--- title: "Hey Instance a License Server in a Network" canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/DOCSGUIDE/113289557/Hey%20Instance%20a%20License%20Server%20in%20a%20Network" format: markdown --- This page gives details on how to instance the license system on multiple machines. This guide is for medium to large networks using Chaos products. ## **Overview** --- An instance of the Chaos License Server that uses the same user account may be installed more than once on the same internal network to act as a redundancy measure. This ensures that licenses are still available if one of the machines that run the License Server looses power or connection to the network. ## **Installation** --- The installer is straight forward and easy to run, but if you need help, please see the [Hey Installing the License Server](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DOCSGUIDE/pages/113289559) page for details on the process. Instructions there also include using your Chaos account to access your purchased licenses online. ## **Use-Case Examples** --- The following are a few examples of how to best deploy license servers in multi-machine environments, depending on the needs. ### Two-Machine Setup ### Small Studio Office ### Large Studio Office ### Multiple Regional/Global Locations > Macro (anchor) ## **Setting up multiple license servers for redundancy** --- To set up a license scheme to include a redundancy on the network, simply install two, or at most, three instances of the License Server on separate machines. This provides for an added layer of safety in case one of the instances becomes unavailable. However, keep in mind that multiple instances of the License Server *cannot run on the same machine:* whether physical or virtual; license server redundancy requires installing the License Server on different systems on the same internal network. The License Server is usually installed on one or more machines within an office network that are dedicated to running license servers or managers for various software. However, you could also run the License Server on any workstation machine that's used by artists. For example, in a 20-user environment on the same internal network, the License Server could be installed on two or three of the 20 workstations, all of which should be activated with the same Chaos account. Then, all 20 of those workstations will need their Chaos products configured to connect to the IP addresses of those two or three machines as the primary and alternate server(s) as shown in the image below. This UI is accessed by running the [Manually Change the License Server IP application](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/LIC5/pages/124657079) included with your product's installation. ![image](media://af94949b-6f2f-447e-a8ad-b9f6bf98ea37) Example License Settings for a workstation using three License Server systems for redundancy. This shows the use of two alternate servers in different locations, such as with a multi-office organization. ## **Having too many instances of the License Server** --- Installing too many instances of the License Server is unnecessary, even though it will not cause any actual network or licensing issues. Having too many instances of the License Server most often happens when users install the License Server component along with a Chaos product on many or all workstations, even though the License Server is already installed elsewhere on the internal network. In this case, when the License Server is already installed on a network, users should simply select "Remote license" on the Licensing screen in their Chaos product installer. This prevents multiple unnecessary License Server instances, as well as any confusion that may arise about the licensing scheme in that environment. ## **Using many licenses on a Linux machine** --- When a lot of licenses are utilized at the same time on a Linux OS machine(s), license errors might appear on randomly selected machines. That is caused by the limit of "open files", i.e. file descriptors, which by default is 1024. The limit should be increased to 10000 or more. ##### **Check the current limit of the open files** ``` ulimit -a  ``` ##### **Increase the open files to 10000** ``` ulimit -n 10000  ```