Software License Dimension

FlexNet Manager Suite 2024 R1 (On-Premises)

As part of the Consumption analysis, the Software license dimension allows you to drill down to an individual license for a specific product, as part of analyzing license consumption throughout your enterprise.

The Software license dimension expands into a four-level hierarchy that gives you access to (in order):
  • Publisher
  • License Type
  • Product Name
  • License Name.
Table 1. Attributes for the Software license dimension, Publisher level
Attribute Notes
Publisher

The name of the company that publishes this application (and product).

Related management view: For each application, the publisher is linked through the General tab of the application properties. However, the publisher must exist first for linking, and these records are maintained in the Procurement > All Vendors view. The publisher cited in each license is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses.

Database reference: The primary list of all vendors (including both publishers and resellers) is maintained in the Vendor table. Once linked to an application, minimal detail about the publisher is replicated in the SoftwareTitlePublisher table, where this value is visible as PublisherName. This table is referenced through the SoftwareTitleProduct table, which is in turn referenced by the SoftwareTitle (application) table.

Data warehouse reference: PublisherName column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Table 2. Attributes for the Software license dimension, License type level
Attribute Notes
License type

The type of each license (as defined in FlexNet Manager Suite). Used here as a grouping mechanism, so that you must first choose the license type to drill down any further.

Related management view: For each license, the License type appears in the Identification tab of the license properties. License type is also widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses.

Database reference: License types are saved in the SoftwareLicenseType table. From there they are referenced by the SoftwareLicense table through the LicenseTypeID value.

Data warehouse reference: LicenseType column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Table 3. Attributes for the Software license dimension, Product name level
Attribute Notes
Product

The common name for a family of applications, independent of version or edition details. This must be unique for any given publisher.

Related management view: For each license, the Product name is displayed in the Applications tab of the license properties (and you can link other applications there, each of which displays its own Product value). Keep in mind, too, that a license may be linked to applications from more than one product. The Product name is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Product names are maintained in the SoftwareTitleProduct table.

Data warehouse reference: ProductName column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Table 4. Attributes for the Software license dimension, License name level (alphabetical listing)
Attributes Notes
Compliance status

Indicates whether or not use of software under this license complies with the license terms and conditions (and some related values).

Related management view: For individual licenses, the Compliance status value is displayed in the Compliance tab of the license properties. The Compliance status column is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses.

Database reference: Values are stored in the SoftwareLicenseComplianceStatus static table. Individual license records link to this using the SoftwareLicenseComplianceStatusID property.

Data warehouse reference: ComplianceStatus column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Duration
The localized form of the possible license duration values, for which the English defaults are:
  • Perpetual (a license that is not time-limited)
  • Subscription (a license that must be renewed by regular payments, usually annually)
  • Time limited (a license that will expire, and typically cannot be renewed, such as a time-limited evaluation license).

Related management view: For individual licenses, the Duration value is displayed in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Duration column is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Duration default values (and numeric keys) are stored in the SoftwareLicenseDuration table. Individual license records link to this through the SoftwareLicenseDurationID property.

Data warehouse reference: Duration column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Estimated unit price

An approximate cost for a single entitlement purchased for this license. If the Override unit price has been set on the Purchases tab of the license properties, this is the value used. Otherwise, the unit price (Total price divided by Effective quantity) is taken from the most recent purchase linked to the license.

Related management view: For an individual purchase, the unit price is listed in the Financial tab of the purchase properties, as Quantity X at unit price:. The Unit price (currency) column is widely available in listings of purchases (although you sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: See the PurchaseOrderDetail table, UnitPrice column.

Data warehouse reference: EstimatedUnitPrice column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Expiry date

For subscription (or other time-limited) licenses, this is the date when the current license expires. Any value is ignored when SoftwareLicenseDurationID = 3 (that is, for a perpetual license.) A null value in this field also means that the license is perpetual, since it does not have an expiry date.

Related management view: For individual licenses, the Expiry date value is displayed in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Expiry date column is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: See the SoftwareLicense table, ExpiryDate column.

Data warehouse reference: ExpiryDate column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Grants downgrade right
A Boolean that indicates whether this license offers downgrade rights.
Tip: There is no corresponding reporting on the upgrade right. This is because when the upgrade right is available, FlexNet Manager Suite automatically updates the primary application on the license to the most recent version. This means, in effect, that every license with the upgrade right has already been upgraded to the max.

