manual plaxis network

NETWORK INSTALLATION GUIDE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Using Plaxis on a network 2 Share the software

2.1 Server Installation 2.2 Workstation Installation

3 Share the Hardlock key

3.1 Hardlock Server installation 3.2 Hardlock Workstation installation 3.3 Using TCP/IP 3.4 Monitoring Network Hardlock usage 3.5 Network hardlock manual installation

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1 USING PLAXIS ON A NETWORK The Plaxis program can use the advantages of a network in two different manners:

• Share the software: install the software on a server and share it over the network instead of installing every computer seperately.

• Share the hardlock: install a multiple-license network hardlock key on a server instead of using multiple local hardlock keys.

It should be noted that these options can be used independently of each other; e.g. install the software on every computer instead of on a server but still use a shared network hardlock key. Both options mentioned above are described in the next chapters.


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2 SHARE THE SOFTWARE In order to share the Plaxis software over a network two installation steps have to be performed:

• Server installation • Workstation installation

Note that the workstation installation is needed on every computer where Plaxis is to be used. 2.1 Server Installation

• Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM. • Select Server Installation as Setup Type • As Destination Location, select or create a folder on the file server.

This installation will install the following components:

• Program files • Examples • Help files • English manuals

The installation doesn’t make any changes to the system in terms of registering components or changing the system registry. Therefore a Server Installation can be performed directly on the server as well as from any workstation in the network. Also, after a server installation it is not possible to run Plaxis directly on the server. 2.2 Workstation Installation

• Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM. • Select Workstation Installation as Setup Type • As Destination Location, select or create a folder on the workstation • After installing indicate where the executables can be found on the server.

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This installation will install the following components:

• Database support for material sets database • Hardlock driver • Default user preferences in the registry. • Shortcuts in the program folder


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3 SHARE THE HARDLOCK KEY This procedure is only necessary when using the Plaxis network hardlock key (green/purple key). In contradiction to previous versions of Plaxis a network hardlock key can only be used on a server running Windows using the TCP/IP protocol. DOS, OS/2 and Novell Netware are no longer supported. Furthermore there is at the moment no possibility to use the network hardlock key on a Linux server. 3.1 Hardlock Server installation

• Start the Plaxis Installation from CD-ROM. • Select Network Hardlock Installation as Setup Type • Insert the registration diskette when asked for.

3.2 Hardlock Workstation installation The same hardlock driver that is used for accessing a local hardlock is also used for accessing a network hardlock. Therefore no additional hardlock installation is needed on workstations. However, in some cases it is practical to explicitly specify a search sequence using environment variables to avoid conflicts when the system automatically searches LPT port addresses. Furthermore, specifying the TCP/IP address where the hardlock can be found will decrease the search time. The syntax of the environment variables reads as follows:

HL_SEARCH=[Port],...,[Protocol],...

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[Port] comprises the I/O address in hexadecimal form and a port ID: Port ID:

Explanation:

p = parallel

Normal parallel port

e = ECP

Parallel port in ECP mode

n = NEC (Japan)

Japanese NEC models have a different port assignment. This parameter activates a special handling so that a separate NEC API is not required.

c = Compaq Contura Docking Base

The multiplexer of the docking base (used for switching between the parallel port and Ethernet adapter) is switched to the parallel port for querying a Hardlock.

i = IBM PS/2

The IBM PS/2 ID eliminates errors when reprogramming the port of certain video drivers under Windows. (The system cannot find Hardlock once Windows is started). Previously, this was done internally by the Hardlock API. This function can now only be activated by using the environment variable.

[Protocol] defines the protocol used for accessing an HL-Server. Only one protocol is supported:

Protocol:

Explanation:

IP

HL-Server searched for via TCP/IP

Example: SET HL_SEARCH=378p The system only searches for the Hardlock at the local parallel port with the address 0x378. SET HL_SEARCH=378e,2f8s


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The system searches for the Hardlock at the local parallel port with the address 0x378. The port is switched from ECP mode to “normal” mode while the Hardlock is being accessed. If the system cannot find the Hardlock, it then searches for it at the serial port with the address 0x2f8. SET HL_SEARCH=IP,278p The system first searches for a Hardlock supplied by the HL-Server using TCP/IP. If it is not able to log into the HL-Server, it then searches for the Hardlock at the local parallel port with address 0x278. 3.3 Using TCP/IP When the network hardlock is to be approached with the TCP/IP protocol it is possible to specify the address where hardlock can be found. The search sequence for the IP protocol will then be : 1. Environment variable HLS_IPADDR (see below) 2. If no environment variable has been defined, the search takes place via DNS

or HOSTS for the station HLSERVER. 3. If no address has been found, the search takes place via broadcast

