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Installing Your NVIDIA vGPU Software License Server and License Files#

The NVIDIA License System is used to serve a pool of floating licenses to licensed NVIDIA software products. The NVIDIA License System is configured with licenses obtained from the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

Note

These instructions cover only the configuration of a Cloud License Service (CLS) instance or a standalone Delegated License Service (DLS) instance. The instructions for configuring a DLS instance assume that the VM that hosts the DLS instance has been assigned an IP address automatically. If you need complete instructions, are hosting a DLS instance on a VM that has not been assigned an IP address automatically, or require high availability for a DLS instance, refer to NVIDIA License System User Guide.

Introduction to NVIDIA Software Licensing#

To activate licensed functionalities, a licensed client must obtain a software license when it is booted. NVIDIA License System provides role-based access control (RBAC) for DLS instances, enabling organizations to create multiple application users with different privilege levels. These application users are separate from OS-level users (dls_admin, rsu_admin) and are used solely for DLS Web UI and API access. Administrators can create local users or integrate with enterprise LDAP/Active Directory systems for centralized authentication. For more information, see User Accounts on a DLS Virtual Appliance.

A client with a network connection obtains a license by leasing it from a NVIDIA License System service instance. The service instance serves the license to the client over the network from a pool of floating licenses obtained from the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. The license is returned to the service instance when the licensed client no longer requires the license.

Configuring a CLS Instance#

A Cloud License Service (CLS) instance is hosted on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

Creating a License Server on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal#

To be able to allot licenses to an NVIDIA License System instance, you must create at least one license server on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. Creating a license server defines the set of licenses to be allotted.

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group for which you want to create the license server.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

    If no license servers have been created for your organization or virtual group, the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard displays a message asking if you want to create a license server.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVER and click CREATE SERVER. The Create License Server wizard is started.

    The Create License Server wizard opens.

  3. On the Create License Server page of the wizard, step through the configuration requirements to provide the details of your license server.

    1. Step 1 – Identification: In the Name field, enter your choice of name for the license server and in the Description field, enter a text description of the license server.

      The description is required and will be displayed on the details page for the license server that you are creating.

    2. Step 2 – Features: Select one or more available features from your entitlements to allot to this license server.

    3. Step 3 - Environment: Select Cloud (CLS) or On-Premises (DLS) to install this license server.

      To make the selection after the license server has been created, select the Deferred option.

    4. Step 4 – Configuration: From the Leasing mode drop-down list, select one of the following leasing modes:

    Standard Networked Licensing

    Select this mode to simplify the management of licenses on a license server that supports networked licensing. In this mode, no additional configuration of the licenses on the server is required.

    Advanced Networked Licensing

    Select this mode if you require control over the management of licenses on a license server that supports networked licensing. This mode requires additional configuration to create license pools and fulfillment conditions on the server.

    Node-Locked Licensing

    Select this mode only if the license server will serve clients that cannot obtain a license from a remote license server over a network connection. In this mode, the clients obtain a node-locked license from a file installed locally on the client system.

    Caution

    This mode requires additional work to create the license file to be installed locally and to return licenses when the client is shut down. If this mode is set, the mode of the license server cannot be changed.

    1. Click REVIEW SUMMARY to review the configuration summary before creating the license server.

  4. On the Create License Server page, from the Step 4 – Configuration menu, click the CREATE SERVER option to create this license server.

    Alternatively, you can click CREATE SERVER on the Server Summary page.

Creating a CLS Instance on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal#

When you create a CLS instance, the instance is automatically registered with the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. This task is only necessary if you are not using the default CLS instance.

  1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, click SERVICE INSTANCES.

  3. On the Service Instances page, from the Actions menu, choose Create cloud (CLS) instance.

    The Create cloud (CLS) instance pop-up window opens.

  4. Provide the details of your cloud service instance.

    1. In the Name field, enter your choice of name for the service instance.

    2. In the Description field, enter a text description of the service instance.

      This description is required and will be displayed on the Service Instances page when the entry for the service instance that you are creating is expanded.

  5. Click CREATE CLS INSTANCE.

Binding a License Server to a Service Instance#

Binding a license server to a service instance ensures that licenses on the server are available only from that service instance. As a result, the licenses are available only to the licensed clients that are served by the service instance to which the license server is bound.

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group to which the license server belongs.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVERS and click LIST SERVERS.

  3. In the list of license servers on the License Servers page that opens, from the Actions menu for the license server, choose Bind.

