License server

Introduction

With the IDA 9.3 release, we introduced several enhancements to the license server, including:

• JSON Configuration: A single configuration file for all server settings

• Access Control Lists: Fine-grained control over who can borrow licenses

• Access Logging: HTTP-style logging of all license operations

• Enhanced lsadm: Improved output formatting and JSON export

Check how to upgrade the server to benefit from the improvements.

This manual describes the installation, management, and interaction with a Hex-Rays License Server deployment. It is primarily intended for administrators, and will focus on the setup and management of the Hex-Rays License Server.

While we will (at least superficially) make use of the command-line client used to access/manage the server, this manual will not offer a detailed explanation of its usage, although there is a dedicated section for essential lsadm commands

Installing the Hex-Rays License Server

The first step is to install the Hex-Rays License Server, which is the central component of the deployment.

Prerequisites

After your purchase of a Hex-Rays product with floating licenses, go to the customer portal, where you will find:

• an installer for the Hex-Rays License Server

• the installer for the product you have purchased

• a license_server_<LID>.hexlic (where <LID> is your license ID) and the certificate bundle will be available after License Server activation, under Licenses tab

The certificate bundle contains two files hexlicsrv.crt and hexlicsrv.key that will be used for the TLS encryption between the clients and the license server. You should not try to create them yourself.

All those will be necessary, so please go ahead and download them.

You will also need root access on the host where you will be installing the server.

Installation

This chapter explains how to install the Hex-Rays License Server.

To ensure proper functionality, we recommend that the License Server version match the IDA Pro version and that both are updated to the latest version. The 9.3 License Server has backward compatibility with the 9.2 IDA Pro version (client). However, the reverse is not supported. Ensure that the License Server version is equal to or higher than the client version to maintain compatibility. For the latest installers, visit the Download Center in My Hex-Rays portal.

Installing clients

The command-line client lsadm is bundled with the Hex-Rays License Server installer. To install both Hex-Rays License Server and lsadm, simply run the installer and follow the instructions.

Every Hex-Rays product using floating licenses, such as IDA, is also a client of Hex-Rays License Server. For installation instructions for these products, please refer to their documentation.

Installing the server

The Hex-Rays License Server can be installed on x64 Linux servers. We have tested it on Debian and Ubuntu, but other major flavors of Linux should be fine too.

The installer is provided as an executable file. If needed, use chmod to ensure it has execute permissions.

To install the server, run the Hex-Rays License Server installer as root and follow the instructions (the server will not require root permissions; only the installer does.)

If your Linux system is based on systemd (e.g., Debian/Ubuntu, Red-Hat, CentOS, ...​), it is recommended to let the installer create systemd units so that the server will start automatically at the next reboot.

During server installation, you’ll be prompted to create the hexlicsrv.conf configuration file. We recommend accepting the default option to create it automatically, as this file is required to run the server.

Activating the server license

In order for the Hex-Rays License Server license to be activated, it must be bound to a Host ID (an Ethernet MAC address.) From a command prompt, run /sbin/ifconfig, and lookup the "ether" address for the network interface through which the server will be accessible.

    >/sbin/ifconfig
    enp4s0: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
            [...snipped...]
            ether bf:e2:91:10:58:d2  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
            [...snipped...]

In this case, our MAC address is: bf:e2:91:10:58:d2

Go to Hex-Rays customer portal and activate your license for license server. During that process, you will need to provide the MAC address of the device where the license server will be running. Once the activation is complete, you'll be able to download the following files:

• license server certificate bundle

• license_server_<LID>.hexlic (license key)

Those need to be copied in the Hex-Rays License Server installation directory. As root:

    >cd /opt/hexlicsrv
    >cp .../path/to/hexlicsrv.crt .
    >cp .../path/to/hexlicsrv.key .
    >cp .../path/to/license_server*.hexlic .
    >chown hexlicsrv:hexlicsrv hexlicsrv.crt hexlicsrv.key license_server*.hexlic
    >chmod 640 hexlicsrv.crt hexlicsrv.key license_server*.hexlic

Creating the initial database

At this point, the server should be ready to run.

If your system is already in production, skip this section. Using the --recreate-schema option as in the example below, will re-create an empty database.

On the first install, you will need to initialize the database the server will use:

    >sudo -u hexlicsrv ./license_server --config-file hexlicsrv.conf \
                                        --recreate-schema
    >2024-04-14 14:30:28 License Server v1.0 Hex-Rays (c) 2024
    >2024-04-14 14:30:28 Database initialized; exiting.

