---
title: "License Server Controller"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/LIC5/125050723/License%20Server%20Controller"
format: markdown
---
This page provides information on the Licensing Server Controller.


## **Overview**

---

The License Server Controller allows users to make adjustments to the Chaos License Server through the command line.

![image](media://d2b6ba3b-3b1a-4fc8-9d3d-2ce691af4deb)


### **Installation Path**

Depending on your operating system, the **vrlctl** command's default location is as follows:

| **Windows** | C:\Program Files\Chaos\VRLService |
| --- | --- |
| **Linux** | /usr/Chaos/VRLService |
| **macOS** | /Applications/Chaos/VRLService |

## **Usage**

---

To use the License Server Controller, use the following format:

```
vrlctl <command>
```

When entered without a command, additional help information will be displayed.

Adding the help flag --help or -h after each command prints additional information about the command:

```
vrlctl online enable -h
```


## **Commands**

---

The following commands are available:

### Online

These commands provide a way to enable, disable, and monitor online licensing settings of the license server. For steps on setting up online licensing, see the [Borrowing Offline Licenses](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/LIC5/pages/125050233) section below.

| **online getcsr** | Saves an online licensing request file (*cert.csr*) in the current directory. |
| --- | --- |
| **online enable** | Enables online licensing using an online licensing key file (*cert.crt*) from the current directory. |
| **online logout** | Disables online licensing for the license server. |
| **online status** | Displays information about the online licensing status. |
| **online login <username> <password>** | Activates online licensing for the specified credentials. |


### Diagnostics

These commands help you obtain the diagnostic bundle which can assist ChaosGroup's support team when investigating problems you might encounter.

| **diagnostics get <save_path>** | Downloads the diagnostic bundle. If **<save_path>** is provided, the diagnostic bundle will be saved in the given directory. |
| --- | --- |

### Config

These commands allow users to get or set different configuration variables of the Licensing Server.

| **config get** | Returns the complete license server configuration. |
| --- | --- |
| **config set <configuration_option> "<new_value>"** | Sets the value of a specific configuration option. The configuration option consists of all the configuration nodes that lead to it connected with a dot (`.`). For example, **proxy.host** and **diagnostics.level**. The new value must be surrounded with quotation marks (`"`). |


### Dongle

These commands are for using a dongle with the License Server. *See the **[Dongle usage](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/LIC5/pages/125277366)** page for additional information*.

| **dongle enable** | Enables the dongle server. |
| --- | --- |
| **dongle disable** | Disables the dongle server. |


### **Browser**

The **browser** command opens the License Server's web interface page in your system's default browser. *See the **[Viewing Your Available Licenses](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/LIC5/pages/124359569)** page for more information*.

```
vrlctl browser
```


### **Global options**

#### **Help**

Adding the help option after a command prints additional information about a specific command. 

```
vrlctl online enable -h
```

#### **Version**

The version option prints the version of the Licensing Server Controller.

```
vrlctl -v
```


> Macro (anchor)



## **Borrowing Licenses for Machine(s) without an Internet Connection**

---

Follow these steps to borrow a license server for offline use through the License Server Controller. Keep in mind that you need an Internet connection to borrow a license, but once you have successfully activated it, you can work offline for up to 14 days. The activation can be renewed every time. *For more information, see the **[Borrowing Licenses for Offline Use](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/LIC5/pages/125050233)** page*.

1. In the command line, set the directory to the location of your .*vrlctl *file. Type **vrlctl online getcsr** to save an online licensing request file (*cert.csr*) in the current directory.
2. Visit [https://my.chaos.com/license-server](https://my.chaos.com/license-server)[ ](http://my.chaosgroup.com/) <span style="color: #272727">and click on the </span><span style="color: #272727">**Activate License Server **</span><span style="color: #272727">button. Uploading the</span><span style="color: #272727">* .csr*</span><span style="color: #272727"> file you just downloaded and click on </span><span style="color: #272727">**Activate**</span><span style="color: #272727">.</span>
3. <span style="color: #272727">Click </span><span style="color: #272727">**Download**</span><span style="color: #272727"> to get the </span><span style="color: #272727">*cert.crt*</span><span style="color: #272727"> key file. Move the file to the </span><span style="color: #272727">**VRLService**</span><span style="color: #272727"> directory.</span>
4. Type **vrlctl online enable**<span style="color: #272727"> </span><span style="color: #272727">**cert.crt**</span><span style="color: #272727"> to enable online licensing using the newly obtained key file from the current directory.</span>

> ℹ️ **Note for Offline License Holders**
> ℹ️ 
> ℹ️ Please note that the online steps (2 and 3) in this section can be performed by a separate device with an Internet connection. The downloaded *cert.crt* file can be transferred to the offline license holder, allowing you to borrow licenses even when your license holder does not have an Internet connection.