SELECTserver served as the central hub for Bentley Systems’ license management, facilitating software activation through a flexible, often trust-based framework for engineers and architects. While it managed entitlements historically, the platform's limitations regarding usage tracking prompted a industry shift toward the more dynamic Subscription Entitlement Service (SES). More information is available on the Bentley Systems' website. AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses Copy Creating a public link... You can now share this thread with others Good response Bad response Show all
Understanding selectserver.bentley.com: The Backbone of Bentley Software Licensing For professionals in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who rely on Bentley Systems software (such as MicroStation, OpenRoads, or STAAD.Pro), the hostname selectserver.bentley.com is a critical component of their software infrastructure. However, for many users, it remains a mysterious technical endpoint. This text provides a clear, technical explanation of what it is, how it functions, and why it matters. What is selectserver.bentley.com? selectserver.bentley.com is not a software application you install on your local machine. Instead, it is a public-facing, cloud-based hostname (domain) operated by Bentley Systems. Its primary role is to act as a centralized licensing authority and communication relay for organizations using Bentley’s SELECT Server on-premises licensing model. In simpler terms, it is the “phone number” that your company’s local SELECT Server uses to call home to Bentley to validate, activate, and manage software licenses. How It Works: The Communication Flow To understand the role of this server, you must first understand the SELECT Server architecture, which involves three key entities:
The Bentley Cloud (selectserver.bentley.com): Holds your organization’s entitlement data (how many licenses you purchased). Your Local SELECT Server: A Windows service installed inside your corporate network. It caches and distributes licenses to end-users. The End-User Workstation: The engineer’s PC running MicroStation or other Bentley software.
The step-by-step process:
Step 1 (Outbound): Your local SELECT Server is configured to periodically connect outbound to https://selectserver.bentley.com (over port 443, HTTPS). It sends a secure heartbeat containing your licensing usage metrics and requests the latest entitlement updates. Step 2 (Validation): The Bentley cloud verifies your SELECT subscription is active and checks for any new licenses, expirations, or policy changes. Step 3 (Response): selectserver.bentley.com sends back a signed, encrypted response. Your local server updates its license pool accordingly. Step 4 (Distribution): End-user workstations then check out licenses from your local SELECT Server, not directly from the cloud.
Why This Architecture Matters (And Why the Hostname is Important) 1. Firewall and Proxy Configuration Because the local SELECT Server must initiate outbound HTTPS traffic to selectserver.bentley.com , IT and network administrators must ensure that this specific hostname is whitelisted in corporate firewalls, proxy servers, and SSL inspection policies. Blocking or intercepting traffic to this domain will cause license synchronization to fail, leading to “license lost” errors for users. Typical required endpoint: https://selectserver.bentley.com:443 2. Offline and Air-Gapped Environments In highly secure environments with no internet access, selectserver.bentley.com cannot be reached. In such cases, Bentley provides an offline licensing workflow where an administrator manually transfers license files (generated via a portal that interacts with the same backend) to the local SELECT Server, bypassing the need for live cloud communication. 3. Security and Trust The communication between your local SELECT Server and selectserver.bentley.com is encrypted via TLS (SSL). Bentley uses digital certificates signed by trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs). If your organization deploys custom root certificates (e.g., for SSL decryption), the connection may fail unless those certificates are properly trusted by the local SELECT Server. Common Issues and Troubleshooting When users report that Bentley software cannot find or check out a license, the root cause often traces back to a failure in the selectserver.bentley.com communication channel. Typical error messages include:
“SELECT Server cannot reach the Bentley Activation Server.” “License synchronization failed.” “The server returned an untrusted certificate.” selectserver.bentley.com
Basic troubleshooting steps:
From the SELECT Server machine, use a browser or curl to attempt accessing https://selectserver.bentley.com . A successful response confirms basic internet routing. Verify that no outbound firewall rule or proxy authentication requirement is blocking the traffic. Ensure the system time on the SELECT Server is accurate (TLS certificates are time-sensitive). Check the SELECT Server logs (located in C:\ProgramData\Bentley\SELECTServer\Logs ) for HTTP 403, 404, or timeout errors referencing the hostname.
Conclusion selectserver.bentley.com is far more than a random web address—it is the essential coordination point between Bentley’s cloud entitlement system and your on-premises licensing infrastructure. For IT administrators supporting Bentley software, understanding this hostname’s role as an outbound, HTTPS-based licensing relay is key to ensuring reliable license availability, troubleshooting connectivity failures, and maintaining compliant software usage across the enterprise. Proper network access to selectserver.bentley.com is not optional—it is a prerequisite for a functioning SELECT Server deployment. SELECTserver served as the central hub for Bentley
selectserver.bentley.com historically functioned as the central, cloud-based hub for managing Bentley Systems' SELECTserver hosted licensing, allowing administrators to activate software, track usage, and generate reports. While Bentley has largely transitioned to the Subscription Entitlement Service (SES), the platform supported 30-day offline usage and managed license check-outs via unique Site Activation Keys. For detailed information on licensing and activation, visit the Bentley Communities knowledge base . To Activate the Software License
Report: selectserver.bentley.com Date: October 26, 2023 Subject: Analysis of selectserver.bentley.com (Bentley SELECT Server) Prepared For: IT Management / Infrastructure Team