Licensing FAQ

All products you have purchased or wish to evaluate can be registered, downloaded and installed at one time from the Product Registration and Download site. The following help topics provide answers to the most commonly asked questions about product registration and download.

Note: Please note that ISE licenses are available at no cost and can be downloaded from the licensing account. This FAQ page talks about only Vivado Licensing.

Help with Installing or Using AMD Products:

  • WebCase - Submit a WebCase to Technical Support
  • Answer Records - Search the Answers Database from our main support page
  • Documentation - Software Manuals, User Guides, Data Sheets and Application Notes.
  • Support Community - Scan the threads for topics of interest or create your own in this Support Community.

1. Using the Product Download and Licensing Web Sites

The Product Licensing Site is accessible in various ways depending on the type of license being generated.

  • If you purchased products, follow the instructions included in your order confirmation email. If it contains a link, it will provide direct access to an account containing your products entitlements.
  • If you want to evaluate Vivado™ Design Suite, download the free Standard Edition of Vivado ML.
  • If you want to evaluate IP products, go to the IP Center and follow the "Evaluate" link on the IP product page of interest.
  • You may also click here to access the Product Licensing Site.
  • You must first sign in. If you have already created a xilinx.com user account, simply enter you username and password and then validate your contact information is current. If you do not have a xilinx.com user account, click the "Create Account" button.

To download a tool, go to Downloads which provides the general download information. From this page, perform the following:

  1. You can download individual OS-specific installers in TAR format. You can also download a self-extracting Web Install thin client executable for your OS. The thin client allows you to select devices and components you wish to install, and the client will only download the files you need for the installation you selected.
    1. The TAR files will be downloaded using the Akamai download manager. For the optimum download experience.
    2. Allow pop-ups from entitlenow.com
    3. Set security settings to allow for secure and non-secure items to be displayed on the same page .
    4. Allow the Akamai download manager to run Java processes (Mozilla-based browsers) or ActiveX plugins (Internet Explorer)
  2. For TAR formatted files, you will need to use software from a third party provider to untar them. Consult your IT department for assistance. 7-ZIP, GNU built-in tools, WinZIP, and WinRar are commonly used tools for decompression and are licensed solely by each respective developer and not AMD. AMD hereby disclaims any warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement with respect to these suggested software tools.

  3. Click on the link next to the install you want to download.
  4. Enter your User ID and Password to log into your AMD account. If you do not have a AMD account, you will need to create one. An address verification screen will appear.
  5. Once the current address is correct, click Next. The Akamai download manager will launch and start your download.

 

When you purchase a tool or IP product from AMD, you are really purchasing a license to use and receive updates for that product for one year. This license to use AMD tools and IP product is managed through the use of product entitlements. A product entitlement is the determination of:

  • Which product was purchased
  • The number of seats purchased
  • The license type (floating or node-locked)
  • The product subscription period (product updates provided throughout the year).

In addition to managing the product entitlements for your purchased tools and IP, you can also access product entitlements for No Charge or Evaluation products. Full and No Charge licenses have a subscription period of 1 year. Tools evaluation is for 30-days and IP evaluations are for 120 days.

The redemption of a product entitlement results in the web site producing one or more license keys. When installed, the license keys enable the use of the tool and IP that was purchased or is being evaluated. Your product entitlements and resulting licenses are managed in a product entitlement account on the AMD web site.

Product entitlement accounts are company, site and administrator specific. All purchases made can be managed in the same product entitlement account. A company site can have multiple accounts managed by different administrators. This is helpful if a site has multiple design teams working on differing projects with different budget pools.

There are various user types for the Product Licensing Site, which are customer account administrator, end user, and evaluation user.

  • Customer Account Administrator: An example of a typical customer account administrator is a CAD tools manager. Every product entitlement account MUST have at least one customer account administrator. A customer account administrator can manage more than one product entitlement account. The responsibilities as the customer account administrator include:
    • Generating node-locked or floating licenses for AMD tool and IP products
    • See license generation activity for all the other members of the product entitlement account
    • Adding and removing users from the product entitlement account (as desired)
    • Assigning administrative and floating license privileges to other users (as desired)
  • The original customer account administrator is the "Ship To" contact that is identified during the product ordering process. That person will receive an email with instructions on how to download and license each of the products that were purchased. It is important that the customer account administrator follow the link in the email, as it will ensure that he can obtain access to the purchased products.

  • End User with floating license privileges: Adding end users to a product entitlement account with floating license privileges allows an engineer or design team member the flexibility to manage and generate license keys on their own. The end user may generate license keys for node-locked and floating product entitlements within the account. The end user is also allowed to generate license keys for evaluation software tool and evaluation or no charge IP products.
    • Generating node-locked or floating licenses for AMD tool and IP products.
    • See license generation activity for all other members of the product entitlement account.
    • An end user with floating license privileges is not able to add or remove other users to or from the product entitlement account. 
  • End User:  Adding end users to a product entitlement account allows an engineer or design team member the flexibility to manage and generate license keys on their own. The end user may generate license keys for node-locked product entitlements within the account. An end user is also allowed to generate license keys for evaluation software tool and evaluation or no charge IP products. Some restrictions are placed on the role of the end user
    • An end user is not able to generate floating license keys. Only customer account administrators and end users with floating license privileges can generate server based (floating) license keys. Product entitlements for floating licenses are not viewable by end users in an account.
    • An end user is not able to view the license keys generated by other users.
    • An end user is not able to add or remove other users to or from the product entitlement account.
  • Evaluation User:  An evaluation user is someone who would like to "test-drive" Design Tool products. Evaluation users can:
    • Generate a 30-day free evaluation license key for AMD Design Tools.
    • Generate a no charge WebPACK or Embedded Software Development Kit (SDK) license
    • Generate license keys for evaluation and no charge IP products.

