License Database Setup

Organizations managing several EQuIS databases can designate one as the Network License Database, or set up a separate License Database to manage concurrent licenses. For information regarding network licensing for the EQuIS Data Processor (EDP), see the Configuring Standalone EDP to Use a Network License help page.

Create Standalone License Database

By default, EQuIS will use the EQuIS database originally logged in to as its licensing server. License server linking allows the specification of one or more databases to manage all the license keys in an organization. The database managing EarthSoft product keys does not need to be a full EQuIS database. An external license database only needs to contain the ST_LICENSE, ST_LICENSE_USE, ST_VERSION and ST_USER tables, and must be accessible by all workstations that will consume network licenses.

A standalone license database contains only the tables required to manage licenses. A database administrator creates and updates this database through SQL Server Management Studio; it is not available connecting through EQuIS Professional. A standalone license database works with all EQuIS Products, including Standalone EDP. Review the release notes on each new release to determine if standalone license databases require a schema update.

The "script_ExternalLicenseDatabase_v7.zip" SQL statement from the EarthSoft Community Center (ECC) Downloads Dashboard (under All Items > Products > Additional Resources > v7.0) will create the standalone license database and table structure required by EQuIS.

A separate EQuIS database can also be a license database. Exercise caution when using an EQuIS database as a license database, as Professional can access these databases, and the license database can contain other data. Using an EQuIS database for licensing also requires more updates.

The SQL login used in a license connection string requires these permissions:

•ST_USER: SELECT, INSERT (adding licenses, using licenses)

•ST_LICENSE: SELECT (using licenses), SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE (adding licenses)

•ST_LICENSE_USE: SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE (adding licenses, using licenses)

•ST_LICENSED_DATABASE: SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE (adding licenses, using licenses)

Link License Database via ST_LICENSE

If License Database linking is in place for an EQuIS database, only the license database keys are used within that EQuIS database. EQuIS will follow up to five links before it stops searching for a license server. EarthSoft recommends minimizing the number of links to a license server.

To link an EQuIS database to another database acting as a license database, use SQL Server Management Studio to create a record in ST_LICENSE of the EQuIS database needing the licenses with the following information:

•LICENSE_SERVER = connection string that points to the server and database where the network license keys are stored, e.g.

•Data Source=dbserver;User ID=LicenseUser;Password=LicensePassword;Database=licensedb;

•APP_ID = 1023

•KEY_TYPE = 4

For step-by-step instructions, see the License Database Linking page.

No other records should exist in that EQuIS database’s ST_LICENSE table. The connection string must be valid for any user that will be using the network licenses. To apply network licenses to the license database, see Applying Licenses in EQuIS Professional.

Open EQuIS Professional and connect to the originating database. Upon successful login, EQuIS will update ST_LICENSE.LICENSE_SERVER with an encrypted version of the connection string. If Network Licensing is available on the target database, the Registration screen displays the Server name, Database name, and a new Network ID. If the database does not yet contain an EQuIS Professional license, a Registration prompt for the license database may appear.

Optionally, set the ST_LICENSE.LICENSE_TITLE to document the link. For example, “Link to database Training on server Primary, SQL Login as Student”. If the connection string included a username and password, that username is used when checking out a lease.

Note: Make sure the connection string is in the appropriate format for the database and authentication type and that it points to the database that contains the licenses.

Check if License Database is Out of Date

If an older license database is in use or a new database is being connected to the license database, check that the license database is up to date. A new EQuIS database may not be able to use licenses from an EQuIS 6 license database. Review the release notes on each new release to determine if standalone license databases require a schema update.

One way to check if the license database requires an update is to run the following query on the license database:

select * from sys.objects where object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'SQ_EUID');

Update the license database if no record is returned.

Depending on when the license database was last updated, other missing fields or objects could also cause issues. If license connections are not performing as expected, and the last license database update is unknown, run the license database update script as described in the next section.

Update License Database

To update a license database:

1.Download the "script_ExternalLicenseDatabase_v7.zip" SQL statement from the EarthSoft Community Center (ECC) Downloads Dashboard (under All Items > Products > Additional Resources > v7.0).

2.Back up the license database.

3.Run the script_ExternalLicenseDatabase_v7 script.

Errors may occur due to database objects already existing; those are expected.

The license database schema is largely backwards-compatible and is expected to work with all currently supported EQuIS builds once the latest schema has been applied.