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License Scheduling

Overview​

fsched provides license server monitoring and license allocation management for the current cluster. When a license query script exists, fsched automatically monitors license usage changes and adjusts the number of licenses available to jobs in real time, ensuring licenses are allocated correctly during scheduling.

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  • Enabling license scheduling affects job scheduling and must be configured carefully by administrators.
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  • Ensure network connectivity between the cluster head node and the license server.
  • The license query script is uploaded to the cluster head node. The fixed path and file name must be /etc/fastone/license_query, and the script output format must follow the specified format. See >>> License Query Script Output Format.
  • Because fsched converts license names and server names to lowercase, users must submit license names and server names in lowercase when submitting jobs.
  • If the license query script uses the license server client tool lmstat, you must add the license server domain name to /etc/hosts on the head node first.

Configuration​

License scheduling provides two configuration tools for administrators:

  1. License Allocation management: manage current cluster license allocations to limit the maximum number of licenses the cluster can use, using the sacctmgr resource command.
  2. License Sync management: manage synchronization of license usage.

License Allocation Management​

Use the sacctmgr resource command to manage license allocation for the current cluster.

Get the current cluster name​

scontrol show config | grep ClusterName

Add license allocation​

  1. Check whether the license already exists.
sacctmgr show resource name=test8 server=server3
  1. If it does not exist, you can add it in one step:
sacctmgr add resource name=test8 server=server3 servertype=flexlm type=license count=60 cluster=fastone-1 percentallowed=70
  1. If it already exists:

If the license already exists, you cannot set a new count. If you need to modify it, use the sacctmgr modify resource command.

3.1 Check whether there is an allocation for the current cluster:

sacctmgr show resource withclusters name=test8 server=server3 cluster=fastone-1

3.2 If there is no allocation for the current cluster, you can set percentallowed for the current cluster:

sacctmgr add resource name=test8 server=server3 cluster=fastone-1 percentallowed=70

3.3 If there is already an allocation for the current cluster, you cannot set it again. If you need to modify it, use the sacctmgr modify resource command.

Parameter descriptions:

  • name: license name
  • cluster: fsched cluster name
  • count: total number of licenses, including the total available inside and outside the cluster
  • percentallowed: percentage allowed for the current cluster
  • server: license server name
  • servertype: license server type
  • type: resource name, should be license in this workflow

Modify license allocation​

  • To modify the total license count:
sacctmgr modify resource name=matlab server=server2 set count=200
  • To modify percentallowed for the current cluster:
sacctmgr modify resource name=matlab server=server2 cluster=fastone-1 set percentallowed=30

Parameter descriptions:

  • name: license name
  • server: server name
  • cluster: fsched cluster name
  • count: new total license count
  • percentallowed: new percentage

Delete license allocation​

  • If there is only one cluster, or if you want to delete allocations for all clusters:
sacctmgr delete resource where name=matlab server=server2
  • If there are multiple clusters and you want to delete the allocation for the current cluster:
sacctmgr delete resource where name=matlab server=server2 cluster=fastone-1

Parameter descriptions:

  • name: license name
  • server: server name
  • cluster: fsched cluster name

Query license allocation​

  • Query allocations for the current cluster:
# Query all license allocations
sacctmgr show resource withclusters cluster=fastone-1

# Filter by name
sacctmgr show resource withclusters cluster=fastone-1 name=nastran

# Filter by server
sacctmgr show resource withclusters cluster=fastone-1 server=flex_host

# Exact query
sacctmgr show resource withclusters cluster=fastone-1 name=matlab server=rlm_host
  • Query all license allocations:
sacctmgr show resource

Parameter descriptions:

  • name: filter by license name
  • server: filter by server name
  • cluster: fsched cluster name

License Sync Management​

Use the output of the license query script to automatically sync license usage changes to the current cluster.

Set the license query script​

License Query Script Output Format​

The script must print license information to standard output (stdout), one line per entry, in the following format:

name@server_name:consumed
FieldDescription
namelicense name
server_namelicense server name
consumedcurrent number of licenses in use

Example output:

ansys@flexlm_server:5
meba@flexlm_server:20
  • The license query script takes no input parameters.
  • Script examples and documentation can be found on the head node at /opt/fsched/wrappers/statesvc/license_tools/.
License query script deployment​

Copy the script to the fixed query path /etc/fastone/license_query. For example, with the script license_query_flexlm.sh:

cp license_query_flexlm.sh /etc/fastone/license_query
chmod +x /etc/fastone/license_query

Stop license sync​

Delete the license query script /etc/fastone/license_query to stop synchronization automatically.

View license sync status​

/opt/fsched/wrappers/statesvc/bin/stateclient lic-sync-status

This shows the current license sync status, including sync status, last update time and content, and error messages.

Configuration Example​

The following commands are run on the cluster head node, using a single-cluster scenario as an example.

