The following steps are designed to get X-Formation's License Statistics up and running on Windows with a FLEXlm/FlexNet server (given as an example of the license server) in 10 minutes or less.

Important: When upgrading License Statistics that is using an embedded database, be sure to make a backup of your database (see Backing up and restoring the database), or you may lose all the gathered data. Copy the License Statistics configuration file (xflicstat.cfg), license file (license.lic), and third-party utilities (for example, lmutil.exe) to a safe location. Then remove the current installation before uninstalling the new version--the License Statistics will not remove the currently installed version and will not install a new version into the same location as a previous version.

Step 1: Download and install License Statistics.

Download the License Statistics installation from the License Statistics download page.

After the download is complete, an installation wizard will step you through the installation procedure.

Important: You can install License Statistics on any machine, not necessarily the license server.

Step 2: Activate the license.

When the installation is complete, the License Activator steps you through activating your license. Note that you must re-activate your license whenever you upgrade your license or renew your maintenance. You can open the license activation dialog at any time by clicking Activate License Statistics in the X-Formation License Statistics program group (Start > All Programs > X-Formation > License Statistics > Activate License Statistics).

When you activate your license, it generates a license file (*.lic) that you can reuse with new updates of the software (unless you are instructed to update the license for any reason). 

In License Activator:

  1. Select the appropriate option based on whether you are installing License Statistics for the first time, upgrading License Statistics, or running the trial version of License Statistics:

    - If you are installing License Statistics for the first time: Enter your Activation Key (sent to you via email). If you cannot locate your activation key, you can find it by going to License Activation Center (LAC) and clicking the link "Get your activation keys" on the LAC login page.

    - If you are upgrading License Statistics:
    Select the option to browse for and select a previously activated license file.

    - If you are running the trial version of License Statistics:
    Select the option to run License Statistics as a trial. You can skip the remaining activation steps and continue with Step 3: Configure License Statistics for your site.

  2. Click Next to continue, and then choose to activate the license for the current computer or browse for and select a different computer on which to activate the license.

  3. Click Next to continue, then click Activate to start the activation.

    A final screen displays the progress and success (or failure) of the license activation. When activation is complete, close the License Activator window.

You may activate your license online instead of using License Activator; however, it is strongly recommended to use License Activator whenever possible to avoid activation problems.

Step 3: Configure License Statistics for your site.

By default, the License Statistics configuration file, xflicstat.cfg, automatically opens at the end of the installation. You can also open the configuration file from the X-Formation License Statistics program group at any time (Start > All Programs > X-Formation > License Statistics > Configuration File). In the configuration file:

  1. Change the setting for UPDATE_INTERVAL from 10 minutes to 1 minute, to generate statistics every minute. This setting will let you quickly confirm that License Statistics is running normally, which you'll do in Step 6. (After you verify that License Statistics is running normally, you should change this setting to a larger value.)

  2. Uncomment at least one of the FLEXNET_SERVER lines and enter the information for the server you want to monitor in the format [port]@host, where port is optional (leave blank to use the default port) and host is the name or IP address of the license server. For example, FLEXNET_SERVER = 27000@host1. (If you need to monitor more than one server, you can specify additional servers in the same manner later.)

  3. Uncomment the LMUTIL_PATH line and specify the path to your lmutil utility.

  4. Save and close the configuration file.

Step 4: Ensure you have the latest lmutil version.

You must use lmutil v9.2 or newer with License Statistics. (You can check your lmutil version on Windows in the file Properties or by running lmutil -v from a command line.) You can request a download of the newest lmutil version from http://www.globes.com/support/fnp_utilities_download.htm.

Step 5: Start the service.

Start the service by selecting License Statistics > Start License Statistics from the X-Formation License Statistics program group. (To stop the service, select License Statistics > Stop License Statistics.)

Step 6: Test that License Statistics is running normally.

[2012-01-02 13:44:50] Ready for querying...
[2012-01-02 13:44:50] To view statistics please go to http://localhost:80