Running Aligner License Server as a service on Windows

[Peter Richterich]

The instructions below describe how to run the Aligner License Server as a "service" on Windows. By running as a service, the License Server will start automatically every time the computer starts, without the need to login first.

The instructions below assume that you have not yet used the Aligner License Server. If you have already used the Aligner License Server (version 1.2.1 or newer), skip to step 5.

1. Download and install Aligner License Server
You need to install Aligner License Server version 1.2.1 or newer to run Aligner License Server as a Windows Service.

2. Start 'Aligner License Server.exe'
You must log in as an administrator, and start the interactive version of Aligner License Server (the program 'Aligner License Server.exe') to enter a license key before you can run the License Server as a Windows Service.

3. Configure Aligner License Server
After entering the license key, please configure the checkout policies, passwords, and any other settings, using the interactive version of the Aligner License Server. All configuration has to be done with the interactive version.

4. Test the Aligner License Server
Verify that you can check out licenses as expected while the interactive version is still running.

5. Quit the interactive version of Aligner License Server
At any point in time, you can either run the interactive version of the License Server, or the Windows Service, but not both together. Therefore, you need to quit the the interactive version of Aligner License Server before trying to start the Service version.

6. Start the Aligner License Server Service
Use 'Services' to configure the Aligner License Server service (you must be logged in as an administrator). You can reach Services from:
Control Panels => Performance and Maintenance => Administrative Tools
or from Start => Run => services.msc
Double click on the "Aligner License Server Service" item to configure the service:
- to automatically start the License Server service when the computer starts up, change the startup type to "Automatic";
- click on the "Recovery" tab, and select "Restart the service" after failure (first, second, and subsequent);
- click "Start" on the "General" tab to start the service.

Please note that Windows views the License Server service as a separate program, so you will need to open the necessary firewall ports to allow other computers to obtain licenses.

To configure License Server options like passwords, or to enter new license keys, you always have to use the interactive version of Aligner License Server. If the service is running, you will first need to stop the service, start the interactive version, make the changes, quit the interactive version, and restart the service.

The License Server Service logs start & stop information and error messages to a file called 'License Server_service_log.txt' in the 'Logs' folder in the 'Aligner License Server' directory, which is in the 'Program Files' folder.

You can also check the status of the License Server on port 56789 by opening a browser window and point it to http://localhost:56789 or http://<address-of-your-computer>:56789. You may need to change your firewall settings to allow access to the status reports.
You can change the port number used for status reports by editing the text file named 'LS_Options.ini' to the Aligner License Server folder.

If you contact CodonCode Corporation with any problems, please include the contents of the 'Logs' folder in the 'Aligner License Server' folder as a ZIP archive in your email. Also include a detailed description of the problems, and screen shots of any error dialogs.