Testcomplete fails sometime to find or release floating licenses when running on VirtualMachine (VirtualBox)

Hi guys,



This is my first post here, I have been using TestComplete for 6months now.

I have 5 similar apps to test on different OS.

For this I wrote C# programs that test each app on different OS (almost 20 tests to run) through Virtual Machine (using VirtualBox)



Here is a "global" scenario of my program (prog1):

  - Run a VirtualMachine that got a specific OS

  - Load a snapshot  (this snapshot contains the setup of the environment for testing such as Sharefolder, Network setup...)

  - Call another program (prog2) inside the VM that run TestComplete with a specified testsuite

  - Testcomplete tests the specified app

  -  When the test is done it close the VM

It repeats the steps above for each app and  OS

This is working well.



But I have two main issues related to Licenses that could be linked:



        1) On a VirtualMachine, sometimes TestComplete hardly find the floatting license (this one is on a server on my network.)

            So if I run my battery of tests i got sometime the exception : "Unable to find an actived License"

            But if I click on "Try again" ,it finds it and works. The fact is that issue can stuck my battery of tests.



        2) On VirtualMachine, TestComplete hardly releases the floating license. I mean, if i run my tests on VM,  it can happens that Testcomplete does not release the licenses at all (even if the VM and TC are closed), and then i get my 3 TestComplete licenses stuck without any instance of TestComplete running.



When i check the "Sentinel Admin Control Center" (on localhost:1947), under "Features" I can see how many licenses are used.

I observed  that it takes between 40sec and 1min to release a license when the Testcomplete as been closed on the VirtualMachine. But it can happen that it does not release it.

To reduce the risk of those two issues I put a lot of delay (1min) between each test. I get the issue less often, but it stills happenning.



I followed the advices of this guide to setup my tests : http://support.smartbear.com/viewarticle/63455/

I have been through lot of threads and post of TestComplete support and outside but find nothing relevant.

I searched also solution on the side of Sentnel LDK and HASP (system that manage the floating), and tried different setup on the Sentinel Admin Control Center but it was unsuccessfull.

 

If you have any idea, I would be thankfull, i get stuck on this for a month. =)



Sorry for the long thread!

Thanks!

PS: I put more details below of my setup that could help:

- > VMs

- Network: Bridged adaptater

- Testcomplete Project: Located on a folder shared between Host and Guest of the VM



-> My Programs:

- 2 Programs :

            - Prog1: Run a VM, load a Snapshot, and call prog2 on the VM

                           Mainly deals with Virtuabox COM

            - Prog2: Run TestComplete (inside the VM, on Guest) and a specific test with specific App

                           I use TestComplete COM to do this. (this program runs multiple times everyday for other tests and it is pretty reliable)

                       

-> Testcomplete

- I have 3 Testcomplete and 3 TestExecute licenses (I have the bug with both.)



-> Sentinel Admin Control Center:

Under Configuration> Access to Remote License Managers i set up:

            - Allow Access to Remote Licenses: Activate

            - Broadcast Search for Remote Licenses: Activate

            - Aggressive Search for Remote Licenses: Activate

            - Specify Search Parameters: *Address_of_ my_licenseServer*