# Connect customer-managed fleets to a license endpoint
<a name="cmf-ubl"></a>

The AWS Deadline Cloud usage-based license server provides on-demand licenses for select third-party products. With usage-based licenses, you can pay as you go. You are only charged for the time you use. Usage-based licensing provides licenses for your Deadline Cloud workers to render, it doesn't provide licenses for your DCC applications.

The Deadline Cloud usage-based license server can be used with any fleet type as long as the Deadline Cloud workers can communicate with the license server. The license server is automatically set up in service-managed fleets. The following setup is only needed for customer-managed fleets.

To create the license server, you need a security group for your farm's VPC that allows traffic for third-party licenses.

**Topics**
+ [Step 1: Create a security group](#cmf-ubl-step-1)
+ [Step 2: Set up the license endpoint](#cmf-ubl-step-2)
+ [Step 3: Connect a rendering application to an endpoint](#w2aac31c15c15)
+ [Step 4: Delete a license endpoint](#w2aac31c15c17)

## Step 1: Create a security group
<a name="cmf-ubl-step-1"></a>

Use the [Amazon VPC Console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/vpc) to create a security group for your farm's VPC. Configure the security group to allow the following inbound rules:
+ Autodesk Maya and Arnold – 2701 - 2702, TCP, IPv4, IPv6
+ Cinema 4D – 7057, TCP, IPv4, IPv6
+ Foundry Nuke – 6101, TCP, IPv4, IPv6
+ Red Giant – 7055, TCP, IPV4
+ Redshift – 7054, TCP, IPv4, IPv6
+ SideFX Houdini, Mantra, and Karma – 1715 - 1717, TCP, IPv4, IPv6
+ VRay – 30304, TCP, IPV4

The source for each inbound rule is the fleet's worker security group.

For more information about creating a security group, see [ Create a security group ](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/vpc/latest/userguide/working-with-security-groups.html#creating-security-groups) in the *Amazon Virtual Private Cloud user guide*.

## Step 2: Set up the license endpoint
<a name="cmf-ubl-step-2"></a>

A *license endpoint* provides access to license servers for third-party products. License requests are sent to the license endpoint. The endpoint routes them to the appropriate license server. The license server tracks usage limits and entitlements. Creating a license endpoint in Deadline Cloud provisions an AWS PrivateLink interface endpoint in your VPC. These endpoints are billed according to standard AWS PrivateLink pricing. For more information, see [AWS PrivateLink pricing](https://aws.amazon.com/privatelink/pricing).

With the appropriate permissions, you can create your license endpoint. For the required policy to create a license endpoint, see [Policy to allow creating a license endpoint](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/deadline-cloud/latest/userguide/security_iam_id-based-policy-examples.html#security_iam-id-based-policy-examples-create-endpoint).

You can create your license endpoint from your dashboard in the Deadline Cloud [console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/deadlinecloud/home).

1. From the left navigation pane, choose **License endpoints**, then choose **Create license endpoint**.

1. From the Create license endpoint page, complete the following:
   + Select a VPC.
   + Select the subnets that contain your Deadline Cloud workers. You can select up to 10 subnets.
   + Select the security group you created in step 1. You can select up to 10 security groups for more complicated scenarios.
   + (Optional) Choose **Add new tag** and add one or more tags. You can add up to 50 tags.

1. Choose **Create license endpoint**. When the license endpoint creates, it displays on the license endpoints page.

1. From the metered products section, choose **Add products**, and then select the products you want to add to your license endpoint. Choose **Add**.

To remove a product from a license endpoint, in the metered products section, select the product and then choose **Remove**. In the confirmation, choose **Remove** again.

## Step 3: Connect a rendering application to an endpoint
<a name="w2aac31c15c15"></a>

After the license endpoint is set up, applications use it the same as they use a third-party license server. You typically configure the license server for the application by setting an environment variable or other system setting, such as a Microsoft Windows registry key, to a license server port and address.