    Note: A customer who is already licensed for a full version of a AMD tool product may test-drive other AMD Design Tool product editions or IP. These product entitlements are made available in the same product entitlement account. All user types can download products electronically.

In order to generate a license for your purchased or evaluation product do the following:

  • Click on the "Create License" tab on the Product Licensing Site.
  • Select Products: Begin the license generation process for products you have purchased or wish to evaluate by performing the following actions:
    • Pull down the account drop-down list and select your desired account. This selection will not be available if you are only entitled to evaluation or free products.
    • Select the product entitlement account you wish to administer.
    • Make your product selections from the product entitlement table.

      The type of product entitlements available are Full (purchased), No Charge, or Evaluation. Full and No Charge licenses have a subscription period of 1 year. A design tool evaluation is for 30 days and IP evaluations are for 120 days. 
      Note:

    • Floating and node-locked licenses cannot be combined in the same license. The interaction of the user interface will not allow you to make invalid product selections. Experiment by selecting and deselecting products in the product entitlement table.
    • For design tools, available seats represent the number of seats available for licensing over the total number of seats purchased. For IP, seats are managed according to the terms of the site wide agreement.
    • Products with a status of "Current" are within their warranty period. Products with a status of "Expired" have a warranty period end date that has passed. If seats are available, licenses can be generated for either "Current" or "Expired" product entitlements.
    • The Vivado Design Suite: 30-Day Evaluation Node-Locked product entitlement provides access to all the capabilities in the Vivado Design Suite tool set. This product entitlement is automatically included in your product entitlement account. Evaluation and No Charge IP can be added to the list of product entitlements by clicking on the "Add Evaluation and No Charge IP Cores" button.
    • IP products are typically sold as site licenses providing the administrator the ability to generate license keys for floating and node-locked license types.
  • Generate a License: Click the "Generate License" or the "Activate License" button which corresponds to the type of license key file you are generating (floating or node-locked). A form will pop-up allowing you to define the characteristics of your license file. Complete the license generation form as follows:
    • Select the number of seats required for each product license. This is for floating licenses only. All node-locked licenses are for one seat. The number of seats available for a product entitlement is automatically maintained by the system. A product is removed from the product entitlement table if all seats have been activated.
    • Enter system information.
      • System information is pre-populated in the option menu if you arrived at the Product Licensing Site from a link within Vivado License Manager (VLM).
      • A redundant server configuration provides a fail over for the license manager. As long as two of the three servers are running, the license manager can continue to run.
      • For certificate-based licenses (.lic files), if you do not have pre-populated system information or wish to add a different host, select the "Add a host..." option from the option menu.
      • The host ID is a value that uniquely identifies the machine to which your design tools or IP is licensed. You may choose a host ID type to be a MAC address, a hard drive serial number, a dongle ID, or a Solaris host ID. Not all host ID types are supported for all operating systems. The easiest way to obtain your host ID(s) is to run the XLCM on the machine that will serve as the license host.
    • Provide a comment. Adding a comment to the license key file makes it easy for an administrator to keep notes on how tool and IP product entitlements are allocated among users.
    • Click the "Next" button. A Review License Request form appears.
    • Review your selections. If you are satisfied with your selections confirm them by clicking the "Next" button.

      End User License Agreements (EULAs): AMD Design Tools and No Charge IP product EULAs are agreed to during the product installation process. If you license IP products, you must "accept" the terms of the associated IP product EULAs before the license file can be generated. License Generation Confirmation: Upon completion of the license generation process, you will receive a confirmation message providing a summary of your licensing activity. You will also receive a license generation confirmation email. This message contains the license key file that was generated as an attachment. Add xilinx.notifications@entitlenow.com as a trusted sender in your address book.

If you have generated a license in the Xilinx.com download center and have not yet received it via email, please check your spam or junk folder. The email can be blocked by email filters. You may need to contact your IT department as the emails can be blocked at the server level. You may also add xilinx.notification@entitlenow.com to your safe senders list.

The license can also be directly downloaded from the Product Licensing site at any time. Go to the Manage Licenses tab, select the generated license, and select the Download arrow in the bottom left corner.

The Product Licensing Site keeps track of the licenses you have generated. By clicking the "Manage Licenses" tab, you can see all of the licenses that have been generated for your product entitlement account. From the Manage Licenses page, the actions described below can be taken depending upon your needs.

  • Exploring and Retrieving Your Existing License Files: Information regarding the license files records that have been generated in your product entitlement account are presented in a "master / detail" view. By clicking on a row in the master view in the top table, detailed information about the license file is displayed in the detail view in the bottom table. The detail view table includes:
    • List of product entitlements that have been redeemed in the file
    • Comments associated with the key file
    • Ability to download, email, or copy and paste the contents of the license file (click the corresponding icons on the lower left portion of the detail view)
    • Ability to delete a license file - certificate-based licenses (.lic) only.
    • Ability to view the end user license agreement you accepted (if applicable)
  • Modifying a Certificate-based License File: In order to modify an existing license file, select the license in the master view and then click the "Modify License" button in the detail view. A certificate-based license file can be modified in one of the following ways:
    • Rehosting or changing the license server host for a license file
    • Adding additional seats to an existing license file
    • Removing seats from an existing license file
    • Adding additional product entitlements to a license file
    • Deleting product entitlements from a license file
    • The process for modifying a license file uses the same input form as when the file was created except that additional product entitlements of the same license type (floating or node-locked) are made available for licensing.

  • Reclaiming Deleted License Components: A license component entitlement is deleted when one of the following occurs:
    • Changing the license server host for a license file.
    • Removing seats from an existing licensed product entitlement.
    • Deleting product entitlements from a license file.