(255.255.255.255) in the local segment. To transfer IP packets, Winsock calls over a corresponding (16 or 32 bit) WINSOCK.DLL. Please note that during installation many Internet clients install their own WINSOCK.DLL (CompuServe, AOL, T-online). In this case, accessing IP calls the Internet provider if the HL-Server was not found. In order to improve the search via the TCP/IP protocol, the environment variable HLS_IPADDR has been introduced. With it one or more IP addresses or names can be defined. However, by entering several addresses at the same time - in contrast to HL_SEARCH - you cannot predict which of the defined Hardlock Servers will ultimately be used. Example: SET HLS_IPADDR=192.9.209.17,hardlock.server

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HLS IPADDR can also be used to define broadcast addresses: SET HLS_IPADDR=192.9.209.255,192.9.201.255 Since IP networks generally have considerably greater differences in propagation time than other networks (e.g. WAN routes), timeouts and retries for the clients must be kept within bounds. The default values are set so that the HL-Server can be found with an existing 64kbit connection. SET HLS_WAIT= sets the delay between retries in milliseconds

default TCP/IP: 1000, min 200 max 30000

SET HLS_RETRIES= sets the number of retries until message DONGLE_NOT_FOUND is returned:

default 5 min 2 max 30

3.4 Monitoring Network Hardlock usage In addition to the network hardlock drivers a tool can be installed to monitor and change network hardlocks. The tool is called “AKS monitor” but it is not installed automatically. The self-extracting installation version (AKSMON32.EXE) can be found in the HARDLOCK directory on the Plaxis Installation CD. Please note that this tool is not part of the Plaxis program but provided by the Hardlock manufacturer.


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3.5 Network hardlock manual installation A Hardlock server installation has three steps:

1. Copying the License File to the proper directory 2. Installing the local hardlock driver on the computer being used as hardlock

server 3. Installing the HLServer driver on that same computer

Both steps should be performed automatically by the Plaxis Network hardlock installation but occasionally this procedure fails and the network hardlock has to be installed manually. Installation procedure:

1. The License File is a file with an 8-digit hexadecimal number as file name and “.ALF” as extension. This file is located on the Plaxis Network license disk. This file must be copied in the ‘system’ directory of the server; this ‘system’ directory has different names depending on the operating system used. Assuming that Windows has been installed on drive C: this ‘system’ directory usually is

• “c:\winnt\system32” for Windows NT and Windows 2000 • “c:\windows\system32” for Windows XP • “c:\windows\system” for Windows 98

2. On the computer that will be used as hardlock server the local hardlock driver installation program “HLDRV32.EXE” must be run. This installation program can be found on the Plaxis CD in the directory “hardlock”.

3. On the computer that will be used as hardlock server the network hardlock driver installation program “HLSW32.EXE” must be run. This installation program can be found on the Plaxis CD in the directory “hardlock\server”.

Checking the installation with Aladdin Monitor: The Aladdin Monitor can be started from any computer. After starting the Aladdin Monitor it shows a screen as given below. At the left hand side there is a tree showing all computers in the network where the network hardlock driver (HLServer) has been installed. The local computer, that is the computer from which

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the Aladdin Monitor has been started, is indicated by the word “(local)” behind its name. Every computer with HLServer installed can have one or more hardlocks attached. A Hardlock is automatically added to the tree when the Plaxis program is accessing the hardlock for the first time. Alternatively it can be added manually by selecting the proper computer from the tree, entering the module address and pressing the “Add” button. There are 2 possible module addresses:

1. 25462 for Plaxis 2D products (Plaxis V8, PlaxFlow) 2. 25458 for Plaxis 3D products (Plaxis 3D Tunnel)

Furthermore it is possible that hardlocks with module address 25459 are available in the network; these are hardlocks of Plaxis 7.x


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When a hardlock is selected from the tree the program must show 2 lists on the right as shown in the next figure. The top list shows the license information of the hardlock. The first column shows “slots”; every slot is a different Plaxis product and when a slot is selected the bottom list shows how many users are logged in to that specific license (the login table). If HLServer cannot find the License File (ALF file) then the license information list is not available. In this case the Aladdin Monitor only shows the login table for slot 0. However, the login table will be empty since Plaxis does not start if the license information cannot be retrieved (the “No Hardlock found” error message appears).

In order to make sure the License File can be found the path where it is located can be specified. To do so the environment variable “HL_LICENSEDIR” must be added to the server. Its value is the path where the License File is located without the name of the file itself; for instance “C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32”. After adding the environment variable it usually works directly but in some cases it may be needed to reset the server.

manual plaxis network

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