HPC/Application licenses: Difference between revisions

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# Interactively on Carbon's '''login nodes''', either in a [[HPC/VNC|virtual desktop (VNC)]], or displaying on your own X11 display.
# Interactively on Carbon's '''login nodes''', either in a [[HPC/VNC|virtual desktop (VNC)]], or displaying on your own X11 display.
# Non-interactively (as a batch job) on Carbon's '''compute node'''.
# Non-interactively (as a batch job) on Carbon's '''compute node'''.
The current page describes network requirements for situation 1 only. The others require no networking considerations for license access, though they do for remote graphics.
 
Read below about running on non-HPC computers (case 1).
<!-- The current page describes network requirements for running on non-HPC computers (case 1). -->
 
To run on HPC-internal computers (cases 2 and 3), no network considerations arise for license access, though they do for remote graphics.


== License servers ==
== License servers ==
Carbon's license servers are:
* If a user's computer is located physically at CNM or connected over VPN:
: Enter the following ''short host names'' (having no domain part) into the license configuration dialog of an application or in its configuration files:
  clicense1
  clicense1
  clicense2
  clicense2
  clicense3
  clicense3
Enter these specific ''short host names'' (having no domain part) in licensing configuration dialogs or configuration files. Learn more below.
* If the computer uses SSH tunneling:
** Ensure that tunneling to <code>clicense1</code> is ''configured'' and is ''active''
** Enter <code>localhost</code> as license server.
: Server redundancy cannot be leveraged over ssh since, typically, the same default port numbers are used on all license servers, which cannot be tunneled simultaneously.
 
For port numbers, see application-specific documentation.


== Eligible remote computers ==
== Eligible remote computers ==
The target computer must meet '''all''' of the following requirements:
For both ''installing'' and ''running'' licensed applications, the target computer must meet '''all''' of the following requirements:
* be Argonne-owned,
* be Argonne-owned,
* have the application pre-installed, or hold a download of the application's online or offline installer,
* have the application pre-installed, or hold a download of the application's online or offline installer,
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:* ''wired'', in building 440/441 at Argonne, or
:* ''wired'', in building 440/441 at Argonne, or
:* the ''Argonne-auth'' WiFi network in the same building, or
:* the ''Argonne-auth'' WiFi network in the same building, or
:* a VPN connection that has been opened by the user account of a '''CNM staff''' member, which includes regular employees, postdocs, and students, since only this HR status will place the user in the correct firewall perimeter,
:* a VPN connection that has been opened by the user account of a '''CNM staff''' member, which includes regular employees, postdocs, and students, since only such an HR status will place the user in the correct firewall perimeter,
: or the computer must:
: or the computer must:
:* have an SSH connection open to {{sshgw}} that has been configured to forward ("tunnel)" Carbon's license server network ports.
:* have an SSH connection open to {{sshgw}} that has been configured to forward (tunnel) Carbon's license server network ports.


To look up (resolve) the IP addresses of the license servers from their short host names, the target computer's network profile settings must include the following DNS domains:
To look up (resolve) the IP addresses of the license servers from their short host names, the target computer's network profile settings must include the following DNS domains:
* <code>cnm.anl.gov</code>
* <code>cnm.anl.gov</code>
* <code>nst.anl.gov</code>
* <code>nst.anl.gov</code>
That is implicitly done for SSH-tunneled connections, but for all other connection types the domains usually must be specifically added (once) in the computer's network configuration.
That is implicitly the case for SSH-tunneled connections, but for all other connection types the domains usually must be specifically added (once) in the computer's network configuration.
 
== Eligible user and administrator accounts ==
For ''installing'' a licensed application on a non-HPC computer, the active user account must:
* have the ability to install applications on the target computer (be or become local administrator).
 
For ''running'' some installers, and for all applications, the active user account must:
* belong to a Service Desk member, or to an end user who is an '''Argonne employee''', and
* have been authorized to access the application license.
 
If not already done, request license access for the specific ''account name'' and ''application name'', and await confirmation.


== Eligible user accounts ==
; Notes:
For installing and running a licensed application on a non-HPC computer, the user account that is active to run the application, and sometimes even its installer, must:
<!-- CNM Facility Users who are external to Argonne are not typically eligible. -->
* belong to the end user (who must be an Argonne employee, not an external CNM Facility User), or an IT colleague, and
* have the ability to install applications on the target computer (already be local admin, as opposed to become local admin), and
* have been authorized to access the application license. If not already done, send the specific ''account name'' and ''application name'' requested to Dr. Sternberg, then await confirmation.


The user accounts used for installation vs. running an application need not and often are not the same, though some installers require and verify license access. This is done under the user account that runs the installer, meaning that administrator accounts must be authorized by name.
The user accounts for running installers vs. applications need not be the same. – Some installers require and verify license access before proceeding.
Access requests are made under the user account running the installer,
so administrator accounts must be authorized by account name in the same manner as regular user accounts.