To get the license endpoint DNS name, select the license endpoint in the console and then choose the copy icon in the DNS Name section.

### Configuration examples
<a name="cmf-ubl-connect-example"></a>

**Example – Autodesk Maya and Arnold**  
You can use Autodesk Maya and Arnold together or separately. Use port 2702 for Autodesk Maya and port 2701 for Arnold.
For Autodesk Maya, set the environment variable `ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE` to:  

```
2702@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
For Arnold, set the environment variable `ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE` to:  

```
2701@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
For Autodesk Maya and Arnold, set the environment variable `ADSKFLEX_LICENSE_FILE` to:  

```
2702@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:2701@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
For Windows workers, use a semi-colon (;) instead of a colon (:) to separate endpoints.

**Example – Cinema 4D**  
Set the environment variable `g_licenseServerRLM` to:  

```
VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:7057
```
After you create the environment variable, you should be able to render a an image using a command line similar to this one:  

```
"C:\Program Files\Maxon Cinema 4D 2025\Commandline.exe" -render ^
    "C:\Users\User\MyC4DFileWithRedshift.c4d" -frame 0 ^
    -oimage "C:\Users\Administrator\User\MyOutputImage.png
```

**Example – Foundry Nuke**  
Set the environment variable `foundry_LICENSE` to:  

```
6101@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
To test that licensing is working properly, you can run Nuke in a terminal:  

```
~/nuke/Nuke14.0v5/Nuke14.0 -x 
```

**Example – Red Giant**  
Set the environment variable `redshift_LICENSE` to:  

```
7055@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
Note that Red Giant and Redshift have the same `redshift_LICENSE` environment variable. If you want to use both applications, you can set the environment variable to:  

```
7054@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:7055@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
For Windows workers, use a semi-colon (;) instead of a colon (:) to separate endpoints.
To test that licensing is working properly, ensure you have After Effects and Red Giant installed. Then, you can render a project using a command similar to this one:  

```
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe After Effects 2025\Support Files\aerender.exe -comp "Comp 1" -project 
          C:\Users\MyUser\myAfterEffectsProjectUsingRedGiant.aep -output
            C:\Users\MyUser\myMovieWithRedGiant.mp4
```

**Example – Redshift**  
Set the environment variable `redshift_LICENSE` to:  

```
7054@VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name
```
After you create the environment variable, you should be able to render an image using a command line similar to this one:  

```
C:\ProgramData\redshift\bin\redshiftCmdLine.exe ^
    C:\demo\proxy\RS_Proxy_Demo.rs ^
    -oip C:\demo\proxy\images
```

**Example – SideFX Houdini, Mantra, and Karma**  
Run the following command:  

```
/opt/hfs19.5.640/bin/hserver -S "http://VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:1715;http://VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:1716;http://VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:1717;"
```
To test that licensing is working properly, you can render a Houdini scene via this command:  

```
/opt/hfs19.5.640/bin/hython ~/forpentest.hip -c "hou.node('/out/mantra1').render()"
```

**Example – VRay**  
Set the environment variable `VRAY_AUTH_CLIENT_SETTINGS` to:  

```
licset://VPC_Endpoint_DNS_Name:30304
```
Set the environment variable `VRAY_AUTH_CLIENT_FILE_PATH` to:  

```
/null
```
To test that licensing is working properly, you can render an image in VRay using a command similar to this one:  

```
/usr/Chaos/V-Ray/bin/vray -sceneFile=/root/my_scene.vrscene -display=0
```

## Step 4: Delete a license endpoint
<a name="w2aac31c15c17"></a>

When deleting your customer-managed fleet, remember to delete your license endpoint. If you don't delete the license endpoint, you will continue to be charged for AWS PrivateLink fixed costs

You can delete your license endpoint from your dashboard in the Deadline Cloud [console](https://console.aws.amazon.com/deadlinecloud/home).

1. From the left navigation pane, choose **License endpoints**.

1. Select the endpoint you want to delete and choose **delete**, then choose **delete** again to confirm.