Add a Points Rule

FlexNet Manager Suite 2020 R2 (On-Premises)

You may add points rules to sets that you create locally, or to sets downloaded with the Application Recognition Library.

Individual points rules can be created only within the context of their parent points rule set. Remember that points rule sets are restricted to a specific type of license, and the rules in the set must match the conditions of that license type.

To add a points rule:

  1. Select the points rule set for your new rule from the Points Rule Sets page (details: Points Rule Sets), and open its properties.
  2. Select the Points rules tab.
  3. Start the creation process in either of these ways:
    • If this is the first rule in the set, or completely different from any of the existing rules, click Create.
    • If there is already a rule that is similar to your planned one, select it from the list, and click Create from.
    A new editing area for rule creation opens above the list. The fields in this area depend on the type of license to which this rule applies (for a complete mapping of the controls to each license type, see What Are Points Rule Sets?).
  4. Create a memorable Points rule name that will be meaningful in lists you inspect some time later.
  5. Complete the other fields, depending on the license type.
    The list of all possible fields, along with any editing notes to be aware of, is included below. Keep in mind that only a subset of these controls are available for any individual license type.
  6. If you are creating one in a series of similar rules, and want to continue with another rule definition, select the Create another? check box.
  7. Click Create.
    After a moment, your new rules is added to the list of Points rules below the editor. As well:
    • If you had selected the Create another check box, the editor is cleared back default values for you to enter your next rule.
    • If not, the editor closes.
    Tip: The new rules displays in the list, but the modified list is not yet stored in the database.
  8. When you have finished adding rules to this set, click Save.
    Tip: If this is the first time creating the points rule set and adding points rules to it, the big blue button instead reads Create, so click that,
    The modified rule set, including your new rules, is written to the compliance database. The rule set and your new rule(s) are now ready to use in licenses.

Depending on the license type, the following controls may appear in the rule editor. (For a listing of which license types support which control, see What Are Points Rule Sets?). Possible controls are listed here alphabetically.

Control Notes
Applies to

When this points rule set is applied to a license, these settings are tested against the Hosted in value set on the inventory device properties. Where there is a match, this points rule is used to calculate license points consumption for that inventory device.

Select one or more of the following check boxes:
  • On-premises — This rule applies to inventory devices installed within your enterprise, and with this choice, these devices may include either virtual machines running on a locally-installed virtual host, or free-standing physical computers.
  • Any cloud service provider — This rule applies to any inventory device (which, in this case, must be a virtual machine) that has its Hosted in value set to any known cloud service provider.
    Tip: With this selection, the rule also applies to any new cloud service providers who may be added in future (either through an update of the Application Recognition Library or through a local addition as described in System Settings: Cloud Service Providers Tab).
  • Selected cloud service providers — This selection enables the following set of all currently-available cloud service providers. When this check box is selected:
    • You may not also select the Any cloud service provider check box, since having a list of specified service providers means you cannot allow the random matching of any possible provider.
    • You must also select one or more of the cloud service providers (immediately following) that are enabled by this selection. The finished rule applies to inventory devices (virtual machines) hosted by the cloud service provider(s) that you select from this group.
Computer model no
As well as entering a full model identifier, you may use:
  • A single asterisk (*) character, which matches all model numbers
  • A regular expression.
Earliest purchase date

The earliest date when the server under test could have been purchased to qualify for the license to which this rule set is linked. This property may account for price changes over time for a given license type, for example.

Enter a date, or click the calendar icon at the right of the field to use a date picker. This field may be left blank (or cleared) when it is not relevant to the linked license(s). (Earliest and latest purchase dates may be cleared independently of each other.)

Latest purchase date

The latest date when the server under test could have been purchased to qualify for the license to which this rule set is linked. This property may account for price changes over time for a given license type, for example.

Enter a date, or click the calendar icon at the right of the field to use a date picker. This field may be left blank (or cleared) when it is not relevant to the linked license(s). (Earliest and latest purchase dates may be cleared independently of each other.)

Max. clock speed (MHz)

The maximum value of the processor clock speed (in MHz) that qualifies for consumption from a license linked to the set containing this rule.

Enter (or spin up) the whole number of MHz that forms the upper bound for this rule. Use zero to represent Any number (which is displayed when you move to a different control).

Max. cores

The maximum number of cores permitted on a server for a software installation on that device to consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number, using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Max. cores per socket

The maximum average number of processor cores per socket permitted on a server for a software installation there to match this rule. The number of cores per socket is calculated by dividing the computer's inventoried number of cores by the number of sockets.

Enter or spin up a number, using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Max. processors

The maximum number of processors permitted on the server for a software installation on that device to consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number, using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Max. resource

The maximum number of the particular resource specified by the linked license to match this rule.

Enter a decimal value (or spin up the integer part), using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Max. sockets

The maximum number of sockets that may be available on the server for a software installation on that device to consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number, using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Max. users

The maximum number of end-users specified by the linked license to match this rule.

Enter or spin up a number, using zero to represent Any number (that is, all installations will match this criterion within the overall rule).

Min. clock speed (MHz)

The minimum value of the processor clock speed (in MHz) that qualifies for consumption from a license linked to the set containing this rule.

Enter (or spin up) a numerical value. For minima, zero has no special value, but just sets the lower bound to zero.

Min. cores

An inventory device must have this number of cores (or more) for a software installation on that device to consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number. For a minimum value, zero is just zero and has no special meaning.

Min. cores per socket

The minimum average number of cores per socket on a server before a software installation there will match this rule. From inventory, the total number of cores is divided by the total number of sockets to get the average for each server.

Enter or spin up a number. For a minimum, zero is just zero and has no special meaning.

Min. processors

The minimum number of processors that must be available on the server before a software installation there may consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number. For minimum values, zero has no special meaning (and is just zero).

Min. resource

The minimum number of the particular resource specified by the linked license to match this rule.

Enter a decimal value (or spin up the integer part). As for all minima, zero has no special meaning, but sets the lower bound of the rule to zero.

Min. sockets

The minimum number of processor sockets that must be available on the server before a software installation there will match this rule, and consume from the related license.

Enter or spin up a number. As for all such minima, zero has no special meaning, and simply sets the lower bound of the rule to zero.

Min. users

The minimum number of end-users specified by the linked license to match this rule.

Enter or spin up a number. As for all such minima, zero has no special meaning, and simply sets the lower bound of the rule to zero.

Points

The number of points consumed from the associated license if an installation matches this rule from the set.

It would be unusual for this value to be left at zero. License that allow for installations to consume zero points usually do so on the basis of the business purpose of the particular server (such as backup), and these installations should be given a clear Exemption reason to prevent points consumption.

Points rule name

Remember the value you enter may be truncated in lists, and try to keep the unique part of the description up first.

Processor type

An expression used to test for matching processors.

Enter an expression that will match against one or more processor types identified in inventory. As well as the plain text name of a particular processor, you may use:
  • A single asterisk (*) character, which matches all process types
  • A regular expression.
Source
The origin of this rule. Values are:
  • Local for a rule created within your enterprise (you may edit these rules)
  • Flexera for a read-only rule provided by Flexera through the Application Recognition Library
  • Shared for a rule created by a managed service provider (MSP) and shared across its customers

Not editable.

FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)

2020 R2