ArcGIS License Server 2018.0 not connecting

[AlicePence]

We recently installed ArcMap 10.6.1 and License Server 2018.0 for testing - the server that is hosting the license server works fine when I connect to it using ArcMap within the server. However, when I try to connect to it from my desktop or another server it does not connect and says "<ServerName> does not have a valid License Manager...".

I've uninstalled and reinstalled License Manager and also tried to change the Port numbers to configure around the firewall. We also have a Options file and when I tried that i get the same non-connecting issues. 

[AmnoyAm]

Alice,

When configuring the license manager to work through the firewall, you must do two things:

   1.  Lock the daemons to use specific ports:  27000 for lmgrd.exe and a port between 27001-27009 for arcgis.exe.

   2.  Configure your firewall to allow incoming and outgoing traffic through both ports.

The following documentation provides instruction on how to do this:

Configure ArcGIS License Manager to work through a firewall—License Manager Guide | ArcGIS Desktop 

As for the option file, it should work with or without the firewall.  I suggest you configure the license manager to work through the firewall first.  If it's working correctly, then apply the option file.

[AlicePence]

We were able to get around the firewall issue and connect to it from another server machine - but now we are not able to connect to it from a local desktop. Any ideas on why that might be happening?

[AmnoyAm · Accepted solution]

Alice,

Can you describe your site configuration?  Where is the server with the license manager located?  Where is the server you mentioned that can connect to it?  Where is your local desktop?  All they all in the same network?  Also, go to the machine hosting the license manager.  Open your Windows Explorer and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\ArcGIS\LicenseManager\bin.  Open service.txt and verify if the first two line display something similar to the following:

SERVER this_host ANY 27000

VENDOR ARCGIS port=27002

[AlicePence]

Well, that fixed it changing that Vendor ArcGIS port to 27002. Just curious now on what that means in case we run into that again?

[AmnoyAm]

Alice,

Glad that fixed your issue.  It's part of the instruction on how to configure the license manager to work with a firewall.  Remember there's two components to the license manager, the lmgrd daemon and the arcgis daemon.  Each process uses separate ports.  By default, the license manager used port 27000 for lmgrd.exe and any random open port for arcgis.exe.  You can see this in the log file.  You must open these two ports through the firewall for client applications to communicate to the license manager.  The problem here is that the port for arcgis.exe is random so a restart of the license manager will change ports.  You must configure the firewall to allow traffic through the new port.  This is unrealistic.  This is why you must lock the arcgis daemon to use a specific port.  In the example above, lmgrd.exe was set to use port 27000 and arcgis.exe was configured to use 27002.  Keep in mind you can use any open port.  Ports 27000 - 27009 were reserved for Flexera which is why it's likely to be available and why we recommend use one of these ports.  Although not necessary.  Hope this helps.   

[PaulLohr]

Amnoy,

Your post was helpful. Thank you for your time and thought in this.

In case anyone else has this issue, I followed Amnoy's instructions. Initially, the second port number was not specified (27002) in the service.txt file so it had to be added.

Original service.txt file:

service.txt file after I added port 27002:

Also, you may need to add an Inbound Rule to Windows Firewall allowing ports 27000 and 27002.