Check the license status as indicated by the green box or circle next to the name of the license.
If the software does not open as licensed, look at the LMGRD log located on the license server to determine where the issue lies:
- Open the LMGRD log found at <ProgramData>\National Instruments\License Manager\Data\lmgrd.log in a text editor.
- Search for the machine name or username of the client in question. Specifically, we are looking for a line that begins with one of the keywords included below. Keyword definitions are also added for clarification:
- OUT: the license listed was checked out by the client.
- IN: the license listed was checked back into the server by the client.
- DENIED: the license listed was requested by the client but denied by the server. The log should list a reason for the denial.
- UNSUPPORTED: This message can be caused by many different reasons. Usually they are harmless and don't affect the ability to checkout software.
Interpreting the Results
The Machine Name or Username Does Not Appear in the LMGRD Log
The licensing server is not receiving a request from the client. If the user/machine is getting denied a license, the log should provide reasoning as to why.
The Reason for Denial Does Not Match the Volume License Manager Configuration
If the machine name or user name does not appear in the LMGRD log or the reason for denial does not match the Volume License Manager configuration, and if the other Troubleshooting Volume License Manager connectivity tutorials have been followed , it is recommended to contact NI support.