Testing the server

Now that the server is installed and has a database to work with, we can test that it works:

    >sudo -u hexlicsrv ./license_server --config-file hexlicsrv.conf \
                                        --certchain-file hexlicsrv.crt \
                                        --privkey-file hexlicsrv.key \
                                        --license-file license_server_<LID>.hexlic
    >2024-04-14 14:35:47 License Server v1.0 Hex-Rays (c) 2024
    >2024-04-14 14:35:47 Using a license with 1 seats
    >2024-04-14 14:35:47 Listening on 0.0.0.0:65434...

Good, the server appears to run! If you are observing more worrying messages than this one, please refer to the troubleshooting section.

At this point, you may want to either let the server run, or stop it (Ctrl+C will do) and restart it using systemd:

    >systemctl restart hexlicsrv.service

...​and make sure it runs:

    >ps aux | grep license_server
    hexlicsrv  58246  0.0  0.0 ...

If you don't see a running license_server process, please refer to the systemd diagnostic tools (e.g., journalctl) for more info.

Management

This chapter explains in detail how to perform regular administrator tasks.

Backup and restore

Currently, there is no dedicated procedure to back up the Hex-Rays License Server database. It can be done by temporarily stopping the Hex-Rays License Server and making a copy of the sqlite3 database. The server must be stopped only during the backup of the sqlite3 database and then can be immediately restarted.

Alternatively, it is possible to use sqlite3 backup functionality to make a backup of the database.

Upgrading the server

Switching to the newest versions of the Hex-Rays License Server is recommended in order for the team to benefit from its improvements and new features.

The upgrade procedure consists of the following steps:

1. Stop the server. For example, if you are using systemd to manage the server: sudo systemctl stop hexlicsrv

2. Perform a backup of the database

3. Launch the installer

4. Follow the on-screen instructions

5. Upgrade the database with ./license_server --config-file hexlicsrv.conf --upgrade-schema

6. Restart the server. E.g., sudo systemctl start hexlicsrv

License Borrowing Limits

The server supports limiting the maximum duration for which licenses can be borrowed using the MAX_BORROW_HOURS environment variable.

Example	Behavior
MAX_BORROW_HOURS=0 or unset	No limit (default)
MAX_BORROW_HOURS=-1	Borrowing is completely disabled
MAX_BORROW_HOURS=<hours>	Limits borrowing to the specified number of hours

Note: Changes to this environment variable require a server restart to take effect.

Migrating to the latest version

Migrating from .conf to JSON

The server automatically migrates .conf files to .json format on first run:

1. Server detects hexlicsrv.conf exists but hexlicsrv.json doesn't

2. Server reads the .conf file and creates equivalent .json

3. Server uses the new .json file

4. Original .conf file is preserved (not deleted)

Manual migration:

If automatic migration doesn't work, you can create a JSON file manually (check troubleshooting for details).

Adding ACL to Existing Installation

1. Create acl.json in the server directory:

   {
       "aliases": {},
       "acls": {
           "default_policy": "allow",
           "rules": []
       }
   }

2. Add the ACL file to your JSON config:

   {
       "acl_file": "acl.json"
   }

3. Restart the license server

4. Gradually add aliases and rules as needed

JSON Configuration

The license server now supports comprehensive JSON configuration files, replacing the legacy .conf format.

Configuration File Location

The server looks for configuration in the following order:

1. Path specified with -f <config_file> command-line option

2. hexlicsrv.json in the current working directory

Complete Configuration Reference

{
    "connection_string": "sqlite3;Data Source=./hexlicsrv.sqlite3;",
    "license_file": "/absolute/path/to/license_server.hexlic",
    "log_file": "/path/to/server.log",
    "cert_file": "hexlicsrv.crt",
    "key_file": "hexlicsrv.key",
    "port": 65434,
    "ip_address": "0.0.0.0",
    "verbose": true,
    "no_tls": false,
    "badreq_dir": "/path/to/badreq",
    "access_log_file": "access.log",
    "acl_file": "acl.json",
    "recreate_schema": false,
    "upgrade_schema": false
}

Configuration Options

Database Settings

Option	Type	Required	Description
connection_string	string	Yes	Database connection string. Format: sqlite3;Data Source=<path>;

Example:

{
    "connection_string": "sqlite3;Data Source=/var/lib/licsrv/hexlicsrv.sqlite3;"
}

License File

Option	Type	Required	Description
license_file	string	Yes	Path to the .hexlic license file. Use absolute paths for reliability.