  4. In the Bind Service Instance pop-up window that opens, select the service instance to which you want to bind the license server and click BIND.

    The Bind Service Instance pop-up window confirms that the license server has been bound to the service instance.

Installing a License Server on a CLS Instance#

This task is necessary only if you are not using the default CLS instance.

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group for which you want to install the license server.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVER and click LIST SERVERS.

  3. In the list of license servers on the License Servers page that opens, click the name of the license server that you want to install.

  4. In the License Server Details page that opens, from the Actions menu, choose Install.

  5. In the Install License Server pop-up window that opens, click INSTALL SERVER.

Generating a Client Configuration Token for a CLS Instance#

  1. Log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

  2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, select the virtual group for which you are managing licenses from the list of virtual groups at the top right of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard.

  3. In the left navigation pane, click LICENSE SERVERS and click LIST SERVERS.

  4. On the Service Instances page that opens, from the Actions menu for the CLS instance for which you want to generate a client configuration token, choose Generate client configuration token.

  5. In the Generate Client Configuration Token pop-up window that opens, select the references that you want to include in the client configuration token.

    1. From the list of scope references, select the scope references that you want to include.

      You must select at least one scope reference.

      Each scope reference specifies the license server that will fulfil a license request.

    2. Click the Fulfillment class references tab, and from the list of fulfillment class references, select the fulfillment class references that you want to include.

      Including fulfillment class references is optional.

    3. Optional: In the Expiration section, select an expiration date for the client configuration token. If you do not select a date, the default token expiration time is 12 years.

    4. Click DOWNLOAD CLIENT CONFIGURATION TOKEN.

    A file named client_configuration_token_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.tok is saved to your default downloads folder.

After creating a client configuration token from a service instance, copy the client configuration token to each licensed client that you want to use the combination of license servers and fulfillment conditions specified in the token. For more information, see Configuring a Licensed Client.

Configuring a DLS Instance#

A Delegated License Service (DLS) instance is hosted on-premises at a location that is accessible from your private network, such as inside your data center.

Before configuring a DLS instance, ensure that the DLS appliance is installed in a suitable VM or deployed in a suitable container on a bare-metal OS as explained in Installing and Configuring the DLS Virtual Appliance in NVIDIA License System User Guide.

Registering the DLS Administrator User#

Each DLS virtual appliance is configured with a user account specifically for administering the DLS. This account provides access through a web-based management interface to the NVIDIA Licensing application on the appliance. Before administering a DLS virtual appliance, you must register this user to be able to access this management interface.

  1. Open a web browser and connect to the URL https://<dls-vm-ip-address>.

    <dls-vm-ip-address>

    The IP address or, if defined, the fully qualified domain name or the CNAME of the VM on which the DLS virtual appliance is installed.

    You can get the IP address from the management console of your hypervisor.

  2. On the Set Up page that opens, click NEW INSTALLATION.

  3. On the Register User page that opens, provide the credentials for the DLS administrator user.

    Note

    If the DLS administrator user has already been registered, the login page opens instead of the Register User page.

    1. If you want to change the user name from the preset name dls_admin, replace the text in the Username field with your choice of user name.

    2. Provide a password for the DLS administrator user and confirm the password.

      The password must be at least eight characters long and is case sensitive.

    Note

    You can change the DLS administrator user name and password at any time after the DLS administrator user is registered.

  4. Click REGISTER.

    The Register User page is refreshed to confirm that the user has been registered and displays a local reset secret to enable you to reset the user’s password.

  5. Copy the local reset secret and store it securely, for example, by clicking the clipboard icon and pasting the local reset secret into a plain text file that is readable only by you.

    You will need this key to reset the DLS administrator user’s password.

  6. Click CONTINUE TO LOGIN.

  7. On the login page that opens, type the user name of the DLS administrator user, provide the password that you set for this user, and click LOGIN.

Configuring a Standalone DLS Instance#

A standalone DLS instance must be registered before it can be used.

Ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

  • The DLS virtual appliance that will host the instance has been installed and started.

  • The DLS administrator user has been registered on the virtual appliance that will host the DLS instance.

  • The DLS instance has not been configured as a member of a highly available (HA) cluster of DLS instances.

  1. Log in to the DLS virtual appliance that will host the DLS instance.

  2. In the left navigation pane, click SERVICE INSTANCE.

  3. On the Service Instance page that opens, under Node Configuration, ensure that the Enable High Availability option is not set.

