How to switch to a new License Server

Solution:

Set up the license server on the new hardware

1. See:

2. You will need a new license file because the license files are bound by Mac address and cannot be transferred from system to system.  You can generate your network license file online via the links below:

Requesting a Network License File

3. Next, point all your clients from the old server to the new.

Point the clients to the new server

Option 1: Update Licpath.lic files

This is the file that tells the product where to find the license server. Typically, that file is found in every Autodesk program’s root folder (for example, C:\Program Files\Autodesk\”Product” 20XX\) or in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\CLM\LGS\ then in a folder starting with the product key number. e.g 001I1_2017.0.0.F for AutoCAD 2017, or 001J1_2018.0.0.F for AutoCAD 2018.

1. Open the Licpath.lic file in Notepad and you will see what server the software is trying to pull the license from.The formatting will be something like:

“Server        Servername        000000000000”

2. Update the “Servername” text to the correct server name and save the file.
3. Copy that file to any other effected machines and programs so that they point to the correct server.

Option 2: Use the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable.

• Setting this environmental variable on a system will override the Licpath.lic files and direct all Autodesk software on a system to a specified server.

See: How to specify license servers using the ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE environment variable

Retire the old server

Once all the clients are getting their license from the new server you can safely retire the old server.