How do I get the Network License Manager to start automatically at boot time on Linux?

How do I get the Network License Manager to start automatically at boot time on Linux? I would like the license manager to start automatically every time I reboot my machine.

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

See the MATLAB License Manager documentation for information about starting the license manager at boot:

Configuring the License Manager to Start Automatically on Linux Systems

For instructions on starting services automatically on various Linux distributions, please see the documentation for that distribution. (note: MathWorks does not support these methods. You will need to consult a Linux admin or your local IT support if you have issues with these methods)

RHEL/CentOS 6 and below:

Running Additional Programs at Boot Time

RHEL/CentOS 7 and above:

Creating and Modifying systemd Unit Files

Debian:

A brief introduction to Debian init scripts

Ubuntu:

UbuntuBootupHowto

SuSE:

Easy Running of Scripts at Boot and Shutdow

[Maria Nunzia Galdi]

On Debian 7 there is a new feature,

* fs: Introduce and enable security restrictions on links:
  - Do not follow symlinks in /tmp that are owned by other users
    (sysctl: fs.protected_symlinks)

so you need to disable fs.protected_symlinks using sysctl command because else you receive an error as the following: kernel: [ 46.643253] type=1702 audit(1387193045.260:2): op=follow_link action=denied pid=2483 comm="lmboot_TMW" path="/var/tmp/lm_TMW.vd1" dev="dm-3" ino=2061

and license manager does't start. Regards M.N.Galdi

[James]

Dont do that. Get your matlab and or matlab installer out of /tmp/. For example, extract it to ~/mat_installer. Install to /usr/local/matlab or to /matlab, or whatever the default is.

[Kirk Feindel]

The link above for Red Hat and CentOS are not longer recommended now that systemd services are used. I'm now trying to sort out what I am supposed to do in CentOS 7.

[Scott]

Sorry about that Kirk. Documentation for using systemd can be found here:

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-us/red_hat_enterprise_linux/7/html/system_administrators_guide/chap-managing_services_with_systemd

I've updated this article accordingly.

[Matt Forrest]

The link for Ubuntu is way out of date. It also uses systemd. Can Mathworks provide an official .service template with the license manager install?

I modified the template Richard provided below.

[Michal Bassa]

Dear Matlab Team,

most distributions nowadays use systemd, could you provide a .service file for the License Manager?

Currently stopping the License Manager using the official docs is not working, because:

• Apparently the order of arguments is important and lmdown must appear before specifying the license file -c.
• I wrote a systemd service using the recommended way and after systemctl stop the License Manager cannot be started for another ~60 seconds. And systemd reports stopping as failed with code 15.

My service is:

# /etc/systemd/system/matlab_license_manager.service
[Unit]
Description=MATLAB FlexLM License Manager
After=network.target

# https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/105860-how-do-i-install-the-network-license-manager
# https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/102968-how-do-i-start-or-stop-the-network-license-manager
# https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/102886-how-do-i-get-the-network-license-manager-to-start-automatically-at-boot-time-on-linux
# https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/100538-why-do-i-receive-license-manager-error-13

[Service]
User=mlm
Type=forking
ExecStart=/opt/matlab_license_manager/etc/glnxa64/lmgrd -c /opt/matlab_license_manager/etc/license.dat -l /opt/matlab_license_manager/lmlog.txt
ExecStop=/opt/matlab_license_manager/etc/glnxa64/lmutil lmdown -c /opt/matlab_license_manager/etc/license.dat -q

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Answer 2

[Richard Nickle]

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41254104/systemd-service-unit-file-as-user gave me a great hint.

I ended up using this as a base:

# 
# based on:
#  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41254104/systemd-service-unit-file-as-user
# 
# templated
#
[Unit]
Description=MATLAB FlexLM license manager

[Service]
Type=forking
ExecStart=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2017a/etc/lmstart
ExecStop=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2017a/etc/lmdown
KillMode=none
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=90
# it would be nice to templatize this
User=lmgrd

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Mykola Servetnyk]

Is user name essential in your solution? Or I should put my own username?

[MBS IT]

Will this work on RHEL (i am running 8.1)?

I really do not want to mess something up here.

Answer 3

[Donald Wu]

Thanks Richard,

The service script works on Ubuntu 16.04. I created a symbolic link "Current" to the latest Matlab installation folder, such "R2018a" and use the "Current" folder name in the script so that the script can be same after the new version is installed.

Answer 4

[Soporte Técnico MODEMAT]

I made some changes to the Richard's file and it is working for me:

#

# Modificado para la versión de Matlab R2019b

# Creado el 31/03/2020

#

#

#

[Unit]

Description=MATLAB FlexLM license manager

After=network.target

[Service]

User=lmgrd

Type=forking

ExecStart=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2019b/etc/lmstart

ExecStop=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2019b/etc/lmdown

KillMode=none

Restart=on-failure

RestartSec=90

[Install]

WantedBy=multi-user.target

Answer 5

[Rob Kudyba]

I'd like to suggest that where you have:

ExecStart=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2019b/etc/lmstart

Include an option for the path to the license file, use lmgrd and a path to a log file that the user who starts the licensing server has access to so something like:

[Unit]
Description=MATLAB FlexLM license manager
After=network.target
[Service]
User=lmgrd
Type=forking
ExecStart=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2021a/etc/glnxa64/lmgrd -c /path/to/license.dat -l /path/to/logfile
ExecStop=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2021a/etc/glnxa64/lmdown
KillMode=none
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=90
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[James McCartney]

Add a -q (quiet) to lmdown or it will go interactive with a "Are you sure?" prompt. I also add a script to archive the last log file when starting, not necessary, totally optional.

ExecStartPre=/usr/local/MATLAB/archive-logs.sh
ExecStop=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2021a/etc/glnxa64/lmdown -force -q