  4. Click CREATE STANDALONE to start the configuration and wait for it to complete.

    The Service Instance page displays the progress of the standalone DLS instance configuration.

When the configuration is complete, the Service Instance page is updated to show the node health of the standalone DLS instance.

Changing the Name and Description of a DLS Instance#

By default, a DLS instance is created with the name DEFAULT_<timestamp> and the description ON_PREM_SERVICE_INSTANCE. To distinguish a DLS instance on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal when multiple DLS instances are configured, change these defaults to a meaningful name and the description.

Perform this task from the DLS virtual appliance.

  1. Log in to the DLS virtual appliance that is hosting the instance whose name and description you want to change.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard, click SERVICE INSTANCE.

  3. On the Service Instance page that opens, click EDIT.

  4. In the Edit Service Instance dialog box that opens, type your choice of name and description for the instance and click UPDATE.

    Note

    The instance name cannot contain special characters.

    The name and description of the instance are updated on the Service Instance page.

Creating a License Server on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal#

To be able to allot licenses to an NVIDIA License System instance, you must create at least one license server on the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. Creating a license server defines the set of licenses to be allotted.

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group for which you want to create the license server.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

    If no license servers have been created for your organization or virtual group, the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard displays a message asking if you want to create a license server.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVER and click CREATE SERVER. The Create License Server wizard is started.

    The Create License Server wizard opens.

  3. On the Create License Server page of the wizard, step through the configuration requirements to provide the details of your license server.

    1. Step 1 – Identification: In the Name field, enter your choice of name for the license server and in the Description field, enter a text description of the license server.

      The description is required and will be displayed on the details page for the license server that you are creating.

    2. Step 2 – Features: Select one or more available features from your entitlements to allot to this license server.

    3. Step 3 - Environment: Select Cloud (CLS) or On-Premises (DLS) to install this license server.

      To make the selection after the license server has been created, select the Deferred option.

    4. Step 4 – Configuration: From the Leasing mode drop-down list, select one of the following leasing modes:

    Standard Networked Licensing

    Select this mode to simplify the management of licenses on a license server that supports networked licensing. In this mode, no additional configuration of the licenses on the server is required.

    Advanced Networked Licensing

    Select this mode if you require control over the management of licenses on a license server that supports networked licensing. This mode requires additional configuration to create license pools and fulfillment conditions on the server.

    Node-Locked Licensing

    Select this mode only if the license server will serve clients that cannot obtain a license from a remote license server over a network connection. In this mode, the clients obtain a node-locked license from a file installed locally on the client system.

    Caution

    This mode requires additional work to create the license file to be installed locally and to return licenses when the client is shut down. If this mode is set, the mode of the license server cannot be changed.

    1. Click REVIEW SUMMARY to review the configuration summary before creating the license server.

  4. On the Create License Server page, from the Step 4 – Configuration menu, click the CREATE SERVER option to create this license server.

    Alternatively, you can click CREATE SERVER on the Server Summary page.

Registering an on-Premises DLS Instance with the NVIDIA Licensing Portal#

A DLS instance is created automatically when the virtual appliance on which the instance resides is installed. However, to enable the instance to be bound to a license server, you must register the instance with the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

Registering an on-premises DLS instance with the NVIDIA Licensing Portal involves the exchange of a DLS instance token between the instance and the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

A DLS instance token is created by a DLS instance. It identifies the DLS instance to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal and enables it to locate the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. After downloading the token from the DLS instance, you must upload it to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal to complete the registration of the service instance.

  1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Licensing application at the IP address of the VM on which the DLS virtual appliance is installed.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard, click SERVICE INSTANCE.

  3. On the Service Instance Details page that opens, from the ACTIONS menu, choose Download DLS Instance Token.

    A DLS instance token file that is named dls_instance_token_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.tok is downloaded.

  4. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group for which you are registering the service instance.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Infowindow.

  5. On Service Instances page that opens, from the Actions menu, choose Register DLS Instance.

  6. In the Register DLS Instance window that opens, select the New installation option and click SELECT INSTANCE TOKEN.

  7. In the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the DLS instance token file that is named dls_instance_token_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.tok that you downloaded and select the file.

  8. Back in the Register DLS Instance window, click UPLOAD TOKEN.

    The service instance is added to the list of registered service instances.

