Editing FlexNet Publisher

{{Short description|Software license manager}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2017}}
{{Redir|FlexNet|the Digital Research networking product for FlexOS|FlexNet (Novell)}}
{{Infobox software
| name                   = FlexNet Publisher
| screenshot             = 
| caption                = 
| collapsible            = 
| author                 = GLOBEtrotter and Highland
| developer              = [[Flexera Software]]
| released               = {{Start date and age|1988}}
| latest release version = 2024 R2 SP1 (11.19.7.1)
| latest release date    = {{Start date and age|2025|01|30}}<ref>{{cite web|title=FlexNet Publisher End-of-Life Policy and Notices - Revenera|url=https://docs.revenera.com/eol/flexnet-publisher.html|website=[[Revenera]]|accessdate=2025-02-17}}</ref>
| latest preview version = 
| latest preview date    = 
| programming language   = [[C (programming language)|C]]/[[C++]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| operating system       = [[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]], and various [[UNIX]]es
| platform               = [[Cross-platform]]
| size                   = 
| language               = English
| genre                  = [[Software license]] management
| license                = Proprietary
}}
'''FlexNet Publisher''' (formerly known as FLEXlm) is a software [[license manager]] from [[Flexera Software]] which implements [[copy protection|license management]] and is intended to be used in corporate environments to provide [[Floating licensing|floating licenses]] to multiple end users of computer software.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Computer software can be licensed in a variety of ways. A license to use a piece of software may be associated with a specific machine (''node-locked''), permitting it to only run on that machine (node in a [[Computer network|network]]); alternatively, a company may buy a pool of ''floating'' licenses and these licenses may be allocated dynamically to machines, a license being ''checked-out'' when a user begins using the software on any given machine and ''checked-in'' when the user finishes using the software. In this way, for example, a company might buy a pool of 50 licenses but support a user community of hundreds of occasional users of the software (so long as no more than 50 users ever want to use the software simultaneously).{{Original research inline|date=January 2017}}

==History==

FLEXlm was originally a joint development by GLOBEtrotter Software and Highland Software in 1988. Highland's rights to the FLEXlm product were acquired by GLOBEtrotter in 1994; Highland continued as a reseller of 3rd party software. GLOBEtrotter was then acquired by [[Macrovision]] in 2000. Combining features from the Safecast protection system and FLEXlm, FlexNet featured [[product activation]] and executable wrapping, supporting [[floating licensing]] and node locked licensing models. Macrovision subsequently renamed FLEXlm to FLEXnet Publisher.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

The original FLEXlm development team moved on to develop the [[Reprise License Manager]] (RLM) at Reprise Software in 2006.{{Citation needed|date=January 2017}}

On 1 April 2008 Macrovision's Software Business Unit, which included FLEXnet Publisher, was sold to the private equity company [[Thoma Cressey Bravo]] and subsequently relaunched as Acresso Software. It was a cash transaction valued at approximately $200 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flexerasoftware.com/company/newscenter/pressreleases/press-releases_8572.htm|title=Acresso Software Press Release|publisher=Flexerasoftware.com|accessdate=27 October 2014|archive-date=2 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602033702/http://www.flexerasoftware.com/company/newscenter/pressreleases/press-releases_8572.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In October 2009 Acresso Software announced its name change to Flexera Software and FLEXnet Publisher was changed to FlexNet Publisher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139211/Acresso_who_Macrovision_spinoff_changes_name_again?taxonomyId=1|title=Acresso who? Macrovision spinoff changes name, again (Computerworld article)|author=Eric Lai|date=10 October 2009|work=Computerworld|accessdate=27 October 2014}}</ref>

A July 2011 announcement said that Teachers' Private Capital, the private investment department of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, had agreed to acquire a majority stake in Flexera Software from Thoma Bravo, LLC, a private equity firm.<ref>{{cite web|url-status=dead|url=http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/teachers-private-capital-to-acquire-majority-stake-in-flexera-software-1539798.htm|title=Teachers' Private Capital to Acquire Majority Stake in Flexera Software|work=Marketwire|accessdate=27 October 2014|archive-date=2 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002182844/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/teachers-private-capital-to-acquire-majority-stake-in-flexera-software-1539798.htm}}</ref>

The product is currently marketed by Flexera Software as FlexNet Publisher.<ref>[http://www.flexerasoftware.com/enterprise/products/software-license-management/flexnet-manager-engineering-apps/ Centralized Management Eases License Server Administration]. ''flexerasoftware.com''. Retrieved 2016-11-21</ref>

==Issues with bootloaders==
Due to the way the [[digital rights management]] (DRM) works in FlexNet Publisher, FlexNet affects [[Bootloader#Boot loader|bootloader]]s; this makes FlexNet Publisher incompatible with drives encrypted with [[TrueCrypt]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/403/kb403210.html|title=Freeze when you reboot a Windows system that has TrueCrypt Disk Encryption software and Adobe applications installed|publisher=Kb2.adobe.com|accessdate=27 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/incompatibilities |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416014149/http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/incompatibilities |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 April 2013 |title=TrueCrypt |publisher=Kb2.adobe.com |accessdate=27 October 2014 }}</ref> and renders [[Linux]]-based systems unable to boot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~cjwatson/blosxom/debian/2010-08-28-windows-applications-making-grub2-unbootable.html|title=Colin Watson|date=28 August 2010 |publisher=chiark.greenend.org.uk|accessdate=27 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/441941|title=Bug #441941 "grub fails after running Windows" : Bugs : "grub2" package : Ubuntu|date=4 October 2009 |publisher=Bugs.launchpad.net|accessdate=27 October 2014}}</ref> The TrueCrypt developers also state that "the issue is caused by inappropriate design of the third-party activation software."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/incompatibilities |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416014149/http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/incompatibilities |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 April 2013 |title=TrueCrypt |publisher=Truecrypt.org |accessdate=27 October 2014 }}</ref>

==Other license management software==
* [https://licensespring.com LicenseSpring]
* IBM LUM
* [[LM-X License Manager]]
* [https://www.openlm.com/ OpenLM]
* [[Reprise License Manager]] ''(RLM)''
* Wibu-Systems
* [[Windows Genuine Advantage]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website}}

[[Category:System administration]]
[[Category:Software licensing]]
[[Category:Copy protection]]