I make sure I get my money's worth by always sending in a support case when something is not acting right. Of course, I also pay for that by being woke up at 6:00am with a bunch of questions I already wrote in the case file. then again, I do need the software to work properly so maintenance does get me the bug fix releases, and only if I'm lucky, a new release. The timing this time around isn't that fortunate since they moved the Creo 3 target -after- I paid maintenance. So I hear you on this, Chris. When I had a -real- job, I too avoided CS issues in favor of just getting on with life in cubicle 7734.
As to the server, what is your status? What CS did for me is to move me to a local license server. They downgraded it to a WF version that was a lot more stable running on my workstation. they also messed with my registry to make sure my network card was properly identified (did you 13 came before 2 in M$oft's world?).
I know you don't need maintenance for license management, but I doubt you can get access to the downgrade LM software without maintenance. What I find to be the primary culprit in the license server issues is sleep mode on the PC (or server). I have to keep Creo running when I put the computer to sleep so it can recover its license. Even then, it fails sometimes and I have to reboot.
Are you the only person in the company running the software? You could try moving the license to your machine. You can re-install the license server form the original disks and obtain a new license file from PTC with a bit of paperwork. Again, no maintenance should be required to manage licenses.