Binding a License Server to a Service Instance#

Binding a license server to a service instance ensures that licenses on the server are available only from that service instance. As a result, the licenses are available only to the licensed clients that are served by the service instance to which the license server is bound.

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group to which the license server belongs.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVERS and click LIST SERVERS.

  3. In the list of license servers on the License Servers page that opens, from the Actions menu for the license server, choose Bind.

  4. In the Bind Service Instance pop-up window that opens, select the service instance to which you want to bind the license server and click BIND.

    The Bind Service Instance pop-up window confirms that the license server has been bound to the service instance.

Installing a License Server on a DLS Instance#

  1. In the NVIDIA Licensing Portal, navigate to the organization or virtual group for which the license server was created.

    1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Application Hub and click NVIDIA LICENSING PORTAL to go to the NVIDIA Licensing Portal.

    2. If your assigned roles give you access to multiple virtual groups, click View settings at the top right of the page and in the My Info window that opens, select the virtual group from the Virtual Group drop-down list, and close the My Info window.

  2. In the left navigation pane of the NVIDIA Licensing Portal dashboard, expand LICENSE SERVER and click LIST SERVERS.

  3. In the list of license servers on the License Servers page that opens, click the name of the license server that you want to install.

  4. In the License Server Details page that opens, from the Actions menu, choose Download.

  5. In the Download License File window that opens, click Download.

    A license server file that is named license_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.bin is downloaded.

  6. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Licensing application at the IP address of the VM on which the DLS virtual appliance is installed.

    After you log in, the information that is displayed on the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard depends on whether a license server has already been installed on the DLS virtual appliance.

    • If a license server has not been installed on the DLS virtual appliance, the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard displays a message asking if you want to install a license server.

    • Otherwise, the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard displays the License Server Details page for the installed license server.

  7. Install or update the license server on the DLS virtual appliance.

    Whether you install or update the license server depends on whether a license server has already been installed on the DLS virtual appliance.

    • If a license server has not been installed on the DLS virtual appliance, on the NVIDIA Licensing dashboard, click SELECT LICENSE SERVER FILE.

    • If a license server has already been installed on the DLS virtual appliance, update the license server.

      1. From the ACTIONS menu for the license server, choose Update server from NLP.

      2. In the Update License Server pop-up window that opens, click SELECT LICENSE SERVER FILE.

  8. In the file browser that opens, navigate to the folder that contains the license server file named license_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.bin that you downloaded and select the file.

  9. When asked if you want to install the selected file, click INSTALL.

NVIDIA Licensing dashboard is updated with the details of the license server that you installed.

Generating a Client Configuration Token for a DLS Instance#

  1. If you are not already logged in, log in to the NVIDIA Licensing application at the IP address of the VM on which the DLS instance resides.

  2. In the left navigation pane, click DASHBOARD.

  3. On the License Server Details page that opens, from the Actions menu , choose Generate client configuration token.

  4. In the Generate Client Configuration Token pop-up window that opens, select the references that you want to include in the client configuration token.

    1. Click the Scope references tab, and from the list of scope references, select the scope references that you want to include.

      You must select at least one scope reference. Each scope reference specifies the license server that will fulfil a license request.

    2. Click the Fulfillment class references tab, and from the list of fulfillment class references, select the fulfillment class references that you want to include.

      Including fulfillment class references is optional.

    3. If you want the service instance, or each node in an HA cluster of instances, to be identified through its IP address, click the Server address preferences tab and select the address for the IP version that you want: IPv6 or IP v4.

      By default, a service instance, or each node in an HA cluster of instances, is identified through its fully qualified domain name.

    4. Optional: In the Expiration section, select an expiration date for the client configuration token. If you do not select a date, the default token expiration time is 12 years.

    5. Click DOWNLOAD CLIENT CONFIGURATION TOKEN.

    A file named client_configuration_token_<mm>-<dd>-<yyyy>-<hh>-<mm>-<ss>.tok is saved to your default downloads folder.

After creating a client configuration token from a service instance, copy the client configuration token to each licensed client that you want to use the combination of license servers and fulfillment conditions specified in the token. For more information, see Configuring a Licensed Client.

You can decouple the leasing port from the UI port for auth and lease operations. Once you have done so, you can block the UI port for the client VM.

Note

For backward compatibility, leasing operations will still be supported by the default HTTPS port (443) in the VM version.

  • All UI and leasing operations will be supported on the default HTTPS port, 443.

  • Only leasing operations will be supported on the leasing port, 8082.