With the FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R2 release, we introduce the improved IBM DB2 database and their add-ons recognition capability for all On-Prem, MSP, and Cloud customers.
Why is this feature important:
There have been a number of occasions where customers have reported inaccuracies in DB2 database recognition as we are not using the same methods as IBM does during the audits. With the rising number of support cases, our support team was frequently consulted for more assistance. All this was time-consuming. To resolve this problem, FlexNet Manager Suite has now improved the IBM Db2 database and its add-ons recognition.
IBM uses the db2licm License Management Tool to inventory database and add-on details. We now leverage this tool in FlexeNet inventory agent to gather inventory data. This works both on Microsoft Windows and UNIX-like platforms. The FlexNet inventory agent now makes use of this command to identify the product name, version, edition, IBM license type, and any licensed/used add-ons, and presents the resulting inventory in a separate IBM Db2 Database and Add-Ons report.
Additionally, our ARL has also been updated for accurate application recognition.
With this functionality, the details about database and add-ons usage and other details in the report, experts can directly work with the information and apply this knowledge for license optimization.
Feature Summary:
From this release onwards, FlexNet Manager Suite enhances the IBM Db2 and their add-on recognition using IBM's License Management Tool db2licm command. This capability is enabled by default. The data collected from IBM's License Management Tool, is displayed in report format under Reports. This report also includes additional information about the licenses associated with the database application, add-ons among other details.
Feature highlights:
- IBM Db2 database and their add-ons recognition using IBM's License Management Tool db2licm command
- Includes recognition for the following list of IBM Db2 database versions - 9.1, 9.5, 10.1, 10.5, 11.1, 11.5
- Each Add-ons has an application defined in the ARL library
- Since Add-on are recognized from this release, you can assign licenses to the Add-ons.
- One stop report for all detailed information about db2licm command based inventory data
What is needed:
This functionality is available for all FlexNet Manager Suite On-Prem, MSP, and Cloud customers from FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R2 release.
ARL (Application Recognition Library) updates from #2566 (release 06 Nov 2020) onwards.
Getting started:
A. IBM License Management Tool command
A sample snippet of IBM's db2licm command's output is attached below. This db2licm command output lists the entire product information such as product name, version, edition, IBM license type, and any licensed/used add-ons, expiry date, compliance status etc.
B. FlexNet Inventory Agent using IBM's db2licm command
FlexNet inventory agent (from 2020 R2 release onwards) uses db2licm command to identify the entire product information such as product name, version, edition, IBM license type, and any licensed/used add-ons, expiry date, compliance status etc. and generates an NDI file. This NDI file is reconciled to view the data in a separate IBM Db2 Database and Add-Ons report.
This inbuilt command works both on Microsoft Windows and UNIX-like platforms. Agent includes a default 120-second timeout so that a failure of a Db2 command to respond does not permanently block other inventory gatherings.
C. Reports
The IBM Db2 Database and Add-Ons report shows all the data collected from IBM Db2's db2licm command. It also includes License and other information about inventory machine details
The report excludes all the previously-available inventory types and shows exclusively the results of the DB2 commands as reported by the FlexNet inventory agent (no other inventory sources can contribute to this report). It shows both the raw information returned by the Db2 commands and the applications recognized when this raw inventory is processed in the nightly license reconciliation.
Additional information:
Please have a look at this new feature and give us your feedback in the comments. We are always interested in your feedback.
