Configuring License Service Replication in Windows NT Server 4.0

• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0

SUMMARY

This article discusses how to configure the License Service Replication in conjunction with resetting the License Logging Service to recover from missing or corrupted licensing information. This article is an addendum to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q153140 How to Reset License Manager Information

MORE INFORMATION

The Licensing application in Control Panel provides administrators some additional control with regard to the Licensing service. With the Licensing application, administrators can:

• Change the Client Licensing Mode from Per Server to Per Seat (a one time only option).



• Add or remove Per Server licenses for each BackOffice family product installed on that computer.



• Configure Licensing replication for that computer.

1. Run the Licensing application by double-clicking the Licensing icon within the Control Panel folder. This will display the Choose Licensing Mode dialog box.



2. Click Replication. This will display the Configure Replication dialog box.



3. In this dialog box, you have two sets of options:
   
   
   • You can select the server that will be the License Master Server for this computer. By default, the Master Server will be the primary domain controller (PDC) of the domain. As an alternative, an administrator can designate an alternative server, known as the "Enterprise Server," that will become the central repository of all license server database information.
     
     NOTE: For the alternate to be used as the license repository for all servers, all Windows NT servers must be configured to point at this specific server, by using the Licensing application in Control Panel.
     
     -or-
   
   
   
   • You can configure the Replication Frequency to be either a time interval, or a specific time at which replication will take place. By default, replication will be configured to occur once every 24 hours. Because of how licensing replication is configured in Windows NT, it can actually take up to twice the length of the assigned replication interval for all license information to replicate throughout an enterprise.
     
     NOTE: In resetting the License Manager, according to Knowledge Base article Q153140, it can be very useful to configure License Service database information to replicate to the central repository (either the PDC or the enterprise server), at a specific time. This will allow an administrator to quickly rebuild their central repository of available BackOffice products, from which the administrator can then add the appropriate number of licenses.
   
   
   

REFERENCES

Microsoft Windows NT, Concepts and Planning, Chapter 12, "Licensing and License Manager."

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q153140 How to Reset License Manager Information

Q185953 How License Service Keeps Track of License Usage

Keywords          : ntdomain 
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: February 18, 1999