Once a seat of development tools has been purchased, it cannot be changed. Non-Cancelable, Non-Returnable (NCNR) terms apply to all Development Systems products.

However, there may be special cases where returns/credits are allowed. If you have any questions, please contact your local Distributor or Customer Service Team.

In the event that a return or credit is approved, you must do the following to change a node-locked seat to a floating seat (or vice-versa).

Certificate-based Licenses (.lic files)

1. Delete all licenses that you have generated for this tool in the "manage license" tab of your AMD license account. 
2. Agree to the electronic affidavit of destruction. 
3. Initiate an RMA with the distributor your design tool was purchased through. 
4. Once the RMA has been approved, you may purchase the type of license you require.

Note: If the license type on the Create Licenses tab shows "Floating/Node-Locked," This indicates that the purchase or entitlement allows either a floating or node-locked license to be generated for this product. In this case, steps 3 and 4 (RMA and repurchase) are not needed and you may simple carry out steps one and two and then regenerate the desired license type.

The responsibility of administering a product entitlement account may be transferred or shared with another user. The ability to add or remove users from a product entitlement account is provided under the "Manage Users" tab.

  • Adding Users: To add a user to your product entitlement account, type in the corporate email address of the new user. Check the "Administrator" check box if you want the new user to have full customer account administrative privileges. Check the "Floating" check box if you want the new user to have customer account privileges to manage and view floating licenses but not to add or remove other users. The email address you provide must be the same email address the user supplied or supplies when creating their AMD account. If not, the user may not be properly recognized when logging in.
    • If a user has already logged into the Product Licensing Site, their name will automatically appear in the user list. If the user has never been to the site, the words "Not Yet Registered" will appear in the space for their name. Once the user has completed the sign in process, their name will be filled in.
  • Removing Users:
    • Administrative privileges may be removed from users of an account by unchecking the "Administrator" check box which corresponds to the respective user.
    • Floating Privileges may be removed from users of an account by unchecking the "Floating" check box which corresponds to the respective user.
    • To remove a user from a product entitlement account, click the "Trash can" icon which corresponds to the respective user.

2. Download & Installation

AMD compresses files using self extracting executables, ZIP and TAR methods. You will need to use software from a third party provider to decompress ZIP and TAR file types. Please consult your IT department for assistance. 7-ZIP, GNU built-in tools, WinZIP, and WinRar are commonly used tools for decompression and are licensed solely by each respective developer and not AMD. Please be advised that AMD hereby disclaims any warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement with respect to these suggested software tools.

AMD has grouped the tools according to type of licenses we provide and OS. The Vivado Full Image download is an all-in one download, it contains the installer for all editions along with SDK and Lab Tools. If you will only install on a specific OS, download the OS specific download. 
To use the Web Install Thin Client, and download only the files you will actually need, download the Operating System which matches the one on your machine.

The use of the supplied Download Manager plug-in is required and will ensure the complete download for all files downloaded from this site. The Download Manager plug-in follows the standard plug-in installation convention. The Download Manager browser plug-in must be installed in order to download your product from this site.

To download and install the design tool, you have to register with Xilinx.com. After doing so, the tool is available for you to download and install. Once you receive you license, you can use Vivado License Manager (Vivado) to set up your license for use with the AMD Design Tools.

Yes, when you are installing the design tool, select a different directory for the tools to be installed to. When you want to change which Design Tools you would like to use, simply change the AMD environment variables to the set of tools you want to use.

3. FlexNet Licensing Overview

FlexNet Publisher Licensing, also known as FLEX and previously FLEXlm licensing, is a certificate-based, run-time licensing service sold by Flexera Software and used throughout the industry. The certificate is an encrypted "key" which resides in a "license file". Applications automatically try to check-out a license by providing the "key" to the FLEX services. These services reside on a local machine or a network server.

NOTE: License check-in and check-out happen automatically when an application is open and closed; check-in and check-out do not require a specific action on the part of the user.

AMD offers both node-locked and floating (or network floating server) licenses. 

A node-locked license is an encrypted "key" that is locked to a specific machine or dongle (certificate licenses only). The license is uncounted, meaning that there can be an unlimited number of simultaneous runs on the single machine.

A network floating license allows a user to use a license from any machine that can access the identified license server. An encrypted "key" is locked to a license server host that runs the FLEX license server daemon. The license is "counted," meaning that the FLEX license manager keeps track of the number of "seats" hosted by that server.

The count for a AMD floating license is a hard limit. If you own 20 seats, and 20 users are using licensed tools at the same time, all the licenses will be in use. If a 21st user tries to run the tool, their attempted license check-out will fail, and the application will not run.

The license type for a tools license is chosen at the time of purchase.

New customers or customers requiring renewal will purchase an Edition of the Design Tools. These Edition products will be distinguished by license types, and this will be reflected in the part number you order.

The license type for a LogiCORE IP license is chosen when the license is generated.

Licenses are checked out only when an application that needs a license starts to run. Most applications will checkout and hold this license for the duration the application is open.

One. With a floating network license, SmartXplorer and ExploreAhead will check out only one tool license or seat, even though many (e.g., 30) simultaneous spawns of MAP or PAR are going on across many (e.g., 30) different network machines. For node-locked licenses, users will not be able to use SmartXplorer or ExploreAhead to spawn to other machines, but can run multiple jobs locally on that single license (e.g., one job on each processor of a multi-core system).

Yes, certificate licenses for AMD design tools and IP can be generated for a USB FLEXnet version 9. Dongles may be purchased from Flexera or one of our Distributors. USB dongle licensing is supported on Windows platforms only.

Note: In order to use USB FLEX ID Dongle with Windows operating systems, you will need to install the appropriate driver prior to creating a FLEXnet license for use with it.

