The difference between ArcGIS License Server Administrator and ArcGIS Administrator?

[JayHodny]

I just read a GeoNet article by Kory Kramer (good stuff, thank you) on upgrading ArcGIS License Server Administrator to 10.5.1 in preparation for the ArcGIS Pro 2.0 upgrade.  I still have much to learn about license managers, servers, and alike.  Perhaps a basic question, but what is the difference between the ArcGIS License Server Administrator and the ArcGIS Administrator?  I upgraded our ArcMap users to 10.5 recently and can see the licensing versions 10.1-10.5 for our products and the expiration date, etc. in the ArcGIS Administrator 'availability' screen.  In the ArcGIS LSA 'availability' screen, we are still at versions 10.1-10.4, but with the same expiration date as in the Administrator screen.  So this suggests, they are separate but related items, and I should move ahead with upgrading LSA if I want to move to Pro 2.0 without issue?  Any input and advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Short answer for the ArcGIS Administrator -  this is what "users" use to authorize software (single-use) and/or point to a (concurrent-use/floating) license manager.   If you have concurrent license instead of single use licenses, your License Server Administrator setups up the license manager and provide you with the info to connect to it.

longer answer....

ArcGIS License Server Administrator - the "concurrent" (floating) license manager is a separate software install and is authorized using concurrent/floating licenses.  Unless things have changed (since 2016), those are no longer available for purchase unless you already have some and are grandfathered in.  This format goes back to the ArcInfo Workstation days and is/was a way that you can share a set number of license with many more users.  Since many users use it sporadically, this is a great model.

The license manager started supporting concurrent use for Pro a year or so ago.  This is managed thru the MyEsri site, as are the ArcGIS (ArcMap/Catalog) concurrent licenses.  On this site you request a provision file and then authorize using the ArcGIS License Server Administrator software.

If you are a user and not the administrator of your account, you typically only have to worry about the first option, with the info (server/IP) your agencies license administrator provides you, if appropriate.

Clear as mud?

...of course, if you have named users only, that is different still.

edit: sorry, got caught up on explaining the difference, that i didn't answer any other part of the question.

The authorization codes for 10.5 were different than than 10.1-10.4.  Usually yyou should always update your LM to the latest version, assuming your have the authorizations that are valid for it.  If you have 10.5 authorization codes, you should be on LM 10.5...and should be able to upgrade to 10.5.1.  I just downloaded and plan to do that tonight.  We have users that access our 10.5 LM that have any software from 10.1 - 10.5.0 currently installed.  I have converted some of our Pro from named users to concurrent, so if I upgrade, once 2.0 is released (very soon) we will be ready.  Typically they release the LM at the same time as the software....this is a first, but nice to get prepped.  Enough rantng.

[JayHodny]

Hi Rebecca,  I am both a user and now a new administrator, so your reply helps a lot (though still a little muddy). Thank you for taking the time to reply. Jay

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Jay, just to let you know, I updated one of our License Managers to 10.5.1 last night (was 10.5.0) and it took about 2 minutes at most.  I am not seeing any issues with connecting to it this morning, so all is good.

One suggestion, make sure all your "borrowed" licenses are "unborrowed" before any upgrade. I'm not sure if that is mandatory in current versions, but I have had issues in the past.  If you allow borrowing, I find the best way to get these back is to let users know that you are wanting to upgrade the license manager (email) on <date, or before if all licenses back> so hopefully people will voluntarily "un-borrow" the licenses.  But then I keep shortening the "days" allowed (this is done in the License Manager software) so any new borrows will expire by the <date>.

As for the normal "check-out" (i.e. just grabbing the license when software open) seemed to be ok, even if active. I try to get everyone off first, but sometimes that doesn't happen.  In that case, the user will get a "can't access" type error during the upgrade (the license manager has to restart), but usually will reconnect.  Whether this crashes their current session or not is somewhat a timing "luck-of-the-draw".  Best option is just to get everyone off before.

BTW - we have 3 license "pools" here.  One for the small group of full-time GIS staff. One for the -ologists and techs (some super users, but most casual users) that is for in-office user only (no borrowing). And a third pool for this same group that allows borrowing.  The "opt" (option) file doesn't work well for limiting borrowing, so we have a handful of licenses in this third group and limit the time to 2-weeks (to prevent users from grabbing a "exclusive" license for too long).  Our ~ 40 core licenses are shared among ~250 users so forced "sharing" is sometime necessary, especiall since many users don't understand the difference significant between check-out and borrowing.

Even though the option file doesn't completely work as described (never really has), there are some nice features that do work.  I suggest looking thru the documentation. Using the options file—License Manager Guide | ArcGIS Desktop 

[JayHodny]

Rebecca,

Can I go from 10.4 directly to 10.5.1?  Or do I upgrade to 10.5 only, until I have ArcMap 10.5.1 installed?  Sorry for all the questions, but I don't want to mess something up.

Thanks,

Jay

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP · Accepted solution]

I would read thru License manager installation and startup—License Manager Guide | ArcGIS Desktop 

hopefully that brings you to the LM upgrade. But just in case (and to help others)

Upgrading License Manager software from 10.1 through 10.4.1 to 10.5

ArcGIS 10.1-10.4 Desktop and Engine licenses will operate with ArcGIS 10.5, and no license upgrade is required. However, any client software operating at version 10.5 must use a 10.5 License Manager. To upgrade ArcGIS 10.1 through 10.4.1 License Manager software to ArcGIS 10.5 License Manager, follow these instructions:

1. Open the License Server from Start > Programs > ArcGIS > License Manager > License Server Administrator. On Linux, you can run License Server Administrator (in the case of 10.4) from the installation location using the following command: <installation_path>/arcgis/license10.4/LSAdmin.
2. Stop the License Service under Start/Stop License service and exit the License Server Administrator.
3. Install the ArcGIS 10.5 License Manager. The installer will automatically uninstall your ArcGIS 10.1 through 10.4.1 License Manager and install ArcGIS 10.5 License Manager.
4. Open the License Server from Start > Programs > ArcGIS > License Manager > License Server Administrator. On Linux, you can run License Server Administrator from the installation location using the following command: <installation_path>/arcgis/license10.5/LSAdmin.
5. Start the License Service under Start/Stop License service and exit the License Server Administrator. ArcGIS 10.5 License Manager is now ready for use.

Main thing to remember is the license authorization numbers for 10.5+ are different, so you will need to get a new one from you myEsri site. (assuming you licenses were on maintenance at the time of it's release)