How to Return and Update a License File for Agilent OpenLab Software

Answer

This Information Applies To: Agilent OpenLab CDS Software (OpenLab CDS 2.X and OpenLab CDS ChemStation Edition C.01.08 - C.01.10).

Issue:

This article outlines the process for returning a previously generated license file for both OpenLab CDS ChemStation (Versions C.01.08 or higher) or OpenLab CDS 2. If the instrument computer name or MAC address has changed or if the license file generated was incomplete (i.e. missing authorization codes), the license file may need to be regenerated. Therefore, you need to return it to the server first, update the according parameters and regenerate the license file. A license can only be returned two times before needing to be reset by Agilent Technologies.

Note: Some older versions of ChemStation software that are out of support have not been distributed with access to the Agilent SubscribeNet.

Steps to follow:

1. Log into the same Agilent SubscribeNet account in which the license file was originally created using your Login ID (email address) and password. Agilent SubscribeNet login: https://agilent.subscribenet.com/control/agil/login),

   Note: These credentials were created when the license file was first generated after receiving your first authorization code. If you don't remember your password, use the option "Password Finder". Apart from the initial user, more users should have been added after creation of the account. If not, you should add more users to make it less likely to lose access to your account and thus to your software and updates’ entitlements.

2. Click Manage Licenses by Host (Figure 1).

   
   
    
   Figure 1: Manage Licenses by Host view for selecting the license by Host Name / Host ID.
   
   
   

3. Either select the host from the drop-down list of existing hosts or search for the license by entering the Host ID (MAC Address) and/or Host Name (PC Name), see Figure 1.

   Tips: You can find Host ID and Host Name in your OpenLab Control Panel under Administration > Licensing. You can also find it as folows:  PC Name: Click the Windows Start button. In the search box, type "Computer". Right-click This PC within the search results and select Properties. Next to Computer name, you will find the computer name listed. MAC Address: Type "cmd" into the Windows search bar and click Command Prompt to open the Command Prompt console. Type "ipconfig/all" and press Enter. Your network configurations will display. Scroll down to your network adapter and look for the values next to "Physical Address," which is your MAC address.

    

4. Click Return All for the license file that needs to be returned (Figure 2):

   
   
   Figure 2: How to return the licenses
   
   
   

   Note: When you have used all your returns for a given license product, the Return button will no longer appear.

   
   

   A message will be displayed at the top of the screen once the license has been successfully returned.

5. If you have returned all licenses for a particular host, click Generate or View Licenses on the left menu.

6. Select all the licenses needed by clicking the corresponding check box and click Generate (Figure 3).This may take a while, do not reload or close the window.

   
   
   Figure 3: Selecting the licenses and generating the license files.
   
   
   
   

   Caution: Do not enter a fully qualified Hostname for the license server in SubscribeNet, e.g.: Use “OLCLI2W764” instead of “OLCLI2W764.country.companyname.com". Do not use "localhost". Otherwise you will possibly get an error message "Failed to Acquire One or More Mandatory Licenses" upon starting an instrument session.

   
   
   
7. Click the Download License File button (Figure 4):
    
   
   
   Figure 4: Downloading the license file.
   
   
   

8. Insert the license file in your CDS software (in your OpenLab CDS Control Panel under Administration > Licensing, click Add License, Figure 5).
   
   

   
   
   Figure 5: Adding a license to your CDS Software.
   
   
   

9. In the dialog box, click Browse... to select the license file from the location where you saved it (Figure 6): 
   
   

   
   
   Figure 6: Selecting the license file.
   
   
   
   

   Note: If the license file contains the same MAC address, the file will have the same name. Therefore, it is necessary to delete the previous license file before storing the new license file in one of the following directories: Workstation: C:\Program Files\Agilent Technologies\OpenLABServices\Licensing\Flexera\licenses\AGTOL Client/server: C:\Programs Files(x86)\Agilent Technologies\OpenLABServices\Licensing\Flexera\licenses\AGTOL

   
   If only a component of a license file was returned for a particular host, click View Licenses by Host. Then select the check box next to the hostname for which the license file needs to be downloaded. Click View Details. Finally, download the license file and insert it in your CDS software (in your OpenLab CDS Control Panel under Administration > Licensing, click Add License). 

Learn how to effectively operate your OpenLab Licenses: Agilent OpenLab CDS Workstation Installation and Configuration user manual on Agilent.com