Example:

{
    "license_file": "/etc/hexrays/license_server.hexlic"
}

Relative paths are resolved relative to the server binary location, not the current working directory. Always use absolute paths to avoid confusion.

TLS/Security Settings

Option	Type	Default	Description
cert_file	string	-	Path to TLS certificate file (PEM format)
key_file	string	-	Path to TLS private key file (PEM format)
no_tls	boolean	false	Disable TLS encryption (not recommended for production)

Example:

{
    "cert_file": "/etc/hexrays/ssl/hexlicsrv.crt",
    "key_file": "/etc/hexrays/ssl/hexlicsrv.key",
    "no_tls": false
}

Network Settings

Option	Type	Default	Description
port	integer	65434	TCP port to listen on
ip_address	string	0.0.0.0	IP address to bind to. Use 0.0.0.0 for all interfaces.

Example:

{
    "port": 65434,
    "ip_address": "192.168.1.100"
}

Logging Settings

Option	Type	Default	Description
log_file	string	-	Path to server log file
access_log_file	string	-	Path to HTTP-style access log file
verbose	boolean	false	Enable verbose logging
badreq_dir	string	-	Directory to dump malformed requests for debugging

Example:

{
    "log_file": "/var/log/hexrays/server.log",
    "access_log_file": "/var/log/hexrays/access.log",
    "verbose": true
}

ACL Settings

Option	Type	Default	Description
acl_file	string	acl.json	Path to ACL configuration file

Example:

{
    "acl_file": "/etc/hexrays/acl.json"
}

Database Schema Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
recreate_schema	boolean	false	Drop and recreate database schema on startup
upgrade_schema	boolean	false	Upgrade database schema to latest version

recreate_schema will delete all existing data. Use with caution.

Configuration Precedence

Command-line arguments always override JSON configuration values:

Command-line > JSON configuration > Default values

Example:

# JSON has port: 65434, but command-line overrides to 65000
./license_server -f hexlicsrv.json -p 65000

Minimal Configuration Example

{
    "connection_string": "sqlite3;Data Source=./hexlicsrv.sqlite3;",
    "license_file": "/path/to/license_server.hexlic",
    "cert_file": "hexlicsrv.crt",
    "key_file": "hexlicsrv.key"
}

---

Access Control Lists (ACL)

The ACL system provides fine-grained control over license borrowing operations.

Overview

The ACL system supports:

• User aliases: Map machine identifiers to human-readable usernames

• Permission rules: Allow or deny borrowing based on user or machine

• Product restrictions: Limit access to specific products

• Denial messages: Provide clear explanations when access is denied

ACL File Location

The server looks for ACL configuration in:

1. Path specified with -a <acl_file> or --acl <acl_file>

2. Path specified in JSON config: "acl_file": "path/to/acl.json"

3. acl.json in the current working directory

If no ACL file is found, the server operates without access restrictions.

ACL File Format

{
    "aliases": {
        "<machine_id>": "<username>",
        ...
    },
    "acls": {
        "default_policy": "allow|deny",
        "rules": [
            {
                "user": "<username>",
                "permission": "allow|deny",
                "products": ["<product1>", "<product2>"],
                "reason": "<explanation>"
            },
            {
                "machine_id": "<machine_id>",
                "permission": "allow|deny",
                "reason": "<explanation>"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Aliases Section

The aliases section maps machine identifiers to human-readable usernames. This serves two purposes:

1. Identification: Makes logs and reports more readable

2. Rule matching: Allows rules to target users instead of machine IDs

{
    "aliases": {
        "DESKTOP-ABC123": "john.doe",
        "LAPTOP-XYZ789": "jane.smith",
        "192.168.1.100": "build-server",
        "dev-workstation-01": "alice.williams"
    }
}

Alias resolution:

• When a client connects, the server looks up its machine ID in aliases

• If found, the username from aliases is used for rule matching

• If not found, the machine ID is used directly

ACLs Section

Default Policy

The default_policy determines what happens when no rule matches:

Policy	Behavior
allow	Permit borrowing unless explicitly denied
deny	Block borrowing unless explicitly allowed

Recommended: Use "default_policy": "allow" for open environments, "default_policy": "deny" for restricted environments.

Rules

Rules are evaluated in order. The first matching rule determines the outcome.