  1. Install Design Tools software first. This will contain the installer for the USB FLEXid dongle driver. Run FLEXId_Dongle_Driver_Installer.exe found in \Vivado\<version>\ids_lite\ISE\bin\nt64 \ISE\bin\nt.
  2. On the Select Options screen, ensure that only FLEXid 9 Drivers is checked.
  3. Click Next twice, and the driver will install. After installation, a screen will appear asking you if you wish to reboot. You will need to reboot to ensure that the dongle operates correctly.

4. What is Licensed

Vivado Synthesis Synthesis feature checked out and held during synth_design
Vivado Implementation Implementation feature checked out and held during opt_design, place_design, route_design, and power opt design
Vivado Simulation Simulation feature checked out and held during simulation compilation. Line limited slowdown if not found
Dynamic Function eXchange (DFX) As of Vivado 2019.1, no license is required to enable the DFX (formerly Partial Reconfiguration) solution.  Prior versions of Vivado require a Partial Reconfiguration license feature, which is included at no extra charge with all edition licenses.
DSP
  -- System Generator SysGen feature needed for Generate command.
  -- Model Composer This feature is needed for running Model Composer tool

No, Vivado WebPACK does not require a license.

No. Vivado licenses are only checked out while flows are actually running.

5. Levels of FLEX Licenses for AMD software

You can acquire one of the following types of licenses to enable usage of AMD software applications:

  • 30-day trial license
  • 30-day evaluation license
  • WebPACK license
  • Purchased license

A 30-day trial license allows you to target every AMD device and run all AMD applications (with exception of bitstream generation). The 30-day trial license expires 30 days from the date it is generated.

A 30-day evaluation license allows you to target every AMD device and run all AMD applications (including bitstream generation). The 30-day evaluation license expires 30 days from the date it is generated. The 30-day evaluation license is a node-locked license.

A purchased license allows you to target all CPLD and FPGA devices, and run all AMD applications,which you have purchased. (including bitstream generation). A purchased license does not expire. However, some purchased licenses do contain a version limit (Typically one year after the purchase date). In this case, a user will be required to obtain a new license when updating to a new version of software released after the version limit month.

6. Levels of FLEX licenses for LogiCORE IP Cores

A Simulation-Only or Design-Linking license for a LogiCORE IP Core is an evaluation license key that allows you to run through the entire design flow and perform both pre- and post-implementation simulation. However, you cannot generate bitstreams for designs that contain LogiCORE IP Cores enabled by a Simulation Only license.

A LogiCORE IP Core Full System Hardware Evaluation license enables you to run through the entire design flow, including implementation, simulation, and bitstream generation. However, the generated bitstream contains circuitry that disables the design after 2 to 8 hours of operation at the typical clock rate for the core. The actual duration of the operational period varies on a core-by-core basis. To start the device working again, you must reload the bitstream (reset or reprogram the device).

A LogiCORE IP Core Full (no source) license key allows complete access to the LogiCORE IP Core netlist and enables you to run through the entire design flow, including implementation, simulation, and bitstream generation. A design containing cores for which a full license exists can be programmed into an FPGA for continued use.

NOTE: When a LogiCORE IP Core evaluation license is replaced with a full license, the core has to be regenerated and the design re-implemented. This ensures that the core netlist does not contain the limitations that characterize evaluation cores.

Purchasing a license for a LogiCORE IP Core's Source Code allows you to generate the LogiCORE IP Core netlist and enables you to run through the entire AMD design flow including, implementation, simulation, and bitstream generation. A design containing cores for which you have purchased a source code license can be programmed into an FPGA for continued use. In Addition, the source code license also entitles you to access the source code for the core, which may be generated with the core, or provided to you separately. Source code licenses are only available for a few select IP cores.

NOTE: When a LogiCORE IP Core evaluation license key is replaced with the license provided under a source code license, the core has to must be regenerated and the design re-implemented. This ensures that the core netlist does not contain the limitations that characterize evaluation cores.

7. Expiration and Warranty Period

License expiration for AMD software and IP licenses is as follows:

  • Purchased SW and purchased IP licenses never expire, but only enable the set of software and IP versions released before or during your warranty period.
  • Evaluation and trial licenses for software expire 30 days from the day they were generated.
  • Hardware evaluation IP license expiration is four months starting in 11.1
  • LogiCORE IP licenses which require no fee do not expire and full LogiCORE IP licenses which you purchase do not expire. However, full license keys only enable versions of the IP core released during or prior to your 1-year warranty period. To access new IP versions and associated enhancements and bug fixes after your initial 1-year warranty period expires, you must renew your support contract annually.

Yes, all licenses will have a Version Limit.

  • The Version Limit corresponds to a year and a month (e.g., 2015.04 corresponds to April 2015) and to the end of the customer’s warranty period.
  • The license will enable any version of the tool released before the Version Limit.
  • WebPACK licenses have a version limit of one year after the software was initially released
  • IP Full and Source Code license keys enable all versions of the IP released before the version limit.

The version limit of AMD Design Tools software is based on the final build date of the software release. For IP cores, the Version Limit is based on the build date of the software release when the particular version of the IP core was first released. For additional information see: Answer Record 33770

The contract or warranty period of a license is reflected in the Version Limit.

  • For a WebPACK license, the Version Limit is one year after the software was initially released.
  • For a purchased license, the Version Limit month is typically one year after the tool was purchased.

No, the license allows you to continue using this version of the software for as long as you want. A purchased software license never expires.

Yes, the FLEX license will work with any release versions, updates, or service packs of the software that are released before the Version Limit has passed.

No, the FLEX license will not work with any version, update, or service packs of the software that was released after the Version Limit has passed.

