IBM VPC License Consumption Report

IT Asset Management (Cloud)

The IBM VPC License Consumption report is an audit report that displays the consumption details of all VPC-licensed IBM products that are not bundled, for a given reporting period.

Tip: The report cannot cover any time earlier than the current data retention period. This is set within the IBM sub-capacity calculation settings section on the Licensing tab of the IT Asset Management Settings General page (Administration > IT Asset Management Settings > General), defaulting to a window of 180 days ending at the date of the last full license reconciliation (normally, in the early hours of this morning).

Generating the report

1. Go to the IBM VPC License Consumption page (Reporting > License Reports > IBM VPC License Consumption).
2. If necessary, use the two date pickers labeled Reporting period (in the top left corner) to adjust the reporting period. The default values are based on the current reporting period, set in the IBM sub-capacity calculation settings section on the Licensing tab of the IT Asset Management Settings General page (Administration > IT Asset Management Settings > General) as the calculation period, and either set manually there, or automatically rolled over on the settings you declared there.
3. The report controls include a search field labeled Licenses, which for audit reporting defaults to All IBM VPC non Cloud Pak licenses. For special purposes, to narrow your report to one or several candidate licenses:
   1. Click the edit icon in the field to open a search panel.
   2. Type all or part of a license name in the License search field, and click Search. Results display in the list at the bottom of the panel (across multiple pages, if your search returned a large number of licenses).
   3. Select the check box to the left of the license (or licenses) to include in the report. Your current selection(s) are displayed in the Selected license box, and also in the Licenses text box.
   4. Close the search panel. for example by again clicking the Licenses field.
4. Click Run report.

Reading the report

The following columns are available. By default, all available columns are displayed in the report (although for special purposes, you may move any columns that you do not want included into the column chooser).

To itemize consumption, this report combines properties of:

• Application
• Container cluster
• Host
• Inventory device
• License
• Region
• Resource pools.

To clarify the report, the properties are grouped under headers that identify their underlying database object. Similarly, this list of properties is grouped first by the database object (alphabetically ordered), and then the related properties (also sorted alphabetically).

Tip: If a stand-alone computer appears in this report (one that is neither a virtual machine nor a virtual host), its details are shown in both the host and inventory device sections of the report. The same thing happens if the host server has the licensed software installed directly on it, regardless of whether the software is also installed on one or more guest devices (one row shows the host's details both as a host and as the inventory device).

Table 1.

