Strategies for Analyzing Usage Data
Analyze your usage data with the following questions in mind:
| • | Are all users getting licenses when they need them? |
You determine the level of need based on the nature of your FlexEnabled applications. Does a user need one license continuously for eight hours or for just a few seconds? See {Hyperlink}“Deciding When to Add Additional Licenses,”{Default ¹ Font} and {Hyperlink}“License Denials,”{Default ¹ Font} for additional information.
| • | What is your usage profile? |
Determine which users show the most license usage activity. Consider reserving licenses just for them and leaving the remaining available licenses for the more casual users.
| • | Are there licenses that are underutilized? |
If so, consider remixing your features. See {Hyperlink}“Remixing Licenses Within Features,”{Default ¹ Font} for further information.
| • | What is the future staffing in your organization? |
Consider defining groups of users based on categories such as assignment, server usage, or license need. Set up FlexNet licensing groups to help manage license usage.
| • | Is license usage balanced across your enterprise? |
You may have your licenses divided up among the license servers in your enterprise. First, ensure that all license servers are available and serving licenses. Second, make sure that license requests are distributed evenly among your license servers.
If there is one license server that seems to be getting more requests than the rest, consider redistributing the total pool of licenses so that more are available on that license server. See {Hyperlink}“Balancing License Load Across Your Enterprise,”{Default ¹ Font} for more information.
| • | How often should you take a usage snapshot? |
A monthly review of usage data provides you with a helpful view into the usage patterns across your enterprise. You may need to vary the frequency for various reasons; for example, while you are fine-tuning your license usage. Perform an in-depth annual review to determine your license renewal needs.
| • | What is the licensing business model your vendor applies to your licenses? |
Take into consideration the renewal or license usage review period put in place by your vendor. Negotiate a contract that incorporates license rehosting and feature remixing.