RMS License Manager Explained

Below is an overview of the Sentinel RMS License Manager and how it works. Both CardExchange® Producer & CardExchange® Visitor use the Sentinel RMS license manager to license the small business server editions of the application. For CardExchange® Producer this is the Business and Enterprise editions and for CardExchange® Visitor this is the Business server edition.

The Sentinel RMS License Manager enforces and manages licensing in multi-user environment. It keeps track of all the licenses and handles requests from network users who want to run your application, granting authorization to the requesters to allow them to run the application, and denying requests when all licenses are in use. It is an integral component of the network licensing schemes that can be implemented with Sentinel RMS, namely server-locked licenses, site licenses and commuter licenses.

Note:

RMS does not support servers with numeric host names. The License Manager may not start on such machines due to external dependencies.

The License Manager usually runs on a computer within the network where users (clients) have installed the licensed application. See the diagram below:

Multiple Clients Accessing the Sentinel RMS License Manager

Usually the licenses reside on the License Manager in a license file. On startup, the License Manager reads the licenses from the file and creates a license table. Otherwise, these are added dynamically to the License Manager. The dynamically added licenses are only available in the License Manager memory. Once the License Manager is stopped these licenses are lost.

You program your application to look for a License Manager with available licenses.


When the licensed application is run on a client, a request is sent to the License Manager for obtaining an authorization. The License Manager processes the request (including the task of authenticating the clients, if required) and returns the status to the client. The License Manager maintains each request separately, treating these authorizations as separate clients.

Client Requesting for a Network License


Quick Facts about the RMS License Manager

Operating systems supported

Windows 32 and 64-bit

For specific versions, refer to the release notes or contact the Technical Support.


Installation Path

The default installation path on Windows is:

Windows 32-bit - <Osdrive>:\Program Files\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel RMS License Manager\WinNT.

Windows 64-bit - <Osdrive>:\Program Files(x86)\Common Files\SafeNet Sentinel\Sentinel RMS License Manager\WinNT.


Network protocol

A client can contact the License Manager using the IPv4 or IPv6 communication protocol. When the License Manager is hosted on a dual stack system, both IPv4 and IPv6 clients can communicate with it, however, not all combinations are supported (see the illustration below for more information):

License ManagerHost ProtocolClient-side Protocol

IPv4IPv6
IPv4SupportedNot Supported
IPv6Not supportedSupported
Dual stackSupportedSupported


Network port (default)

5093


Network reach

Broadcast within a subnet. Directed calls can access License Manager across subnets.