Rule fields:

Field	Type	Required	Description
user	string	One of user/machine_id	Username to match (from aliases or direct)
machine_id	string	One of user/machine_id	Machine identifier to match
permission	string	Yes	"allow" or "deny"
products	array	No	List of products this rule applies to
reason	string	No	Human-readable explanation

Rule Examples

Deny a Specific User

{
    "user": "contractor.bob",
    "permission": "deny",
    "reason": "Contractors are not permitted to borrow licenses"
}

Allow with Product Restriction

{
    "user": "intern.alice",
    "permission": "allow",
    "products": ["ida-home"],
    "reason": "Interns limited to IDA Home edition"
}

Deny Unregistered Machines

{
    "machine_id": "UNKNOWN-*",
    "permission": "deny",
    "reason": "Unregistered machine - contact IT to register"
}

Allow Test Infrastructure

{
    "machine_id": "CI-BUILD-*",
    "permission": "allow",
    "reason": "CI/CD build infrastructure"
}

Complete ACL Example

{
    "aliases": {
        "DESKTOP-DEV001": "john.doe",
        "DESKTOP-DEV002": "jane.smith",
        "LAPTOP-REMOTE01": "bob.contractor",
        "DESKTOP-INTERN01": "alice.intern",
        "CI-BUILD-001": "jenkins",
        "CI-BUILD-002": "jenkins"
    },
    "acls": {
        "default_policy": "allow",
        "rules": [
            {
                "user": "john.doe",
                "permission": "allow",
                "reason": "Senior developer - full access"
            },
            {
                "user": "jane.smith",
                "permission": "allow",
                "reason": "Developer - full access"
            },
            {
                "user": "bob.contractor",
                "permission": "deny",
                "reason": "External contractor - borrowing not permitted per security policy"
            },
            {
                "user": "alice.intern",
                "permission": "allow",
                "products": ["ida-home"],
                "reason": "Intern - limited to IDA Home"
            },
            {
                "user": "jenkins",
                "permission": "allow",
                "reason": "CI/CD automation account"
            },
            {
                "machine_id": "UNKNOWN_MACHINE",
                "permission": "deny",
                "reason": "Unregistered machine - please contact IT department"
            }
        ]
    }
}

ACL Behavior

1. Client sends borrow request with machine ID and username

2. Server resolves machine ID to alias (if configured)

3. Server evaluates rules in order:

   • First matching rule determines outcome

   • If no rule matches, default policy applies

4. If denied, the reason is returned to the client

Product Names

Use these product identifiers in the products array:

Product ID	Description
ida-pro	IDA Pro
ida-home	IDA Home
ida-teams	IDA Teams

Access Logging

The access logging feature provides HTTP-style logging of all license operations.

Enabling Access Logging

Via command line:

./license_server -o /var/log/hexrays/access.log

Via JSON configuration:

{
    "access_log_file": "/var/log/hexrays/access.log"
}

Log Format

[timestamp] user machine_id (alias) "OPERATION license_id" status_code duration_ms

Fields:

Field	Description
timestamp	ISO 8601 format: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS
user	Username from request (or - if not provided)
machine_id	Machine identifier from request
alias	Resolved username from ACL aliases (only shown if different from machine_id)
OPERATION	The license operation performed
license_id	The license ID involved (or - for operations without a specific license)
status_code	HTTP-style status code
duration_ms	Operation duration in milliseconds

Operations Logged

Operation	Description
HELO	Client handshake
LIST	List available licenses
CHECKOUT	Checkout a license
CHECKIN	Return a checked-out license
BORROW	Borrow a license for offline use
RETURN	Return a borrowed license
HEARTBEAT	Keep-alive ping

Status Codes

Code	Meaning	License Error
200	Success	LICERR_OK, LICERR_WARNING, LICERR_INFO
400	Bad Request	LICERR_BAD_PACKET
403	Forbidden	LICERR_LICENSE_NOT_ACQUIRED, LICERR_LICENSE_NOT_BORROWED, LICERR_LICENSE_BORROWED
404	Not Found	LICERR_BAD_LICENSE
410	Gone	LICERR_LICENSE_EXPIRED
422	Unprocessable	LICERR_LICENSE_BAD_END_TIME, LICERR_LICENSE_BAD_BLOB
502	Bad Gateway	LICERR_NETWORK_FAILURE
503	Unavailable	LICERR_LICENSE_NO_AVAIL