Related management view: For license types that support downgrade rights, there is a Downgrade rights section in the Use rights & rules tab of the license properties that gives details. There is no equivalent of this Boolean in management views within FlexNet Manager Suite.

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicenseProduct table, in the DowngradeEnabled column. You may also need to check InheritDowngradeFromContract, and if necessary follow the InheritDowngradeFromContractID to find the setting inherited from that contract.

Data warehouse reference: GrantsDowngrade column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Grants rights on VMs and hosts

A Boolean that indicates whether the license provides specific rights for virtual machines or their hosts.

Related management view: For individual licenses, when the Use rights & rules tab includes a section on Right of second use, the setting No special virtualization rights sets this Boolean to 0 (false). The remaining three settings on that section set this Boolean to 1 (true).

Database reference: See SoftwareLicense table, CoverInstallsOnVirtualMachines column.

Data warehouse reference: GrantsVirtualEnvironment column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Grants second use right

A Boolean that indicates whether this license offers second use rights. Only supported for license types where License type supports second use right is 1 (true).

Related management view: For license types that support second use rights, there is a Right of second use section in the Use rights & rules tab of the license properties that gives details. There is no equivalent of this Boolean in management views within FlexNet Manager Suite.

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicense table, in two columns:
  • SecondUsageWorkLaptop is a Boolean that authorizes second use on a work laptop linked through the user to a desktop with a relevant installation
  • SecondUsageAtHome is a Boolean that authorizes a user with a work installation of the software to use a second copy at home (where, obviously, inventory is not collected).
Alternatively, check the SecondUsageInheritFromContract Boolean, and if that is true, follow the link in the SecondUsageInheritFromContractID column to find the settings inherited from the contract.

Data warehouse reference: GrantsSecondUse column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

License

The full name of this license.

Related management view: For each license, the Name is displayed (end editable) in the Identification tab of license properties. The Name is displayed in every license listing, such as License Compliance > All Licenses.

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicense table, in the Name column.

Data warehouse reference: LicenseName column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

License edition

The edition of this license. While this is strictly an attribute of the license, a common convention is to allow automatic updating to reflect the edition of the latest application version linked to the license.

Related management view: For each license, the Edition is displayed (end editable) in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Edition is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicense table, in the Edition column.

Data warehouse reference: LicenseEdition column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

License status
Where this license was (at snapshot time) in the license life-cycle: whether Purchased, Received, In stock, Active, or Retired.
Tip: Do not confuse this value with Compliance status.

Related management view: For each license, there is a Status drop-down list available in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Status column is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Status values are preserved in the LicenseStatus static table. Individual license records link to this using the LicenseStatusID property.

Data warehouse reference: LicenseStatus column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

License type supports second use right

A Boolean that indicates whether the current license type is capable of supporting the right of second use.

Related management view: For individual licenses, the Use rights & rules tab includes a section on Right of second use when this value is true, and otherwise omits the section entirely. There is no equivalent available in management views.

Database reference: No equivalent value stored in the compliance database (the value is calculated on the fly as the snapshot is saved to the data warehouse database (suggested name: FNMSDataWarehouse).

Data warehouse reference: UseInSecondUseRights column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

License version

The version of this license. Note that this version number applies strictly to the license, and so may have been used in custom ways in your enterprise; but a common convention is to make the license version reflect the version of the application initially licensed here (although these versions may change through upgrade and downgrade rights). Another convention is to allow automatic updating to reflect the latest application version linked to the license.

Related management view: For each license, the Version is displayed (end editable) in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Version is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicense table, in the Version column.

Data warehouse reference: LicenseVersion column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

Subject to true-up

A Boolean that indicates whether this is a true up license. A true up license will not be displayed as At risk, with any over-consumption in a period being adjusted through the regular (usually annual) true up process.

Related management view: For each license, there is a Subject to true up check box available in the Identification tab of the license properties. The Subject to true up column is widely available in license listings, such as License Compliance > All Licenses (although sometimes you must add it to the listing from the column chooser).

Database reference: Saved in the SoftwareLicense table, in the TrueUp column.

Data warehouse reference: IsTrueUp column in the SoftwareLicenseData table.

FlexNet Manager Suite (On-Premises)

2024 R1