How to Check Nastran Licenses with FlexLM

Nastran is a leading software package for structural calculation and finite element analysis (FEA), used in fields such as aerospace, automotive, defense, and civil engineering. Originally developed for NASA, it has become a de facto standard for the analysis of complex structures, thanks to its ability to model the static, dynamic, and thermal behavior of mechanical components.

License management for Nastran, in its commercial versions (such as MSC Nastran or Siemens NX Nastran), is typically handled through a FlexLM-based floating license system. This allows licenses to be shared among multiple users, optimizing their use. Accurately monitoring these licenses is essential to avoid production downtime and to ensure compliance with the contractual requirements imposed by the vendor.

1. Installation and Configuration of Tools

To begin monitoring Nastran licenses, you must download and configure the lmutil tool, provided by Flexera. This tool is available for Windows and Linux systems and allows you to query the license server directly to obtain up-to-date information.

Preliminary Steps

1. Download lmutil: We recommend using a version that is the same as or higher than the one on the license server to ensure compatibility.
2. Retrieve the connection parameters: The Nastran license file contains the communication port and the server name. This information must be entered correctly in the query commands, taking care not to add any domain suffixes that are inconsistent with the company’s DNS configuration.

2. Commands for Monitoring Licenses

After configuring lmutil, you can run the commands to get information about available licenses and those currently in use.

Check Available Licenses

To check how many active and available Nastran licenses there are, use the following command:

lmutil lmstat -i -c porta@nomeserver

For servers configured in a trio (high availability), you must list all three servers, separated by semicolons on Windows or commas on Linux:

lmutil lmstat -i -c porta@server1;porta@server2;porta@server3

or on Linux:

lmutil lmstat -i -c porta@server1,porta@server2,porta@server3

Sample Output

Feature           Version   #licenses  Expires        Vendor
nastran           2023      15         31-dec-2025    MSCNAS

In this example, there are 15 Nastran licenses available that are valid through December 31, 2025.

Check the licenses in use

To monitor which licenses are currently in use and see who is using them, you can use:

lmutil lmstat -S nastran -c porta@nomeserver

The output will show details about the logged-in users, the workstations, and the session start time:

Users of nastran:  (Total of 15 licenses issued; 6 licenses in use)
  "nastran" v2023, vendor: MSCNAS
  floating license
    user1@ENG01 (v2023) (SERVER/27000 1456), start Wed 01/07 09:12
    user2@ENG02 (v2023) (SERVER/27000 1459), start Wed 01/07 09:20

3. Automate Monitoring with Observer

Although FlexLM allows for these manual checks, a company with many users or multiple locations may find it difficult to maintain constant monitoring. In this scenario, Observer offers a professional solution that seamlessly and automatically integrates Nastran license monitoring.

Why Choose Observer?

Observer offers numerous advantages:

• Real-time monitoring of Nastran licenses without having to type complex commands
• Sending email alerts about due dates or usage anomalies
• Comprehensive reporting with charts, KPIs, and analysis of usage peaks
• Management of redundant servers (triad) from a single centralized interface

Observer periodically queries the FlexLM server, collects data, formats it, and stores it in a database, making it available through intuitive dashboards and customizable reports. This helps reduce errors, optimize licensing costs, and improve operational continuity.

Accurately monitoring Nastran licenses ensures that designers can continue their analysis and simulation work without interruption, avoiding costly downtime or the risk of non-compliance. With Observer, you can simplify and automate license management in a comprehensive and proactive manner.

Would you like to try automatic Nastran license monitoring? Contact us for a free demo and discover all of Observer’s features!