[Blog]: FlexNet Embedded High Availability (New Capability in Local License Server)

Author: Ravi Trivedi, Senior Product Manager

For Intelligent Device Manufacturers in sectors such as; semiconductors; telecom; and medical devices, FlexNet Embedded Local License Servers are at the heart of self-service, compliance, and monetization and they must never become a single point of failure. 

• In semiconductor test environments, these systems activate millions of line items as part of a highly synchronized supply chain, where downtime can disrupt chip production. 
• In telecom, they manage complex 5G networks, discovering and licensing over 100K dynamic elements like routers and switches that frequently borrow and refresh entitlements — any hiccup could impact national communication backbones. 
• Similarly, in medical and healthcare devices, licensing spans decades, includes future-dated entitlements, and supports hybrid models across globally distributed fleets in critical life support environments. 

From compliance recertification to remote activation, these systems are deeply embedded in operational workflows. To support such scale, criticality, and diversity, license management platforms must be highly available, fault-tolerant, and built for resilience, with no room for centralized failure. 

Announcing new High Availability Architecture in the FlexNet Embedded Local License Server 

The new High Availability (HA) architecture in FlexNext Embedded Local License Server (FNE) is built to eliminate single points of failure and ensure resilient, scalable license delivery — even in the most demanding environments highlighted above. 

How does it work: What’s New in This HA Architecture? 

Active-Active Server Redundancy 

• The system deploys two License Server nodes that run in an active-active configuration. It can be extended to any number as needed 
• Both nodes belong to the same cluster having in-built host ID, ensuring enforcement and continuity of service if one node goes down. 

Load Balanced Access 

• A dedicated Load Balancer powered by nginx intelligently routes requests to either of license server. 
• This ensures seamless client access and automatic failover. 

High-Availability Database Backend 

• PostgreSQL databases run in a clustered configuration, providing database-level fault tolerance. 
• Licensing data, entitlement states, and usage metrics are persistently synchronized across nodes. 

Backoffice Sync 

• Licensing updates and usage records are regularly synchronized with the FlexNet Operations Backoffice, keeping cloud-based systems up-to-date with entitlement(s) and right(s) while enabling distributed, local resilience. 

Support for Distributed Clients 

• Clients (served devices) connect via either: FNE SDK (or) REST APIs 
• These clients benefit from uninterrupted service even during maintenance, updates, or node failures. 

FLSM Integration 

• The FlexNet License Server Manager (FLSM) connects through the load balancer, ensuring UI and command-line tools can interface with the full HA system seamlessly. 

2025 Roadmap 

Q1 2025: New High Availability  - Linux 

Q2 2025: New High Availability - Windows 

Q3 2025: New High Availability - Auto database clustering & replication 

Want to learn more?  

Visit our documentation site 

Please note: to download product resources, you need to access the Product and License Center  (PLC) through the community. You must be signed in and have PLC access. 

Hear more from me directly in Office Hours on April 22nd or watch on demand. Register here.