The date for a software release is based on the official release date set by AMD, not when you actually try to install the software. Therefore, you can install and use any product that was released before the end of the Version Limit, even if the Version Limit has already passed.

8. Obtaining a License

There are two ways to obtain a license for a free or purchased product entitlement:

1. For different types of Vivado tools and IP licenses, from the Vivado License Manager (VLM):

  1. Chose the “Obtain a License” screen.
  2. Select the desired license type and click either the “Connect Now” button, if you are connected to the internet, or the “Save Information” button to create an HTML file for later use when internet access is available
  •  If “Connect Now”, you will be automatically taken to the necessary Web locations to register or generate licenses. Vivado License Manager can be accessed in the following ways:

    • When the installer finishes, Vivado License Manager will launch on the "Obtain A License" mode.
    • From Vivado,  select Help -> Obtain a License Key.
    • From a command shell type "vlm".
    • dcxUsing the Windows Start menu, select "Manage Xilinx Licenses" under "Xilinx Design Tools> Vivado <Version>."

2. For certificate based tools and IP licenses, a customer can also go to the Product Licensing Center and enter the required information directly.

The FLEX HostID can be obtained through any of the following means:

  • Open the Xilinx License Manager (XLCM)
    • At the bottom of the "Manage Xilinx Licenses" tab, XLCM will list any valid Host IDs found including Network Interface Card ID (or Ethernet MAC address), C: drive serial number and FLEXID dongle ID.
  • Open the Vivado License Manager (VLM)
    • Click on the "System Information" screen under the "System Settings" section of VLM. This screen will list any valid Host IDs found including Network Interface Card ID (or Ethernet MAC address), C: drive serial number and FLEXID dongle ID.
  • From a command prompt:
    • On Windows
      • For Ethernet Address: Type "lmutil lmhostid" –use any of the listed 12 digit Host IDs.
      • For Dongles: "lmutil lmhostid -flexid"
    • On Linux: Type "lmutil lmhostid".

A Floating license can be generated only by a person who has been designated as a FLEX Administrator or a floating license administrator for the customer’s Entitlement Account. The initial customer account administrator(s) will be identified on the product’s Purchase Order. A FLEX administer may add additional users to their account and may designate any account users as an administrator or give any user floating license privileges.

Yes if you are the FLEX Administrator or a user with floating license privileges. When generating a Floating license from the Download and licensing website, select "Yes" next to Redundant Server under System Information. This will enable you to enter the three server HostIDs.

The FLEX Administrator can be anyone trusted to generate FLEX floating licenses and to grant Admin, Floating License, or End User privileges to other persons for the customer account. The initial FLEX Administrator is the person that is identified on the purchase order as the End-user or Administrator contact.

NOTE: A purchasing agent should NOT be listed for this!

A FLEX Administrator can do any of the following:

  • Generate floating licenses
  • Generate node-locked licenses for other people
  • Add end-users and other administrators to the system
  • Give administrator or floating privileges to other users
  • Remove users from an account

If there is an existing FLEX Administrator on the account, they can add a new  FLEX Administrator to the account. If there are no FLEX Administrators available on the account, call Customer Service to set a new FLEX Administrator.

The software binaries, used for various levels of software (i.e., Trial, WebPack, Design Edition, etc.) are the same. Therefore, the level of the AMD Software can be changed at any time by acquiring a license of the desired level from the AMD website. See "How do I get a License?" Device families and applicable software for the selected software level should also be installed prior to use.

The end-user or administrator can initiate a re-host (Modify License) operation from the Product Licensing website for certificate-base licenses. In order to modify an existing license file, click on the Manage License tab, select the license file in the master view and then click the Modify License button in the detail view. 
After clicking to agree to destroy all copies of this old key, the customer will be able to generate a new key for the new machine. An end-user is allowed 3 of these self-service re-host operations, and an administrator is allowed 5 deletions or re-hosts per major release. If that number is exceeded, the end-user or customer administrator would need to call  Customer Service to have automated re-hosting/deletion permissions reset.

NOTE: If you are entitled to a site license for a feature you should simply visit the Product Licensing website and generate a new license with the HostID of the new computer.

9. Using a Node-Locked or Client License

It is a license that is locked to a specific machine or, for certificate based-licenses, a dongle. The license is uncounted, meaning that there can be an unlimited number of simultaneous runs (by any user) on the single machine.

Example Node-Locked License

INCREMENT System_Edition xilinxd 2013.06 permanent uncounted \ EE05B6C46335 \ VENDOR_STRING=joe.smith@acme,System_Edition,software,permanent,_27773986_134688_210178122_805 \ HOSTID=00216a62bb5c ISSUER="Xilinx Inc" START=22-Jul-2012 \ TS_OK

After generating a license file, you will receive an e-mail from xilinx.notifications@entitlenow.com

  1. Save the license file attached to the e-mail to a temporary directory on your local system
  2. Run the Xilinx License Configuration Manager (XLCM) or Vivado License Manager (VLM), if you have closed it, and change to the Manage Xilinx Licenses tab (XLCM) or Load License Screen (VLM).
  3. Click on the "Copy License..." button at the top of the page.
  4. Browse to your Xilinx.lic file and click Open 
    • This will copy this license file to the %APPDATA%\Xilinx (Windows) or $HOME/.Xilinx (Linux) directory of your machine where it will be automatically found by the Xilinx tools.
    • If you wish to verify that the license is now visible to the Xilinx tools:

      For XLCM: Look in the license table on the Manage Xilinx Licenses tab. 
      For VLM: Look on the View License Status screen.

No, the software confirms that the product is being run on the correct machine with the matching host information as specified by the license.

