System Time: IDL Client & License Server

Problem

The system time on a host running IDL-8.6 cannot be more than seven minutes (410 seconds) in advance of the license server.

Symptoms

client % idl86

IDL 8.6.0 (linux x86_64 m64).
(c) 2016, Exelis Visual Information Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of Harris Corporation.

 % Failed to acquire license.
 % A license is not available to run this product. Use the license
   administration utility to determine which licenses are available or
   activate an entitlement.

Check the local time on the client: date and the server ntpdate -q idl-lic-svr.

client % date

Mon Aug  7 11:41:37 AEST 2017

client % ntpdate -q idl-lic-svr

server 129.78.129.1, stratum 3, offset 0.002038, delay 0.02579
7 Aug 11:27:48 ntpdate[1939]: adjust time server 129.78.129.1 offset 0.002 sec

Solution

Synchonise client system time to UTC with (S)NTP. See chronyd(8), ntpdate(8) and ntpd(8).

See also

problems/idl86-flexnetls.txt