Unable to Find an Activated Floating User License

Applies to AQTime 8.81, last modified on January 18, 2022

To use AQTime, you must have a valid license. AQTime automatically performs a license check at startup and during the run. If AQTime fails to check the license, it displays this message.

If your license is not activated yet, follow the steps below to learn how to activate it. If your license is already activated, learn how to fix issues that prevent your AQTime from accessing the license:

Before You Start

After you activate your license on your License Manager PC, it will become bound to that computer. To move your AQTime license to another computer, you need to go through a special procedure of license deactivation. At that, you may need to contact SmartBear Sales Team. To save time in the future, we recommend that you plan the installations to avoid unnecessary moves of the license.

1. Select a License Manager PC

  • Your License Manager PC must be a physical computer. Do not activate licenses on virtual or cloud computers.

  • It always must be available to workstations where AQTime instances will run. That is why we recommend that you activate Floating User licenses on a server computer.

  • It must have a working network connection. AQTime instances running in your network must be able to connect to the License Manager PC.

  • The License Manager PC must allow traffic via TCP and UDP protocols and port 1947. It will use the protocols and the port to exchange data with AQTime instances. Make sure that firewalls and proxies running in your network do not block these protocols and ports.

  • (For automatic activation) It must have an Internet connection. It will use the connection for license activation. After activating the license, it will no longer need the connection.

    In addition, it must have access to the SmartBear web server (URLs https://ls1.smartbear.com and http://ls2.smartbear.com, port 443). Make sure the proxies and firewalls working in your network allow the activation requests.

  • (For manual activation) If your License Manager PC does not have an Internet connection, you will need an intermediate computer that has an Internet connection and that you will use to exchange data with the SmartBear web server.

    The intermediate computer must have access to the SmartBear web server (URLs https://ls1.smartbear.com and http://ls2.smartbear.com, port 443).

2. Install License Manager on the License Manager PC

After selecting a License Manager PC that matches all the needed requirements, install the stand-alone License Manager utility on it. You can get the utility installation modules from the SmartBear web site:

http://downloads.smartbear.com/SmartBearLicenseManager.exe

The utility does not have any special requirements for RAM and hard-disk space. The utility is small and lightweight and you can install and run it on any computer, even a “weak” one.

3. Activate the License on the License Manager PC

Automatic Activation (Recommended)

1. Start Activation

Click the operating system’s Start button (or the Windows button) and select All Programs > SmartBear > License Manager > Activate or Deactivate License.

This will open the License Management wizard.

2. Provide the Activation Information

  1. On the first page of the License Management wizard, choose Activate a new license on this computer and click Next.

    If you have an Internet connection to the SmartBear licensing web sites, the wizard will choose the automatic activation mode.

  2. On the next page of the wizard, specify the information needed for activation: the user name, company name, email, and license key.

    You can find the license key on the AQTime product page of the My SmartBear section of our web site (https://my.smartbear.com) or in the email message that we sent you after you had requested the license.

    As for other values, you can either enter your user name, company name, and email, or enter those of the license holder. We recommend that you enter your data.

    After you have specified the activation data, click Next to continue.

  3. On the next page, you can specify the proxy authentication settings.

    Depending on the proxy type, you may need to specify the user name and password needed for the Web connection. Most proxies do not require authentication. If you are not aware of your proxy type or user name and password, ask your system administrator.

  4. Click Activate. The wizard will activate your license.

3. Finalizing the Activation

If the activation succeeds, you will see the final page of the License Management wizard informing you that the activation is over.

If the activation fails, the wizard will display an error message explaining the problem.

Manual Activation

1. Start Activation

Click the operating system’s Start button (or the Windows button) and select All Programs > SmartBear > License Manager > Activate or Deactivate License.

This will open the License Management wizard.

If your computer is not connected to the Web or does not have access to the SmartBear licensing web sites, the wizard will display an error message and will suggest using the offline (manual) activation. Choose using the offline (manual) activation.

2. Collect Information About Your Computer

To generate activation data, we need some information about your computer’s hardware. The wizard collects this information automatically and saves it to a .c2v file on your computer. You will see the file name in the wizard.

If you are activating the trial license, the wizard will also display the trial license key. Remember it or write it down.

3. Exchange Data With the SmartBear Web Site

  1. Transfer the .c2v file generated on the previous step to the intermediate computer.

  2. On the intermediate computer, launch any web browser and open the following URL in it (this URL is also mentioned in the License Management wizard running on the License Manager PC):

    https://my.smartbear.com/manual-license-activation/

  3. On the opened web page, specify your license key and the name of your .c2v file. Click Send File. This will upload the file to the SmartBear web site. Transferring the file may take some time.

  4. The web site will process the file and generate activation data for your License Manager PC.

    After the web site generates the activation data, it will display a download link for the file that stores this data (this file has the .v2c extension). Download the .v2c file to the intermediate computer.

  5. Transfer the .v2c file with activation data from the intermediate computer to your License Manager PC.

4. Apply the Activation Data

  1. Click Next in the License Management wizard.

  2. Specify the name of the activation data file (.v2c) in the edit box and click Activate. This will save the activation data on your computer.

5. Finalizing the Activation

If the activation succeeds, the wizard will display a page notifying you that the license has been successfully activated. You can close the wizard then.