A Node-Locked License can be locked to a Network Interface Card ID (or Ethernet MAC address), C: drive serial number (Volume number), or FLEXID dongle ID.

The answer depends on the user and how/where they will be using the license. Below are some things to consider:

  • As long as you do not replace your hard drive, the Disk Serial Number (Volume ID) is reliable.
  • Disk Serial Number (Volume ID) is only valid for Windows platforms.
  • A FLEXID hardware key (dongle) allows a single Node-Locked license to be moved easily between computers.
  • A FLEXID hardware key (dongle) only comes with drivers for
  • A FLEXID hardware key (dongle) must be purchased separately.
  • A FLEXID hardware key (dongle) purchased from AMD only comes with drivers for Windows operating systems.
  • Some laptops have a feature that disables the LAN port when not in use. This may result in the LAN Network Interface Card ID (or Local Ethernet MAC address) “disappearing” (or not being available) when the laptop is undocked.
  • A wireless Network Interface Card ID (or wireless Ethernet MAC address) will typically be available when the laptop is docked or un-docked.
  • Some Laptops have an airplane mode. If this mode automatically disables the Network Interface Card (NIC), the wireless MAC ID will not be available.

A Node-Locked License can be used on a remote terminal if:

  1. The license is locked to the computer or a FLEX dongle connected to the computer actually running the application, and
  2. The license is generated with the TS_OK string.

Software and LogiCORE IP CORE licenses contain the TS_OK string to allow use from a remote desktop.

10. Using a Floating or Server License

Certificate-based Network Floating Licenses are locked to a license server host running the FLEX license server daemon. A floating license is counted, which means there is a quantity entered in the "count" field of the FLEX license equal to the number of "seats" hosted by that server. A license is checked out per unique user. Therefore, if Joe and Bob are running Vivado implementation on two different machines at the same time, two Vivado seats will be checked out. For example, the license below allows for 10 seats of PlanAhead, ChipscopePro, and/or ISIM to be run simultaneously.

#Example Floating License # SERVER my_server1 80f0e696 2100 # USE_SERVER # VENDOR xilinxd # # This license is valid for permanent ( 0 days ) from Thu Mar 05 16:53:45 GMT+00:00 2012 INCREMENT Logic_Edition xilinxd 2013.03 permanent 10 9AF27E183C6D \ VENDOR_STRING=joe@gmail.com_Logic_Edition_software_permanent_1000 \ ISSUER="Xilinx Inc" START=05-Mar-2012 TS_OK # --------------------------------------------------------------- # PACKAGE Vivado_System_Edition xilinxd 2013.03 BCA973EE74F2 \ COMPONENTS="SDK SysGen PartialReconfiguration Simulation \ Lets update with the latest license with no simulation, system etc

Implementation Analyzer HLS Synthesis" OPTIONS=SUITE

It is recommended that the license executable (lmgrd), the license file, and the debug and report log files are all on locally mounted disks.

When I receive my generated floating license, should / can the license be edited in any way? When generating a certificate-based floating license on the Licensing site, you are prompted for the server name and hostID. Additionally, a port number (2100) is added to the generated license.

  • The hostID is included in the license DRC and will result in an error if changed.
  • The server name is not included in the DRC and may be changed but should only be changed to match the actual name of the server being used.
  • The port number is not included in the DRC and may be changed to any valid available port. The port should only be modified by users who understand what they are doing and must match the port number indicated in the XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE or LM_LICENSE_FILE variable (e.g. 2001@my_server).
  • Any text include on a feature or increment line is included in the license DRC and should not be edited.

Yes, in order to generate a 3-redundant server license, for a floating license, the license account or floating license administrator will need to select ‘Yes’ on the right of the “Redundant Server?” line. This will enable the administrator to select or add hostID information for a primary and two backup servers. In a Redundant license server system: Three machines are identified as license servers, but only one is the master that can issue licenses. Each machine has an identical copy of the license file with three SERVER lines, one for each SERVER identified.

As an alternative to Redundant License servers, some users prefer to use a license-file list. When using a License file list: Split the licenses into multiple files and identify the locations in the XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE environment variable separated on UNIX by a colon (:) and on Windows by a semicolon (;). Example: 1700@mylicense1: 1700@mylicense2

AMD does not currently support floating license queuing.

AMD does not currently support floating license borrowing.

To start the license server system invoke the license server manager (lmgrd) on the server machine.

  • Certificate-based Servers "lmgrd -c 〈filename.lic〉 " for a single license file or "lmgrd -c- 〈Directory name〉 to have lmgrd processes all files with the .lic extension in the license-directory and start all vendor daemons referred to in those files.
  • For clients to point to a Floating License key either the XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE variable (preferred) or the LM_LICENSE_FILE variable must point to the port@server location.

Note: For Linux operating systems, the environment variable must be set using the appropriate shell and commands.

The License Server Utilities (lmgrd, lmutil, xlicsrvrmgr, and xilinxd) can be downloaded from the Product Downloads website.

  1. Go to Product Download website.
  2. For the latest server tools, select the Vivado Design Tools tab and the latest version Vivado
  3. Click on the Download arrow next to the desired Linux or Windows platform under "License Management Tools".

11. Working with License Files

The easiest way to check for all available Xilinx licenses is with the Xilinx License Configuration Manager (XLCM)or the Vivado License Manager (VLM). In XLCM select the Manage Xilinx Licenses tab, or in VLM, select the View License Status screen. The license manager will indicate all Xilinx licenses running on servers pointed to by XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE and LM_LICENSE_FILE environment variables as well as licenses located in the $HOMEDIR/.xilinx directory. Alternately, from a command shell, the"lmutil lmdiag" command can be used to show all FLEX licenses available in a given directory or running on a given server.