== Available license tokens ==
== Available license tokens ==
A license must be available to run the application, and for some applications, even to run the installer.
A license must be available (not be in use) to run the application, and, where applicable, to run the installer.
 
== Applications ==
Find applications-specific details at:
* [[HPC/Applications/comsol]] <!-- Downloads at https://anl.box.com/s/zi8ksvr1e7192m2p7kar -->
* [[HPC/Applications/lumerical]]


== Troubleshooting ==
== Troubleshooting ==
Failure to obtain a license may be attributable to any one of the items above.
When a license error occurs, one or more of the above requirements may not be met.


Review the following:
Review the following:


* Carefully read the '''error message'''. This is the first and best step to narrow down potential causes of a failure to obtain a license.
* Carefully read the '''error message'''. This is the first and best step to narrow down potential causes of a failure to obtain a license.
* Is the target computer's in a suitable '''network location''' and state?
* Is the target computer in a suitable '''network location''' and '''connection state'''?
* Is the application configured with '''short host names''' for the license servers?
* Is the application configured with '''short host names''' for the license servers?
* Does the configuration of the active network profile include the correct '''DNS search domains'''?
* Does the configuration of the active network profile include the correct '''DNS search domains'''?
* Has license access been granted for the active '''user account'''?
* Has license access been granted to the active '''user account'''?
* Is failure to obtain a license token '''persistent''', i.e., have you retried at a later time?
* Is failure to obtain a license token '''persistent''', i.e., have you retried at a later time?
== Applications ==
Find applications-specific details at:
* [[HPC/Applications/comsol]] <!-- Downloads at https://anl.box.com/s/zi8ksvr1e7192m2p7kar -->
* [[HPC/Applications/lumerical]]

Revision as of 22:36, September 21, 2021

Introduction

Licenses for several high-profile commercial applications are hosted on servers within the Carbon HPC cluster. Applications consuming these licenses can run in the following modes and network locations:

  1. On a machine outside the HPC cluster,
  2. Interactively on Carbon's login nodes, either in a virtual desktop (VNC), or displaying on your own X11 display.
  3. Non-interactively (as a batch job) on Carbon's compute node.

Read below about running on non-HPC computers (case 1).

To run on HPC-internal computers (cases 2 and 3), no network considerations arise for license access, though they do for remote graphics.

License servers

  • If a user's computer is located physically at CNM or connected over VPN:
Enter the following short host names (having no domain part) into the license configuration dialog of an application or in its configuration files:
clicense1
clicense2
clicense3
  • If the computer uses SSH tunneling:
    • Ensure that tunneling to clicense1 is configured and is active
    • Enter localhost as license server.
Server redundancy cannot be leveraged over ssh since, typically, the same default port numbers are used on all license servers, which cannot be tunneled simultaneously.

For port numbers, see application-specific documentation.

Eligible remote computers

For both installing and running licensed applications, the target computer must meet all of the following requirements:

  • be Argonne-owned,
  • have the application pre-installed, or hold a download of the application's online or offline installer,
  • be able to reach the Carbon license servers (components of the Carbon HPC cluster) over the network by short host name.
Thus, the computer's networking connections must be:
  • wired, in building 440/441 at Argonne, or
  • the Argonne-auth WiFi network in the same building, or
  • a VPN connection that has been opened by the user account of a CNM staff member, which includes regular employees, postdocs, and students, since only such an HR status will place the user in the correct firewall perimeter,
or the computer must:
  • have an SSH connection open to mega that has been configured to forward (tunnel) Carbon's license server network ports.

To look up (resolve) the IP addresses of the license servers from their short host names, the target computer's network profile settings must include the following DNS domains:

  • cnm.anl.gov
  • nst.anl.gov

That is implicitly the case for SSH-tunneled connections, but for all other connection types the domains usually must be specifically added (once) in the computer's network configuration.

Eligible user and administrator accounts

For installing a licensed application on a non-HPC computer, the active user account must:

  • have the ability to install applications on the target computer (be or become local administrator).

For running some installers, and for all applications, the active user account must:

  • belong to a Service Desk member, or to an end user who is an Argonne employee, and
  • have been authorized to access the application license.

If not already done, request license access for the specific account name and application name, and await confirmation.

Notes

The user accounts for running installers vs. applications need not be the same. – Some installers require and verify license access before proceeding. Access requests are made under the user account running the installer, so administrator accounts must be authorized by account name in the same manner as regular user accounts.

Available license tokens

A license must be available (not be in use) to run the application, and, where applicable, to run the installer.

Troubleshooting

When a license error occurs, one or more of the above requirements may not be met.

Review the following:

  • Carefully read the error message. This is the first and best step to narrow down potential causes of a failure to obtain a license.
  • Is the target computer in a suitable network location and connection state?
  • Is the application configured with short host names for the license servers?
  • Does the configuration of the active network profile include the correct DNS search domains?
  • Has license access been granted to the active user account?
  • Is failure to obtain a license token persistent, i.e., have you retried at a later time?

Applications

Find applications-specific details at: