A crucial function of a XSLM licensing system is to collect and record
data about the usage of the licensed products and about relevant events
related to license management. The information maintained by a XSLM
licensing system can be divided in two categories: certificate related
data (that is data based on the information present on the original
certificate and on the subsequent manipulation of some of these) and
historic data. In a different perspective, the information maintained
by a XSLM licensing system can be divided into "transient data" and
"persistent data". The transient data is the one which is valid only as
long as the licensing system is running, and is lost when the licensing
system stops, while the persistent data is committed to permanent
storage and is valid across license server runs. From this point of
view, the certificate related data is made of both transient and
persistent data, while the historic data is always persistent.
The certificate-related data is the combination of information provided by the application software publisher (the certificate), information created and maintained by the licensing system, and information provided by the customer’s license administrator (through a license management tool).
Changes in some of the certificate related data may be triggered by licensing system events such as the request for a new license, or a change in the policy setting (e.g. the administrator switching from soft stop to hard stop) or the expiration of a timer.
The historic data is the persistent log of events relevant to license
management. Most of the events related to the license administrator
actions are always logged, as they may constitute an audit trail. The
logging of events related to license usage is usually under an
administrator’s control, unless the publisher, through information on
the certificate, enforces logging.
The physical format of the log file is not specified here. It is up to
each licensing system implementation to determine the form (text,
binary, or a combination of the two) of the log records, as well as the
type of file system(s) supported for storing them.
Likewise, an implementation may choose to implement any kind of
proprietary integrity check to insure the records have not been tampered
with. However, ultimate responsibility for the integrity and security
of the log file, and of the file system of which it is a part, lies with
the underlying (operating system and hardware) platform.
In a more general meaning, this data is kept alive by the licensing system during the normal operational time and always represents the latest available information. This may or may not be logged (becoming historic data) depending on the administrator, within the limits imposed by the publisher.
The logged events are divided into three classes:
In the tables below are described the events logged for each class, and the data logged for each event. The event type and subtype further define which event has occurred, within a class, and can be used as filters for the retrieval of logged events.
| Event Type | Event Subtype | Logged Data |
|---|---|---|
| INSTALL | NEW
The installation of a new Certificate by an Administrator through a management tool into the License Data Base | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID INSTALL_ANNOTATION |
| _ | _ | |
| REPLACE
The replacement of an existing Certificate in the License database with a new one overriding it | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID REPLACE_CERTIFICATE INSTALL_ANNOTATION | |
| DELETE | NULL
The deletion of a Certificate from the License Data Base | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID REMOVE_ANNOTATION |
| ASSIGN | UNITS
The assignment, as performed by an Administrator, of the number of available units of use for a specific Certificate, when requested by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ASSIGNED_LICENSED_UNITS |
| _ | _ | |
| NODES
The assignment, as performed by an Administrator, of the Certificate to one or more nodes (machines) to which the usage of the usage of the application will be restricted, if requested by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ASSIGNED_NODE_LIST | |
| _ | _ | |
| USERS
The assignment, as performed by an Administrator, of the Certificate to one or more users which will be allowed to use the application, if requested by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ASSIGNED_NODE_USER_LIST | |
| _ | _ | |
| CAPACITY
The assignment, as performed by an Administrator, of the Certificate to specific Capacity limits to which the application will be restricted, if allowed by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ASSIGNED_CAPACITY_LIST | |
| _ | _ | |
| CONSUMPTIVE_COUNTERS
The assignment, as performed by an Administrator, of the Certificate to a specific initial value for Consumptive Counters, if required by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ASSIGNED_CNSMPTV_CNTRS | |
| SET_POLICY | HARD_SOFT_STOP The setting performed by an Administrator of the current policy in effect for a specific Certificate from Soft Stop to Hard Stop and vice versa | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID HARD_SOFT_STOP_POLICY |
| _ | _ | |
| CONFIRM_INTERVAL
The setting of the Confirmation Interval, performed by an Administrator, for a specific Certificate within the range (if present) specified in the Certificate | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID CONFIRM_INTERVAL_VALUE | |
| _ | _ | |
| RESET_ADMINISTRATOR
_HIGH_WATER_MARK
The resetting (to zero), performed by an Administrator, of the value maintained by the licensing system for the maximum number of licenses concurrently in use for a specific Certificate | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID HIGH_WATER_MARK_VALUE | |
| _ | _ | |
| RESET_COUNTERS
The resetting performed by an Administrator, of the value maintained by the licensing system for one or more counters, if allowed by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID ADMIN_RESET_COUNTER_LIST | |
| _ | _ | |
| MASK_EVENTS
The setting, performed by an Administrator, to stop (mask) the logging of one or more events, if allowed by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID MASKED_EVENTS | |
| _ | _ | |
| RELEASE_UNITS
The (forced) release of one or more license units in use, as performed by the Administrator | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE CERTIFICATE_ID FORCED_RELEASE_UNITS | |
| _ | _ | |
| DISASTER_RECOVERY
The setting or resetting, performed by an Administrator, of "Disaster Recovery Mode, if allowed by the publisher | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTRATOR_NODE DISASTER_RECOVERY_MODE |
| Event Type | Event Subtype | Logged Data |
|---|---|---|
| LOG_MESSAGE | NULL
A free-form text message as issued by the application and stored in the log file | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE LOGGED_MESSAGE RETURN_STATUS |
| REQUEST_LICENSE | GRANTED
The successful granting of one or more licenses by the Licensing System to the requesting application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE REQUESTED_UNITS GRANTED_UNITS RETURN_STATUS |
| _ | _ | |
| DENIED
The denial by the Licensing System of the license(s) requested by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE REQUESTED_UNITS RETURN_STATUS | |
| RELEASE_LICENSE | NULL
The successful returning to the pool of available licenses (releasing) of one or more licenses, as performed by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE RETURNED_UNITS RETURN_STATUS |
| CONFIRM | NULL The confirmation performed by the application to the Licensing System, of the in-use status for one or more licenses | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE CONFIRM_INTERVAL_VALUE RETURN_STATUS |
| RECORD | CONSUMPTIVE
The successful updating performed by the Licensing System of a consumptive counter, as requested by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE COUNTER_UNITS RETURN_STATUS |
| _ | _ | |
| CUMULATIVE
The successful updating performed by the Licensing System of a cumulative counter, as requested by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO REQUESTOR_ID CERTIFICATE_ID SESSION_HANDLE TRANSACTION_HANDLE COUNTER_UNITS RETURN_STATUS | |
| BEGIN_SESSION | NULL
The successful start of a licensing session, as requested by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP REQUESTOR_ID SESSION_HANDLE RETURNED_STATUS |
| END_SESSION | NULL
The completion of a licensing session, as requested by the application | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP REQUESTOR_ID SESSION_HANDLE RETURNED_STATUS |
| Event Type | Event Subtype | Logged Data |
|---|---|---|
| LICENSE_SERVER_START | NULL
The successful start of the license server activity | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR_ID |
| LICENSE_SERVER_STOP | NULL
The normal stop of the license server activity | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO ADMINISTRATOR_ID |
| RESET | PUBLISHER_HIGH_WATER_MARK
The resetting (to zero), as performed by the licensing system, of the value maintained for the maximum number of licenses concurrently in use for a specific certificate | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO CERTIFICATE_ID PUBLISHER_HWM_VALUE |
| _ | _ | |
| COUNTERS
The resetting (to zero), as performed by the licensing system, of the value maintained for one or more counters | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO SYSTEM_RESET_COUNTR_LIST | |
| ERRORS | SYSTEM
Any error as detected by the licensing system | SERVER_TIME_STAMP CLIENT_TIME_STAMP LICENSE_SERVER_ID LICENSE_SYSTEM_INFO SYSTEM_ERROR_CODE SYSTEM_ERROR_MESSAGE |
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