The network license shows as "Cloned" ("A duplicate License Manager ID exists..." / H0064) after a change on the server

Summary

A network license that had been working correctly for some time stops serving and shows as cloned ("Cloned"). This happens when the Sentinel protection system detects a change in the physical or virtual hardware of the license server and reads it as a possible copy of the key, blocking it for security reasons. This article explains how to restore the license by generating a C2V status file and applying the V2C update file returned by Aplitop support, and how to keep the problem from recurring in high-availability virtual environments.

Applies to

• MDT — cases documented on MDT 9 and MDT 25, running on AutoCAD and ZWCAD.

• MDT26 (current version): the procedure to restore the license with Sentinel is the same. If what you need is to move the license server to another computer, the MDT26 installation manual describes how to install it on the destination machine, in the section matching your license type: 4.1 USB hardware network license (pre-2023) or 4.2 LDK network licenses (hardware or software). For moving the license itself, contact support.

• Network licenses protected with Sentinel (manager available at http://localhost:1947).

Symptoms

• When starting the CAD with a network license, the application reports that the license is cloned ("Cloned") and work cannot continue.

• The server access log shows the message: "A duplicate License Manager ID exists on this server and on the server at address (IP address). This is typically caused by cloning a VM. Licenses on these two servers may be inaccessible."

• The Sentinel protection reports the error "Cloned Sentinel SL secure storage detected (H0064)".

• The license had worked correctly for weeks and the failure appears suddenly, with no changes to the client or server applications.

Cause

The Sentinel protection system detects a change in the underlying physical or virtual hardware of the license server and reads it as a cloning of the key, so it blocks the key as a security measure. Situations that trigger it, according to the documented cases:

• License server in a high-availability virtual desktop (VDI) environment, where the virtual machine is cloned regularly. The license service is designed for a local network, not for this kind of environment.

• A change of the physical host running the virtual license server (for logistical reasons, for instance), keeping the same server name and IP address.

• A change in the characteristics of the virtual machine (processor, graphics card, memory and so on).

• A change of the virtual machine generation identifier (vm_generation_uid), which can be regenerated after operations such as restores or migrations of the virtual environment. This case matches error H0064.

Solution

Case: restoring the cloned license (C2V → V2C procedure)

1. On the machine acting as the license server, open a browser and go to http://localhost:1947.

2. At the top left, open Sentinel Keys. Find the affected license on the right (by its Vendor ID / serial number).

3. At the end of the license row, press the C2V button to download the current status file.

4. Send that C2V file to Aplitop technical support. Support will return a V2C update file to restore the original state of the license.

5. Go back to http://localhost:1947 and select Update/Attach in the left-hand column (it is the fifth option).

6. In the centre of the window, select the update file you received and press Apply File.

7. Check that the "Cloned" status has gone and that the client computers work normally again.

Case: error H0064 caused by a change of the VM generation identifier

1. If the problem is due to a change of the virtual machine's vm_generation_uid (error H0064), support can remove the cloning flag from the key remotely in a remote session, with nothing to reinstall.

2. To prevent it from happening again, avoid operations in the virtual environment that regenerate that identifier (restores or migrations that change the vm_generation_uid, for example), since they leave users unable to work.

Case: high-availability VDI environment (preventing recurrence)

1. If the license server sits in a high-availability virtual desktop environment where the virtual machine is cloned regularly, the cloning error will come back periodically.

2. The recommended solution is to move the license to a dedicated physical machine (not virtualised in high availability). The procedure to move it is explained in the MDT installation manual.

If the problem persists

• If the license still shows as cloned after applying the V2C file, or if you cannot find the license under Sentinel Keys, contact Aplitop technical support. Have the serial number of your MDT license at hand: you can read it on any client computer under MDT > About Tcp-MDT.

• To speed things up, attach the C2V file with the current status of the server when you open the query.

• In some cases support resolves the cloning through a remote connection to the server; if your organisation's security policies do not allow it, say so in order to agree on an alternative.

Category: Network licenses and hardware protection · Level: Intermediate