Installing the ZD&T License Server

The ZD&T License Server is available on the following platforms:

  • Azure Cloud
  • KVM image for x86 hardware
  • OVA file built with VMWare

Note: the License server cannot run on Z hardware, only x86.

System requirements for the License server


Deploying License Server on Azure

The ZD&T License server is available as a cloud offering through Microsoft Azure.

  1. Login to the Microsoft Azure portal, go to the Microsoft Azure marketplace and search for PopUp Mainframe License. Click on the appropriate offering, and choose "Get it now".
  2. Navigate through the wizard to create the VM.
  3. Once the VM is ready, generate the license following these instructions.


Deploying License Server on KVM (x86 hardware)

1. Download the qcow2 Image

Download the qcow2 image from the link shared with you.

2. Create and Install the VM using KVM

Use the virt-install command to create the VM using the downloaded qcow2 image.

Example Command:

sudo virt-install \
  --name <vm_name> \
  --memory 8192 \
  --vcpus 1 \
  --disk path=<path_to_qcow2_image>,bus=virtio \
  --import \
  --os-variant rhel9.0 \
  --network bridge=br0,model=virtio \
  --graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0,port=6901 \
  --serial pty \
  --console pty,target_type=serial \
  --noautoconsole

Modify the settings as per your requirements.

When you run the above command you will be shown the following output:

Starting install...
Creating domain...
Domain creation completed.

3. Connect to the VM

virsh console <vm_name>

Example login:

pm-license-server login: ibmsys1
Password:

4. Start UIM Server

Initially, the port may not be visible.

netstat -ntlp | grep 9451

Restart the UIM server to ensure the port is properly initialized:

/usr/z1090/bin/uimserverstop

Confirm prompts:

Reply with yes
Are you really sure ??? → yes

Clean up existing UIM data and start UIM server:

rm -rf ~/UIMserver
/usr/z1090/bin/uimserverstart

Expected output:

Using port 9451 IPv4
uimserver started successfully

Verify the port stats again:

netstat -ntlp | grep 9451

Port 9451 should now be visible and listening.

5. Generate License

Once the VM is ready, generate the license following these instructions.


Deploying License Server on VirtualBox (OVA file)

1. Download the OVA

Download the OVA from the link shared with you.

2. Import OVA using Virtual Box

You can import the OVA using VirtualBox GUI. However, we suggest using a Command Line Interface (CLI) for the import as this will make process a lot faster than using a GUI.

Open the command prompt, navigate to the OVA download location and run the following command:

vboxmanage import PM_Lic_server.ova

If you want to customize the provisioned VM with command options you can use --dry-run to display all the avalable options:

vboxmanage import PM_Lic_server.ova --dry-run

When you run the above command you will be shown the following output. It will not import the VM:

C:\Users\Admin\Downloads>vboxmanage import PM_Lic_server.ova --dry-run
0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100%
Interpreting C:\Users\Admin\Downloads\PM_Lic_server.ova...
OK.
Disks:
  vmdisk1       966367641600    -1      http://www.vmware.com/interfaces/specifications/vmdk.html#streamOptimized       PM_Lic_server-disk001.vmdk      -1      -1

Virtual system 0:
 0: Suggested OS type: "RedHat_64"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --ostype <type>"; use "list ostypes" to list all possible values)
 1: Suggested VM name "PM_Lic_server"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --vmname <name>")
 2: Suggested VM group "/"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --group <group>")
 3: Suggested VM settings file name "E:\VM images\ZPDT_Test\PM_Lic_server\PM_Lic_server.vbox"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --settingsfile <filename>")
 4: Suggested VM base folder "E:\VM images\ZPDT_Test"
    (change with "--vsys 0 --basefolder <path>")
 5: Number of CPUs: 1
    (change with "--vsys 0 --cpus <n>")
 6: Guest memory: 2048 MB
    (change with "--vsys 0 --memory <MB>")
 7: Network adapter: orig NAT, config 3, extra slot=0;type=NAT
 8: IDE controller, type PIIX4
    (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 8 --ignore")
 9: IDE controller, type PIIX4
    (disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 9 --ignore")
10: Hard disk image: source image=PM_Lic_server-disk001.vmdk, target path=PM_Lic_server-disk001.vmdk, controller=8;channel=0
    (change target path with "--vsys 0 --unit 10 --disk path";
    disable with "--vsys 0 --unit 10 --ignore")

For the purpose of this article we are only using the --vmname option to change the VM name

vboxmanage import PM_Lic_server.ova --vsys 0 --vmname=pm_lic_server

Once the import is completed you should see a message similar to this:

Example command-line output after a successful OVA import. Confirm the import reached 100% and shows "OK." Your exact output may vary by platform and version of PopUp.

3. Customize the VM

Open the VirtualBox GUI and go to the newly created VM Settings > Network. The default network option is shown "Nat Adapter" you can change it to whatever fits your needs. Just make sure that this VM will be able to communicate with the other Z&DT PopUp Mainframe VMs.

Once you completed the configuration start the VM; log in as root user. Contact us for the password if required.

4. Generate License

Once the VM is ready, generate the license following these instructions.


Generate License

Note: Once the updated license file has been applied you cannot change the device for the license server or change the underlying storage as this will invalidate the license. If you need to do this please get in touch with the PopUp Support Team.

Steps to generate license file

1. request_license on the license server

Once logged in, to the license server, as root execute the below command to generate the license file

/opt/IBM/LDK/request_license

Output:

zPDT/LDK license request started.
fingerprint status 0
The request file created is: ~/zpdt_1604356711.zip

Success

The generated <hostname>_xxxxxx.zip file in the root home folder contains a fingerprint of the license server. Send this file to the PopUp team via email. In return, you will receive an *update.zip file.

2. update_license

Once the update license file is received from PopUp, upload that to the server and execute the below command in the folder where this file is uploaded. This will complete the licensing process.

/opt/IBM/LDK/update_license <hostname>_xxxxxx_update.zip

To see the licenses status you can execute the below command

/opt/IBM/LDK/query_license


Returning a license

Returning a license is a multi-step process:

  1. Follow all the steps listed above in 'Generate License' (steps 1 and 2).
  2. Generate the request file again by running request_license (repeat step 1). Send the newly generated request file to the PopUp team.


Page last revised on: 2026-03-23