What Is MathLM?
MathLM administers licenses for organizations running multiple instances of Wolfram with a network license. Network licenses have two very important advantages:
- Network licenses provide a cost-effective way of making Wolfram available to multiple client machines in a networked environment. Instead of a separate license for each machine, a network license allows a specified number of copies of Wolfram to run concurrently on the network.
- Network licenses provide a convenient way to make parallel computations that use subkernels in a networked environment. Instead of a separate license for each machine hosting one or more of the subkernel processes, a network license allows them to run concurrently on the network from a controlling MathLM system.
MathLM is installed on a single machine, known as the license server. Once MathLM is running, it acts as a gatekeeper for new Wolfram sessions. MathLM sets up the appropriate number of process slots for each class of computer covered by your network license agreement. MathLM monitors the number of copies of Wolfram in use and issues licenses to clients until all available licenses are in use.
The number of concurrent processes that may run over the entire network is located on your electronic or printed license certificate. You can increase the number of processes allowed with a license upgrade from Wolfram Research. Contact us at wolfram.com/contact-us for information on increasing your process increments.
Wolfram consists of two components, the kernel and the front end. The Wolfram Language kernel performs computations. The front end is the graphical notebook interface. For parallel computation, Wolfram uses subkernels, which are kernels that run in parallel; each subkernel might use a sub–front end. MathLM keeps track of kernel and front end processes separately, as well as distinguishing between master and subprocesses.
- The number
of processes printed on your network license certificate generally gives you 
front end process slots and 
kernel process slots per increment. Contact us at wolfram.com/contact-us for information on increasing your process increments.
A client Wolfram process must request a license, usually for Mathematica, from MathLM before it starts taking user input or performing calculations. In order for clients to run Wolfram, MathLM must be running on the license server at all times. If the client machine making the request is not of a type covered by the license, or if all the process slots are already in use, the client Wolfram process cannot be started.