Example:
lmutil lmdiag -c %APPDATA%\Xilinx
lmutil lmdiag -c 1700@my_license_server

Yes, license files can be merged by simply copying the contents of each file into a new file using a text editor. Note that for floating licenses, the SERVER line must be the same on each of the files before merging them, and only one SERVER line should remain on the resulting combined license file.

Xilinx applications (including XLCM and VLM) look for FLEX licenses in the locations and order listed in the following table:

Order Windows Location Linux Location
1 All the places listed by the environment variable XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE, if set. All the places listed by the environment variable XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE, if set.
2 Location cached for XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE in the registry ("HKLM\Software\FLEXlm License Manager") Location cached for XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE
3 All the places listed by the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE, if set. All the places listed by the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE, if set.
4 %APPDATA%\Xilinx*.lic $HOME/.Xilinx/*.lic
5 %APPDATA%\Xilinx\Coregen\CoreLicenses\*.lic (supported from 11.2 onwards) $HOME/.Xilinx/Coregen/CoreLicenses/*.lic (supported from 11.2 onwards)
6 All the places cached in %APPDATA%\Xilinx\license_info.cache, created when you click 'Set' to save the XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE value in xlcm.
  • The location of %APPDATA%\Xilinx on a Windows Operating Systems is typically C:\.xilinx
  • The entries in the environment variables may be files, directories, and/or PORT@HOST values.
  • Directories will be searched for *.lic
  • Licenses found in the same directory will are searched in alphabetical order.
  • License features within a single file will be searched in the order in which they appear in a license file.
  • The XLCM Manage Xilinx Licenses tab and Vivado License Manager "License Search Location" have a search order column that numbers each license key according to the precise order in which it was located.

The IP tools will look for FLEX licenses in the locations and order listed in the following table:

Order Windows Location Linux Location
1 All the places listed by the environment variable XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE, if set. All the places listed by the environment variable XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE, if set.
2 All the places listed by the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE, if set. All the places listed by the environment variable LM_LICENSE_FILE, if set.
3 Location cached for XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE in the registry Location cached for XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE in $HOME/.flexlmrc
4 %APPDATA%\Xilinx*.lic $HOME/.Xilinx/*.lic
5 %APPDATA%\Xilinx\Coregen\CoreLicenses\*.lic $HOME/.Xilinx/Coregen/CoreLicenses/*.lic
6 \data\ip\core_licenses \data\ip\core_licenses
  • The location of %APPDATA%\Xilinx on a Windows Operating Systems is typically C:\.xilinx
  • The entries in the environment variables may be files, directories, and/or PORT@HOST values.
  • Directories will be searched for *.lic
  • Licenses found in the same directory will are searched in alphabetical order.
  • License features within a single file will be searched in the order in which they appear in a license file.

For certificate-based licenses files, Xilinx License Configuration Manager (XLCM)and Vivado License Manager (VLM) will copy or drop licenses into the %APPDATA%\Xilinx directory for Windows machines and in the $HOME/.xilinx directory for Linux machines. Purchased and Evaluation Licenses will be mailed to you when generated. Node-Locked Licenses should be saved to the %APPDATA%\Xilinx directory (Windows) or the $HOME/.xilinx (Linux) or in a location pointed to by the XILINXD_LICENSE_FILE variable.

The Copy License button allows you to search for a license file stored anywhere on a local or network drive and copies the license file to the %APPDATA%\Xilinx directory (Windows) or the $HOME/.xilinx (Linux) directory.

If a license component is available in multiple license packages (e.g. a Logic Edition and a System Edition license), the license that is used is selected in the following order.

  1. The license that gives the highest level of operation (i.e. enable the most features) for an application will be used first. Note: For most licensed Xilinx applications, which are simply enabled (when licensed) or disabled (when not licensed), the level of operation will be equal.
  2. Next, the license with the oldest version limit will be used before one with a later version limit.
  3. If the version limits are the same then the license with the later start date will be used.
  4. If the version limits and the start dates are the same then the first valid license found in the search order will be used.

Rules 2, 3 and 4 can be overwritten for certificate-based licenses with the use of a "sort" directive. The sort directive can be added to the Increment line without affecting the drc of the increment. The feature or increment with the lowest sort value is used first.

Yes, FLEX licensing allows all available seats over multiple license files to be used.

If an application is running on a design with a target device supported by WebPack and both a WebPack and an Edition license are available, the WebPack license will be used regardless of search order.

As licenses are located and used by FLEX, they are cached for faster access. If a cached license is removed or overwritten, it can sometimes be necessary to reset the FLEX license cache in order to get the current license. To do this, enter “xlicmgr reset” in a command shell.

XLCM has the following informational fields for each license key found:

  • Feature – The feature, increment or package name of the license key.
  • S/W or IP Core – Indicates weather the license key is for a Software application or enables the use of a LogiCORE IP Core.
  • Version Limit – Indicates the cutoff date (year and month) for released software and updates. Ex. The license will not enable a software update released after the date. Older LogiCORE IP Core licenses will have a single number (e.g. ‘1.0’) indicating that the license is good for that specific version of the LogiCORE IP Core only.
  • Expiration Date – Indicates when the license expires. Typically used for trial or evaluation licenses.
  • License Type – Indicates if the license is a Floating or a Node-Locked license.
  • Count – Indicates the number of seats enabled for the license feature. Since Node-Locked license keys are only valid for a single computer, they will generally be uncounted.
  • Licenses in Use – The number of seats currently checked out for this feature.
  • Information – Echoes the value of the VENDOR_STRING line in the license file. This string may give more detailed information about the feature, when it was generated and who it was generated for.
  • Server Name – For Floating licenses, this field indicates the port number and server name where the license key was found.
  • File Name – For Node-Locked licenses, this field indicates the directory and file name where a license key was found.
  • Host ID – Indicates the Host ID to which the license key is locked.
  • Host ID Matches – Indicates whether the license key Host ID matches a Host ID connected to the machine running XLCM.
  • License CRC – Indicates if the license key appears to be valid for use on the current machine. NOTE: License expiration date is not considered in this calculation.
  • Search Order – The order in which Xilinx License keys were located.

