Install your first Schrödinger licenses and configure the system service
If you already have Schrödinger License Manager running and need to install licenses, see Install new licenses on an existing Schrodinger License Manager server
Follow the steps below:
1. Download and Install licenses
2. Set up a system service
3. Test license access on the server itself
- Windows
- Mac
- Linux
Open a Command Prompt or Power Shell via “Run as Administrator”
1. Download and install licenses
Use the license key (quickest)
The license file can be generated, retrieved, and installed using the key code in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger.
If the license server machine can communicate directly with Schrodinger’s license-generating server via HTTPS, run the command below to retrieve a license file for this server and install it into C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\licenses\
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe install -k <key>
TLS files also will be installed into the C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\certs\
directory.

The license file can be generated using the License Generator form linked in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger. While installing with the license key is more straight-forward, you may need to install a license file when downloading a license for a server other than the local machine or installing licenses remotely.
Once you have downloaded the license file, install with:
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe install -f <license_file>
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver
), that directory can be specified via the ‘--dir
’ option in the above commands.
2. Set up a system service
Since the license server process needs to run continuously, managing it via a system service is very strongly recommended.
Configure and start the Windows service with:
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe install-service --licserverd-path C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\licserverd --dir C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver --port 53001This installs a Windows Service and starts it. You can check its status with:
sc.exe query schrodinger_licserverdIn the Services panel, this service has the name “Schrodinger License Server”.
3. Test license access on the server itself
Query the license server process on the specified port:
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe status --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
The <servername
> should be a resolvable TLS hostname. The TLS certificate dates and hostnames can be listed with:
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe tlsinfo --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
Do a test license checkout with the TLS hostname:
C:\ProgramData\Schrodinger\licserver\bin\lictool.exe test-server -f MMLIBS <servername>:53001
License installation and configuration is complete.
Next Step: Server Identifier Client Configuration Instructions
Open a Terminal
1. Download and install licenses
Use the license key (quickest)
The license file can be generated, retrieved, and installed using the key code in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger.
If the license server machine can communicate directly with Schrodinger’s license-generating server via HTTPS, run the command below to retrieve a license file for this server and install it into /Library/Application\Support/Schrodinger/licserver/licenses/’
Run:
sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install -k <key>
TLS files also will be installed into the /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/certs/
directory.

The license file can be generated using the License Generator form linked in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger. While installing with the license key is more straight-forward, you may need to install a license file when downloading a license for a server other than the local machine or installing licenses remotely.
Once you have downloaded the license file, install with:
sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install -f <license_file>
/Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver
), that directory can be specified via the ‘--dir
’ option in the above commands.
2. Set up a system service
Since the license server process needs to run continuously, managing it via a system service is very strongly recommended.
Configure and start the
launchd
service with:sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install-service --dir /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver --licserverd-path /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/licserverd --port 53001This creates the service file, installs it, and starts the service. You can check its status with:
launchctl print system/com.schrodinger.licserverd
3. Test license access on the server itself
Query the license server process on the specified port:
sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool status --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
The <servername
> should be a resolvable TLS hostname. The TLS certificate dates and hostnames can be listed with:
sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool tlsinfo --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
Do a test license checkout with the TLS hostname:
sudo /Library/Application\ Support/Schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool test-server -f MMLIBS <servername>:53001
License installation and configuration is complete.
Next Step: Server Identifier Client Configuration Instructions
Open a terminal
Strongly recommended: Make a dedicated 'licserver
' role account to run the license server process
Creating a dedicated role account for licensing prevents general users from making unintentional changes to licensing system, limiting access to only those who are making intentional changes to the license server.
Create the account:
sudo useradd licserver --system --no-create-home --shell /sbin/nologin --comment 'Schrodinger License Manager User'
Change the ownership of the Schrödinger License Manager files:
sudo chown licserver:licserver -R /opt/schrodinger/licserver
1. Download and install licenses
Use the license key (quickest)
The license file can be generated, retrieved, and installed using the key code in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger.
If the license server machine can communicate directly with Schrodinger’s license-generating server via HTTPS, run the command below to retrieve a license file for this server and install it into ‘/opt/schrodinger/licserver/licenses/’
Run:
sudo -u licserver /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install -k <key>
TLS files also will be installed into the ‘/opt/schrodinger/licserver/certs/’
directory.

The license file can be generated using the License Generator form linked in the licensing email sent by Schrödinger. While installing with the license key is more straight-forward, you may need to install a license file when downloading a license for a server other than the local machine or installing licenses remotely.
Once you have downloaded the license file, install with:
sudo -u licserver /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install -f <license_file>
/opt/schrodinger/licserver
), that directory can be specified via the ‘--dir
’ option in the above commands.
2. Set up a system service
Since the license server process needs to run continuously, managing it via a system service is very strongly recommended.
Configure and start the
systemd
service with:sudo /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool install-service --dir /opt/schrodinger/licserver --licserverd-path /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/licserverd --port 53001 --user licserverThis creates the service file, installs it, enables the service, and starts the service. You can check its status with:
sudo systemctl status schrodinger-licserverd
3. Test license access on the server itself
Query the license server process on the specified port:
sudo /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool status --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
The <servername
> should be a resolvable TLS hostname. The TLS certificate dates and hostnames can be listed with:
sudo /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool tlsinfo --licsrv-hostport localhost:53001
Do a test license checkout with the TLS hostname:
sudo /opt/schrodinger/licserver/bin/lictool test-server -f MMLIBS <servername>:53001
License installation and configuration is complete.