lmf(8)lmf(8)NAMElmf - License Management Facility (LMF)
SYNOPSIS
/usr/sbin/lmf [-d dir] [command [argument...]]
OPTIONS
Defines the directory containing the License Database file and the his‐
tory file. If you do not use the -d option, the default LMF directory
(/usr/var/adm/lmf) is used. The -d option allows you to have more than
one License Database on your system.
DESCRIPTION
The lmf utility maintains a file of registered software licenses called
the License Database. The lmf utility creates the License Database
from information on the Product Authorization Key (PAK) that is sup‐
plied with software products. (The PAK is a valuable proof of purchase
and represents your legal right to use a software product.)
The lmf utility also updates the kernel cache. The kernel cache con‐
tains the active license information that is read by license-checking
functions in products that provide full LMF support. The license-check‐
ing functions check that a product has a valid license before making
the product available for use.
For more information about LMF, see the Software License Management.
LMF contains the following three types of commands: Information and
general commands, which you use to monitor your licensing actions, to
monitor the status of the License Database and kernel cache, and to
leave LMF. License Database maintenance commands, which you use to
modify the contents of the License Database Service commands, which you
use to communicate with the kernel cache. These commands might have an
immediate effect on users' access to licensed software.
Some commands have the product, producer, or authorization arguments.
Replace product, producer, and authorization with the information from
the corresponding fields on your PAK. Specify the arguments exactly as
they appear on the PAK. Use the producer and authorization arguments
when the License Database contains more than one record for a given
product name.
Information and General Commands
Exits from the lmf utility. You can also enter CTRL/D to leave the lmf
utility. Displays the syntax of the command specified in the argument
list. If no command is specified, help lists all the LMF commands.
Lists data from the license management history file. The history data
is displayed with the most recent operations first.
The history file is a record of the License Database maintenance
commands (amend, cancel, delete, disable, enable, issue, modify,
and register) that have been issued on your system. LMF also
records the creation of a new License Database in the history
file.
For each maintenance command you issue, LMF records the product
identity, the date and time the command was issued, and the
information in the License Database that was changed.
Replace length with one of the following: Displays a one-line
summary of the history data for each command issued. Displays
the history data for each command issued and the license as it
appeared before the command was issued.
The from date argument displays history data for commands issued
after the specified date. You must specify the date argument in
this order: day, month, year. You can use most common formats to
specify the date. You do not need to use a separator between the
day and the month or the month and the year. For example, the
first day of July 1993 could be specified as: 1-jul-1993,
1/7/93, 010793, or 1.july.93. Displays details of the regis‐
tered products on the system. If you do not supply any argu‐
ments, list displays a one-line summary of the PAK data for each
product in the License Database.
The full argument displays the complete license details for each
product.
Replace source with one of the following: Displays a summary for
each product in the License Database. Displays a summary for
each product in the kernel cache. Displays a summary for each
product in the License Database and the kernel cache.
License Database Maintenance Commands
Amends the protected fields on a license. You must use this command
only to register the license data from a Product Authorization Amend‐
ment (PAAM). The fields you can change have a colon (:) after the field
name. You must make all the changes shown on the PAAM, including enter‐
ing a new checksum. Changes made to fields without a colon after the
field name are ignored. The editor used is the same as that used for
the register command.
The command does not have an immediate effect on the kernel
cache. Use the load command to update the license for the prod‐
uct in the kernel cache. Cancels the license on the date you
specify in the date argument. You can use this command to stop
use of a product earlier than the date shown in the Key Termina‐
tion Date field on the PAK. You can change the cancellation
date more than once by reissuing the cancel command with a dif‐
ferent date argument.
You must specify the date argument in the order day, month,
year. You can use most common formats to specify the date. You
do not need to use a separator between the day and the month or
the month and the year. For example, the first day of July 1993
could be specified as: 1-jul-1993, 1/7/93, 010793, or 1.july.93.
The cancel command does not affect the kernel cache. To update
the cancellation date in the kernel cache, use the load command.
Deletes a license from the License Database and the kernel
cache. Before you issue this command, be sure you have a record
of the license either in a file on your system or in hardcopy
format. Prevents a license from being loaded into the kernel
cache when you issue the load or the reset command or when you
start the system. The license data remains in the License Data‐
base. Enables a license to be loaded into the kernel cache when
you issue the load or the reset command or when you start the
system. LMF automatically enables a license when you register
it. Issues a reconstructed PAK for the product and removes the
license from the kernel cache and the License Database. LMF
writes the reconstructed PAK to the file you specify in the file
argument.
You can use the reconstructed PAK with the register - < file
command to transfer a license from one system to another. Modi‐
fies the unprotected fields on a license. You can modify only
the Comments field and, if the license has the MOD_UNITS Key
Option, the Number of Units field. LMF ignores changes to fields
other than Comments or Number of Units.
LMF invokes an editor as defined by the EDITOR environment vari‐
able. If the environment variable is undefined, LMF invokes the
vi editor.
The modify command does not affect the kernel cache. To update
the data in the kernel cache, use the load command. Registers
data from a PAK in the License Database. If you specify no argu‐
ments, the command displays a template that includes the fields
that occur on the PAK. LMF invokes an editor so that you can add
the license data to the appropriate fields. The utility invokes
an editor as defined by the EDITOR environment variable. If the
environment variable is undefined, the utility invokes the vi
editor. When you leave the editor, LMF scans the completed tem‐
plate to make sure you entered the license data correctly. If
you entered data incorrectly, LMF displays the appropriate error
message and gives you an opportunity to reenter the editor and
correct any mistakes.
Replace input with one of the following: Displays a copy of the
file specified and invokes an editor so you can fill in any
additional license details before registering the license data
in the License Database. Registers license data directly from
standard input to the License Database.
Use the register file command to register license data from a
file on your system that contains a partially complete PAK. When
you finish editing the license data, LMF scans the file and
gives you the opportunity to correct any mistakes.
Use the register - command to register license data directly
from standard input.
Service Commands
Loads enough license units into the kernel cache to enable use of the
product by the number of users specified. The number of license units
required for the specified number of users is calculated by LMF. You
must register the appropriate number of units in the License Database
before you issue the load command.
If you specify zero (0) as the users argument, all the license
units for the product are loaded into the kernel cache. If the
product is Availability Licensed, you must always specify zero
(0) as the users argument. Copies the license details for all
enabled products from the License Database to the kernel cache.
Unloads enough license units from the kernel cache to reduce the
use of the product by the number of users specified. The number
of license units required for the specified number of users is
calculated by LMF. After you have issued the command, any exist‐
ing users of the product are allowed to finish using it before
the new limit is imposed.
If you specify zero (0) as the users argument, all the license
units for the product are removed from the kernel cache. If the
product is Availability Licensed, you must always specify zero
(0) as the users argument.
EXAMPLES
When you use LMF commands you can type them on a single line, for exam‐
ple: # lmf register Alternatively, you can enter the lmf utility and
type the commands after the prompt, for example: # lmf lmf> register To
register a PAK from a file that contains valid license data, issue the
following command: # lmf register - < PAK_file
In response to this command, LMF scans the file PAK_file to make
sure its format and data are correct. LMF does not display the
contents of the file or allow you to edit the file. If the
license data is correct, LMF registers the license in the
License Database. If not, the utility displays the appropriate
error message.
You can abbreviate LMF commands, but you must be sure the abbre‐
viation is not ambiguous. For example, you can abbreviate lmf
register to lmf reg but not lmf re.
SEE ALSO
Command: lmfsetup(8)
Software License Management
lmf(8)