VLM shows tables for certificate-based licenses.

  • License Name – The feature, increment or package name of the license key.
  • Tools/IP – Indicates weather the license is for a Xilinx design tool application or enables the use of a LogiCORE IP Core.
  • Expiration Date – Indicates when the license expires. Typically used for trial or evaluation licenses.
  • Version Limit – Indicates the cutoff date (year and month) for released tools and updates. Ex. The license will not enable a tool update released after this date. Older LogiCORE IP Core licenses will have a single number (e.g. '1.0') indicating that the license is good for that specific version of the LogiCORE IP Core only.
  • License Type (Server/Client) – Indicates if the license is a Floating or a Node-Locked license.
  • Location – For Floating or Server licenses, indicates the port number and server name where a license was found. For Node-Locked licenses, indicates the directory and file name where a license was found.
  • # of Seats– Indicates the number of seats enabled for the license feature. Since Node-Locked license keys are only valid for a single computer, they will generally be uncounted.
  • # of Seats Used – The number of seats currently checked out for this feature.
  • Host ID in License File (certificate only) – Indicates the Host ID to which the license key is locked.
  • Host ID Matches (certificate only) – Indicates whether the license key Host ID matches a Host ID connected to the machine running VLM.
  • License CRC (certificate only) – Indicates if the license key appears to be valid for use on the current machine. NOTE: License expiration date is not considered in this calculation.
  • Search Order – The order in which Xilinx Licenses were located.
  • License Vendor String – Echoes the value of the VENDOR_STRING line in the license file. This string may give more detailed information about the feature, when it was generated and who it was generated for.

12. LogiCORE IP Core-specific Licensing

A LogiCORE IP Core license is checked:

  • When the LogiCORE IP Core customization GUI is opened, in order to give you advanced notice of the license status.
  • LogiCORE IP Core generation checks for the license status and embeds the license level (full, simulation, eval) into the LogiCORE IP Core netlist.
  • Vivado synthesis and Vivado implementation check both the embedded license information in each licensed LogiCORE IP Core netlist and current license for each LogiCORE IP Core being used in a design
  • BitGen and write_bitstream checks the combined embedded license value for all licensed cores in the design. Any simulation-only licensed IP core in the design will prevent bitstream generation.

Yes, in order for a LogiCORE IP Core netlist to receive the current license status, the LogiCORE IP Core must be regenerated.

A LogiCORE IP Core license can be either Floating or Node-locked. The license type is determined when the license is generated rather at the time of purchase.

General LogiCORE IP Core license status can be obtained by opening XLCM or CORE Generator. Detailed information can be obtained by running the following at a command prompt.

Xlicmgr status –c <feature name> -v

Run "xlicmgr report <IP Core netlist>.ngc".

No, after you purchase or register for a LogiCORE IP Core license, you will be able to obtain the license from the Licensing website: CreateLicense

A user can check to see if a license is required for a LogiCORE IP in any of the following ways.

Search on IP Center for the product page for the core. A core which requires a license key will either have a “Get License” on the main product page (no charge IP) or instructions in the “Evaluate” or “Order” link on the product page that indicate that a license key is required.

Open CORE Generator IP catalog or Project Navigator New Source Wizard, Select IP page and look in the License column. Any LogiCORE IP Core that requires a license key will show a small padlock icon adjacent to it in this column. A ‘$’ on the padlock icon indicates that the license key must be purchased. A padlock icon without a ‘$’ indicates that the license key is available at no additional cost to licensed customers.

In the Vivado IDE open the IP Catalog and look in the License column of the IP catalog. Any LogiCORE IP Core that has the required license included as part of the Xilinx installation will show the word 'included' in this column. Any LogiCORE IP Core that requires the user to purchase and additional license in order to use the IP will show the word 'purchase' in this column.

A full Xilinx LogiCORE IP Core license entitles you to generate the LogiCORE IP Core netlist and implement it in a design. In order for a third party to implement a design containing a LogiCORE IP Core netlist, they must also have a license for the LogiCORE IP Core.

13. Troubleshooting Tips

If you do not see products you purchased in the product table of the Create License page, it is likely that you do not have the proper entitlements set up for your user account. When the order for the Xilinx Design Tools or IP product you purchased was made, a notification was sent to the individual identified as the "Ship To" contact person on your order.

If you are this person, you should have received a Xilinx notification which contains instructions and a unique URL for providing you access to the products you have purchased. If you do not have this e-mail, check to make sure it is not in your spam folder.

If you are not the person identified as the "Ship To" contact person on your order, you will need to find this person and have them log into the site and add you as an "end user" or "customer account administrator" for your account. They will need your e-mail address in order to do this.

If you do not know who the "Ship To" contact person is for your order, please contact Xilinx Software Customer Service.

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  • The country you live in is prohibited from receiving this product.
  • The country that your IP address is located in is restricted from receiving this product.
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To correct errors or omissions in your profile information, please reinitiate the sign in process for product registration. You will be prompted with an address validation screen. At this point you can correct any mistakes in your profile and continue with the product registration and download process. Additionally, a notification has been sent to a Xilinx customer service representative who will review the alert and if necessary, will contact you regarding your account status.

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  • Make sure you have plenty of disk space! Allow at least 2-3 times more disk space than the file size itself. (For a 200 MByte zip file, for example, you may need as much as 600 MBytes of free disk space.)

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