  1. Check whether the license to be managed has already been allocated to the current cluster; if not, allocate it.

    • View the current cluster name:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# scontrol show config | grep ClusterName
    ClusterName             = fastone-2
    • View allocated licenses:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# sacctmgr show resource
          Name     Server     Type  Count % Allocated ServerType
    ---------- ---------- -------- ------ ----------- ----------
    • The total license count can be confirmed via Total in lmstat output:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# ./lmstat -f ansys -c 1055@10.106.1.111
    lmstat - Copyright (c) 1989-2016 Flexera Software LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Flexible License Manager status on Fri 3/13/2026 18:39

    License server status: 1055@ansys-lic
        License file(s) on ansys-lic: /fastone/softwares/ansys/ansys/2024R1/ansys_inc/shared_files/licensing/license_files/ansyslmd.lic:

    ansys-lic: license server UP (MASTER) v11.19.4

    Vendor daemon status (on ansys-lic):

      ansyslmd: UP v11.19.4
    Feature usage info:

    Users of ansys:  (Total of 100 licenses issued;  Total of 0 licenses in use)

    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# ./lmstat -f meba -c 1055@10.106.1.153
    lmstat - Copyright (c) 1989-2016 Flexera Software LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    Flexible License Manager status on Fri 3/13/2026 18:43

    License server status: 1055@ansys-lic
        License file(s) on ansys-lic: /fastone/softwares/ansys/ansys/2024R1/ansys_inc/shared_files/licensing/license_files/ansyslmd.lic:

    ansys-lic: license server UP (MASTER) v11.19.4

    Vendor daemon status (on ansys-lic):

      ansyslmd: UP v11.19.4
    Feature usage info:

    Users of meba:  (Total of 100 licenses issued;  Total of 0 licenses in use)
    • If this Name,Server combination does not exist, allocate the maximum available licenses for the current cluster. Use a unique server name defined by the administrator that corresponds to the license server:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# sacctmgr add resource name=ansys server=flexlm_server servertype=flexlm_server type=license count=100 cluster=fastone-2 percentallowed=100
    Adding Resource(s)
      ansys@flexlm_server
      Cluster - fastone-2  100%
    Settings
      Name           = ansys
      Server         = flexlm_server
      Description    = ansys
      ServerType     = flexlm_server
      Count          = 100
      Type           = License
    Would you like to commit changes? (You have 30 seconds to decide)
    (N/y): y
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# sacctmgr add resource name=meba server=flexlm_server servertype=flexlm_server type=license count=100 cluster=fastone-2 percentallowed=100
    Adding Resource(s)
      meba@flexlm_server
      Cluster - fastone-2  100%
    Settings
      Name           = meba
      Server         = flexlm_server
      Description    = meba
      ServerType     = flexlm_server
      Count          = 100
      Type           = License
    Would you like to commit changes? (You have 30 seconds to decide)
    (N/y): y
    • View the configuration results:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# sacctmgr show resource -p
    Name|Server|Type|Count|% Allocated|ServerType|
    ansys|flexlm_server|License|100|100|flexlm_server|
    meba|flexlm_server|License|100|100|flexlm_server|

  2. Set license synchronization.

    • Copy the script to the fixed query path /etc/fastone/license_query, using license_query_flexlm.sh as an example:
    cp license_query_flexlm.sh /etc/fastone/license_query
    chmod +x /etc/fastone/license_query
    • View license sync status:
    [root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# /opt/fsched/wrappers/statesvc/bin/stateclient lic-sync-status
    Sending requests to server localhost:20051
    Status: OK
    Last Update: 2026-03-13T11:08:24Z
    Licenses (2):
      ansys@flexlm_server: 30
      meba@flexlm_server: 20

Cluster Usage Example​

The following commands can be run on any node in the cluster.

  1. View the licenses available to the current cluster.

The output in the example shows available licenses (license_name@server_name). LastConsumed shows total consumption for the license (including inside and outside the cluster), and Free shows remaining available licenses for the current cluster.

[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# scontrol show lic --ext
LicenseName=meba@flexlm_server
LicenseName=meba@flexlm_server
    Total=100 Used=0 Free=80 Reserved=0 Remote=yes
    LastConsumed=20 LastDeficit=20 LastUpdate=Unknown
LicenseName=ansys@flexlm_server
    Total=100 Used=0 Free=70 Reserved=0 Remote=yes
    LastConsumed=30 LastDeficit=30 LastUpdate=Unknown
  1. Specify the requested license count when submitting a job.

The job below requests more licenses than the current Free value for that license in the cluster, so the job is pending due to Licenses.

[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# srun -L ansys@flexlm_server:90 sleep 600&
[1] 5586
[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# srun: job 7 queued and waiting for resources

[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# squeue
             JOBID PARTITION     NAME     USER ST       TIME  NODES NODELIST(REASON)
                 7 partition    sleep     root PD       0:00      1 (Licenses)

After some time, if external license usage is released, fsched will automatically update the monitored license consumption to the cluster and the job can run.

[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# squeue
             JOBID PARTITION     NAME     USER ST       TIME  NODES NODELIST(REASON)
                 7 partition    sleep     root  R       0:05      1 jj-centos7-2
[root@centos7-16c-1 ~]# scontrol show lic --ext
LicenseName=meba@flexlm_server
    Total=100 Used=0 Free=80 Reserved=0 Remote=yes
    LastConsumed=20 LastDeficit=20 LastUpdate=Unknown
LicenseName=ansys@flexlm_server
    Total=100 Used=90 Free=10 Reserved=0 Remote=yes
    LastConsumed=5 LastDeficit=0 LastUpdate=Unknown