Example Log Output

[2025-01-07 09:00:01] john.doe DESKTOP-DEV001 (john.doe) "HELO -" 200 5
[2025-01-07 09:00:01] john.doe DESKTOP-DEV001 (john.doe) "LIST -" 200 12
[2025-01-07 09:00:02] john.doe DESKTOP-DEV001 (john.doe) "CHECKOUT 96-E7DA-50E5-82" 200 45
[2025-01-07 09:15:00] john.doe DESKTOP-DEV001 (john.doe) "HEARTBEAT -" 200 2
[2025-01-07 10:30:00] bob.contractor LAPTOP-REMOTE01 "BORROW 96-E7DA-50E5-82" 403 8
[2025-01-07 12:00:00] john.doe DESKTOP-DEV001 (john.doe) "CHECKIN 96-E7DA-50E5-82" 200 23

Log Rotation

The access log file is opened in append mode. Use standard log rotation tools:

logrotate example (/etc/logrotate.d/hexlicsrv):

/var/log/hexrays/access.log {
    daily
    rotate 30
    compress
    delaycompress
    missingok
    notifempty
    copytruncate
}

License Server Command Line

license_server [options]

Option	Description
-f <file>	JSON configuration file
-C <string>	Database connection string
-L <file>	License file path
-c <file>	TLS certificate file
-k <file>	TLS private key file
-p <port>	Port number (default: 65434)
-i <ip>	IP address to bind
-l <file>	Log file path
-o <file>	Access log file (HTTP-style)
-a, --acl	ACL configuration file
-v	Verbose mode
-t	Disable TLS
-V, --version	Show version
--recreate-schema	Recreate database schema
--upgrade-schema	Upgrade database schema

lsadm Command-Line Tool

The lsadm tool is the command-line interface for managing the license server. This quick manual presents the basic common commands for lsadm tool.

Command-Line Options

Option	Long Form	Description
-u	--user	Specify custom user@machine-id for requests
-j	--json	Output results in JSON format
-V	--version	Show version information
-h	--host	License server hostname (format: host:port)
-v	--verbose	Enable verbose output

Commands

Command	Description	Arguments
info	Show server information	-
list	List all licenses	-
checkout	Checkout a license	<license_id>
checkin	Return a license	<license_id>
borrow	Borrow for offline use	<license_id> <end_time>
return	Return borrowed license	<license_id>

Usage Examples

List Licenses

# Standard output
lsadm -h server.example.com:65434 list

# JSON output
lsadm -h server.example.com:65434 -j list

# With custom identity
lsadm -h server.example.com:65434 -u john.doe@DESKTOP-DEV001 list

Checkout License

lsadm -h server:65434 checkout 96-E7DA-50E5-82

Borrow License

# Borrow until specific date
lsadm -h server:65434 borrow 96-E7DA-50E5-82 2025-01-15

# Borrow for 7 days
lsadm -h server:65434 borrow 96-E7DA-50E5-82 +7d

# Borrow for 2 weeks
lsadm -h server:65434 borrow 96-E7DA-50E5-82 +2w

Show Version

lsadm -V
# Output: lsadm version 2 (protocol version 2)

Output Formats

Standard Table Output

Licenses (assigned to John Doe, <[email protected]>):

License ID       Product  Add-ons                        Expires     Used/Total
--------------- -------  -----------------------------  ----------  ----------
96-E7DA-50E5-82 IDA-PRO  DECOMPILER,ARM64,+2 more       2025-12-31  1/5
  └─ john.doe@DESKTOP-DEV001 (192.168.1.50) checked out
97-ABCD-1234-56 IDA-HOME -                              2025-06-30  0/2

JSON Output

{
    "contact": {
        "name": "John Doe",
        "email": "[email protected]"
    },
    "licenses": [
        {
            "license_id": "96-E7DA-50E5-82",
            "product": "IDA-PRO",
            "add_ons": ["DECOMPILER", "ARM64", "ARM", "PPC"],
            "expires": "2025-12-31",
            "seats": {
                "used": 1,
                "total": 5
            },
            "clients": [
                {
                    "user": "john.doe",
                    "machine_id": "DESKTOP-DEV001",
                    "peer_address": "192.168.1.50",
                    "status": "checked_out"
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}

Troubleshooting

This chapter explains how to solve typical problems with the Hex-Rays License Server.

Connection issues

By default, the Hex-Rays License Server listens on the TCP port 65434 on all interfaces. Please ensure that this port is enabled in your firewalls.

The Hex-Rays License Server uses secure TLS connections with the clients. The TLS layer requires the certificate (.crt) and private key (.key) files. Usually, they are attached to the email message with the activation information.

