IBM InfoSphere Information Server EE License Configuration (Allocations/Restrictions/Exemption)

[_willyin]

Hello all,

Under the IBM InfoSphere Information Server Enterprise Edition license terms you're only required to count the Engine Tiers OR Service Tier servers for consumption (PVU based). So in my environment we have 4 Engine Tiers which have been allocated to the license, that's all fine.

However, because of application evidence we have to continually manually exempt all other (non-engine tiers) servers and devices from consuming the license. This has quickly become a repetitive and tedious process with all the new inventory coming through, especially from VDI's and can catch you off guard with a spike in Peak consumption.

I've looked into restrictions via Enterprise Groups and currently have it set to a Location Group which should alleviate some of the manual exemption work, although a colleague made the point that any device outside of the restricted group would fall into the Unlicensed Installation view creating another problem.

So my question is how do I have my cake and eat it too? Is there a better way to do this or have I hit the barriers of the FlexNet realm 😆

Regards,

Will

*FNMS 2018 R2

[mfranz · Accepted solution]

Hi Will,

I wouldn't call it a barrier, but a realm of creativity. There are quite some use cases needing such creativity and thankfully FNMS allows for such intervention.

I see two obvious approaches:

1. Create an "overhang" license for those additional installations. You'd need to make it higher priority than your actual license. Then allocate your 4 engine tiers to the main license. FNMS should put all but your allocated machines into the overhang license.
2. Or go with a Business Import to create the exemptions for you automatically.
   1. Identify all installations
   2. "substract" your 4 engine tiers
   3. exempt the rest

Best regards,

Markward

[WStephans]

Hi,

I am encountering a similar issue. I recently found that there is an .xml file that InfoSphere puts in a default location that contains information as to the type of install: client, server, or engine. I am wondering if the FlexNet agent has the ability to read this .xml file to gather more evidence to more accurately detect the true product installed.  

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21967121

Default location:

Unix/Linux:

/opt/IBM/InformationServer/Version.xml

Windows (including clients):

C:\IBM\Information Server\version.xml

[ChrisG]

I don't know of any functionality that is built in to the agent that would look for and gather details from this InfoSphere file.

I see you've created Idea FXONE-I-353 for this for people to vote on, which is a good move.