If an error occurs, the wizard will display a message notifying you about the problems. Try to solve the problems and activate the license again.

After Activation

After the activation is over, you can check whether the license has been activated successfully:

  1. On your License Manager PC, navigate to the following URL:

    http://localhost:1947/_int_/products.html

  2. The activated license will be on the list:

    Checking the license after activation

    Click the image to enlarge it.

If the license is not on the list, this can happen because the activation has failed. See below to learn how to fix possible activation problems.

4. Connect AQTime Instances to the License Manager PC

After you activate the license, it will become available for AQTime workstations in your network:

  1. If AQTime is still not installed on your workstation, install it.

  2. Launch AQTime on the workstation. AQTime will search for an activated license first locally and then in the network.

  3. When it finds a suitable activated license, it will start.

If it fails to find a suitable license, it will show an error message. To check whether the needed license is activated and available on your computer:

  1. Navigate to the following URL —

    http://localhost:1947/_int_/products.html

  2. Find your Floating User license on the list:

    Licenses available on AQTime workstations

    Click the image to enlarge it.

If the license is not on the list, it is either because the license is not activated, or because AQTime cannot access the License Manager PC.

Troubleshooting

The Sentinel LDK License Manager Service Is Not Running

Make sure that the service is running both on your computer and on your License Manager PC:

  1. On your computer, open Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.

  2. Check whether the Sentinel LDK License Manager service is on the list and that the service is running:

    The Sentinel LDK License Manager service in the service list

    Click the image to enlarge it.

  3. If the service is not running, start it.

  4. If the service does not start, reinstall AQTime and try again.

  5. Log in to your License Manager PC and check whether the Sentinel LDK License Manager service is running on it.

  6. If the service is not running, start it.

  7. If the service does not start, reinstall the License Manager utility and try again.

Your Computer Cannot Access Your License Manager PC

Your License Manager PC or Your Computer Does Not Have a Functioning Network Connection

  1. Check whether the network cable is connected to your computer.

  2. If you are launching AQTime on a virtual machine, check whether this machine has a network card and that its host computer is connected to the network.

  3. Check whether your computer can access the License Manager PC. For instance, you can “ping” this PC.

  4. Perform the same actions with the License Manager PC.

Your Firewall or Proxy Denies Traffic Between Your Computer and Your License Manager PC

The Sentinel LDK License Manager service uses the TCP and UDP protocols and port 1947 to transfer data. Check whether the firewalls or proxies running on your computer and local network do not block these protocols and the port. Ask your network administrator for help with configuring the firewall or proxy settings, if needed.

To check whether your computer can access your License Manager PC through your firewall or proxy:

  1. Log in to your License Manager PC.

    Navigate to the following URL to access License Manager settings —

    http://localhost:1947/_int_/config.html

  2. Enable the Allow Remote Access to ACC option:

    Enabling remote access on the License Manager PC

    Click the image to enlarge it.

  3. On your computer, navigate to the following URL —

    http://<License_Manager_PC>:1947/

    Where <License_Manager_PC> is the network name or IP address of your License Manager PC.

If the web interface of your License Manager is not available, your firewall or proxy server most likely blocks traffic between your computer and License Manager PC. Contact your system administrator for assistance.

Your Network Denies Broadcast Requests

By default, to find the License Manager PC, AQTime uses broadcast requests. This type of request may not work in a certain type of networks. For example, they will not work if the License Manager PC is outside of the local network in which your computer resides. These requests also may not function in Virtual Private Networks that are configured in a certain way.

On your computer, specify the License Manager PC, to which AQTime will connect, explicitly:

  1. On your computer, navigate to the following URL to access License Manager settings

    http://localhost:1947/_int_/config.html

  2. Switch to the Access to Remote License Managers tabbed page.

  3. In the Specify Search Parameters text box, enter the computer name or IP address of the License Manager computer:

    Specifying the License Manager PC where the license is activated

    Click the image to enlarge it.

    If you are using a VPN, enter the IP address as you see it in your network.

    If the License Manager PC is outside of the local network, in which your computer resides, then specify the static external IP address of the License Manager computer.

  4. Click Submit to apply your changes.

License Manager Settings Deny Access From Your Current User Account

  1. Log in to the License Manager PC.

  2. Navigate to the following URL to access the License Manager settings:

    http://localhost:1947/_int_/config.html

  3. Switch to the Users tab page.

  4. Examine the User Restrictions rules and remove any deny rules that include the needed user name, or add the allow rule for this user name:

    Specifying user restrictions

    Click the image to enlarge it.

You Have Exceeded the Maximum Number of Allowed Product Instances

A Floating User license allows running multiple instances of AQTime on multiple workstations. The license key specifies the maximum number of concurrent instances.

If all available instances are currently in use, AQTime will fail to start. To resolve the problem:

  • Wait until another user finishes working with AQTime.

— or —

  • Close AQTime instances that are not currently in use.

Getting Help Online

Try using the Licensing Troubleshooter on our web site:

Licensing Troubleshooter

The troubleshooter will also help you collect information and submit a request to the SmartBear Support Team. When submitting the request, please specify the exact error message you see. To get it, click the header of the message box and press Ctrl+C.

For information on AQTime licensing, see AQTime 8 Licensing Guide.

See Also

Technical Support and Resources

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