The server complains about a "world-accessible" file, and exits

The following files shouldn't be readable by everyone on the system, but only by root and hexlicsrv:

• hexlicsrv.conf: this file file holds the connection string to the database the server will use, and might contain credentials.

• hexlicsrv.crt: the certificate chain

• hexlicsrv.key: the private key file

• license_server_<LID>.hexlic: the license file

As a precaution, the Hex-Rays License Server will refuse to start if these files are readable by unauthorized users.

Please make sure they:

• have hexlicsrv:hexlicsrv ownership: chown hexlicsrv:hexlicsrv hexlicsrv.crt hexlicsrv.key licensesrv.hexlic hexlicsrv.conf

• are not world-accessible: chmod 640 hexlicsrv.crt hexlicsrv.key license_server_<LID>.hexlic hexlicsrv.conf

Licensing

The licensesrv.hexlic file is tied to the MAC address of the first network interface. If they do not match, the server will not start. To change the MAC address, please contact support

"Error: Failed to list licenses"

This error means that the currently installed license server license file (hexlic) content is incorrect. More precisly, the "licenses" list does not contain an entry with the following items:

...
        "product_id": "IDAPRO",
        "edition_id": "ida-pro",
...

or that the activation end date in the same section has expired.

Make sure to activate all the floating license plans owned by the license server before downloading the license server hexlic file.

"Error: stat() failed on "hexlicsrv.conf": No such file or directory"

This error occurs when the hexlicsrv.conf configuration file is missing.

During the server installation, the user is asked whether to automatically create this configuration file for pre-configuring the server. Replying "no" will require creating the configuration file manually (which may be a bit tedious).

Solution: The simplest approach is to reinstall the server:

1. Uninstall the server by executing the uninstall program in the installation directory.

2. Re-run the installer and accept the prompt to automatically create the configuration file.

"Error: Failed to initialize the license manager: No valid license file could be found"

This error can occur if a recent hexlic file is loaded in the version 9.0 of the license server.

Solution Make sure to download and install the latest version of the license server.

"Missing private key path" when upgrading the schema

This is a known regression in the version 9.2 of the license server.

Solution Use the following command line:

>sudo -u hexlicsrv ./license_server --config-file hexlicsrv.conf \
                                        --certchain-file hexlicsrv.crt \
                                        --privkey-file hexlicsrv.key \
                                        --upgrade-schema

Restoring from backups

There are no special precautions to take: restoring the sqlite3 database from a backup should be enough.

Common Issues

ACL File Not Found

Symptom: Server starts but ACL restrictions don't work

Solution: Verify the ACL file path in your configuration:

# Check if file exists
ls -la /path/to/acl.json

# Verify JSON syntax
python3 -m json.tool /path/to/acl.json

Access Denied Unexpectedly

Symptom: User receives "access denied" but should be allowed

Troubleshooting steps:

1. Check if user's machine ID has an alias:

   "aliases": {
       "ACTUAL-MACHINE-ID": "username"
   }

2. Verify rule order (first match wins)

3. Check default policy

4. Review access log for the denial:

   grep "BORROW.*403" /var/log/hexrays/access.log

JSON Configuration Not Loading

Symptom: Server ignores JSON configuration

Solution:

1. Verify JSON syntax:

   python3 -m json.tool hexlicsrv.json

2. Check file permissions:

   ls -la hexlicsrv.json

3. Use absolute path with -f:

   ./license_server -f /full/path/to/hexlicsrv.json

Access Log Not Writing

Symptom: Access log file remains empty or doesn't exist

Solution:

1. Verify the directory exists and is writable

2. Check the path in configuration

3. Ensure the server has write permissions

Automatic Migration from .conf to .json Failed

Symptom: The server does not create .json automatically, or fails to migrate the existing .conf file.

Solution:

If automatic migration does not occur, create the JSON configuration file manually.

Old format (hexlicsrv.conf):

sqlite3;Data Source=./hexlicsrv.sqlite3;

New format (hexlicsrv.json):

{
    "connection_string": "sqlite3;Data Source=./hexlicsrv.sqlite3;"
}

Validating Configuration

Validate JSON Config

python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('hexlicsrv.json'))"

Validate ACL File

python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('acl.json'))"

Test ACL Rules

Start the server in verbose mode and attempt operations:

./license_server -f hexlicsrv.json -v

Then in another terminal:

lsadm -h localhost:65434 -u testuser@testmachine borrow 96-E7DA-50E5-82 +1d

Check the server output and access log for details.