Column name	Description
Application properties
Application name	The application's name, which may be: Set by the Application Recognition Library Derived from the evidence values for Product, Version, and Edition properties Edited manually (for records created locally).
Edition	The edition of an application. These editions, for example, Lite or Pro, describe different levels or groupings of functionality.
Primary	Describes whether this product is primary for this license. The default value of this field is Yes for a single-product license. In case of licensing product bundles, you can select one or more primary product(s) for this license. When the application displays No in this column, the installation does not consume any points, as its licensing is covered by the primary product(s) on the same license.
Container cluster
Cluster name	The name given to the Kubernetes cluster of nodes (working computers, either physical or virtual). This name is not guaranteed to be unique (in facts, tends to repeat default values, such as mk).
Cluster peak consumption	The highest level of consumption for this cluster within the reporting period that contributed towards the consumption for the license.
Host properties
Computer type	Specifies the type of the accessing device, which may be any of the following values: Computer — A computing device like a desktop, laptop, workstation, or a non-virtualized server. Mobile device — A mobile device like a tablet or smart phone. Remote Device — The device is a remote device (not appearing in inventory) known to have accessed virtualized applications. VDI Template — The VDI template used to create the virtual desktop instance that was accessed from an inventory device (see Virtual Desktop Templates). Virtual Machine — A virtual machine running on a physical host machine. A physical host can run multiple virtual machines using virtualization technologies from VMWare, Oracle, Microsoft, and so on. VM Host — A physical virtual host running one or more virtual machine using any virtualization technology, such as VMWare. Most commonly, this displays VM Host. However, if it happens that a stand-alone device (neither a VM nor a VM host) is included in the report for its full capacity contribution, its details are repeated in both the host section and the inventory device section of the report. In this case, the Computer type typically displays Computer.
Host consumption	The total points consumed for all of the relevant software installations on this host (both on its hosted VMs and directly on this server). The simple sum of points for all installations may be modified in either of two ways: The sum may be capped by the total capacity of the host The consumption figure on the license may have been overridden with a manual edit.
Host corporate unit	The corporate unit responsible for all costs incurred for this host server. This same value may also flow through to all guest VMs on this host (for example, for a departmental server); or the guest VMs may have independent values (for example, for a server room host that runs VMs for several different corporate units). >This choice is determined by the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Be aware that changes to the host's corporate unit are data corrections, and that the current value is always reflected in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations. Compare with Corporate unit for the inventory device. Editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties.
Host cost center	The cost center responsible for all costs incurred for this host server. This same value may also flow through to all guest VMs on this host (for example, for a departmental server); or the guest VMs may have independent values (for example, for a server room host that runs VMs for several different cost centers). This choice is determined by the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Be aware that changes to the host's cost center are data corrections, and that the current value is always reflected in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations. Compare with Cost center for the inventory device. Editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties.
Host licensing	Displays one of the following values: Full capacity Sub-capacity Blank for a stand-alone device not hosting VMs. A host may be forced to consume to its full capacity for either of the following reasons: It is consuming from a license that does not allow sub-capacity licensing (check the Use rights & rules tab). The host itself, or any one or more of its guest VMs, may be ineligible for sub-capacity calculations because their inventory is not returned by a locally-installed FlexNet Inventory Agent (check the Eligible for sub-capacity column for each of its guest VMs). Any ineligible guest forces its host to use full capacity calculations.
Host location	The location within your enterprise that is responsible for this host device. The settings for guest VMs on this host may or may not inherit this value, depending on the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Be aware that changes to the location are data corrections, and that the current value is always retroactive for the entire reporting period in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations. Because the ownership location is used to link each inventory device to the appropriate IBM region, such a change may alter either the size or the date of regional peaks in the consumption report. Compare with Location for the inventory device. Editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties.
Host manufacturer	The company making and selling the computer hosting the relevant virtual machine.
Host model	The manufacturer’s model name or number for this device.
Host name	The system name of this device. You may click the hyperlinked name to open the inventory device properties for this host.
Max clock speed	The maximum clock speed displayed in the computer’s own property sheet. The Clock speed value is not directly editable. See the property sheet for the computer.
Physical server CPU core sub-capacity	The number of processor cores used in the consumption calculation for this row of the report. Tip: When Host licensing is Full capacity or blank, this figure is the same as Physical server CPU core sub-capacity limit. In contrast, when Host licensing is Sub-capacity, this figure is the same as the Cores count displayed for the inventory device (guest VM) in this row.
Physical server CPU core sub-capacity limit	The total number of processor cores available in the host, which acts as a cap or upper limit on the sum of possible cores assigned to its guest VMs.
Processors	The total number of central processing units (CPUs) available in this host.
Processor type	The type of processor installed in this host. Populated and (by default) updated by inventory imports, this value can be manually overwritten in the Hardware tab of the inventory device properties.
Inventory device properties
Allocated	Indicates whether this row of the table records an allocation of a license entitlement to the inventory device or user. (Allocations are independent of installations.) The Allocated value is editable in the Consumption tab of the license properties. Furthermore, the type of allocation can be adjusted on the Licenses tab of the inventory device properties.
Computer	The name of the device consuming from this IBM license. Click to open the properties of this inventory device. Editable in the Name field in the General tab of the inventory device properties (for manually-created records).
Computer deleted	Displays No when this virtual machine is still fully operational and reporting inventory. Displays Yes when an operator has attempted to delete the record for this device — strictly speaking, the device has been given a status of Archived, and its historical records are maintained for retroactive consumption calculations. In all other respects, it acts as if deleted. (Its complete deletion follows when the historical records of consumption are no longer required, because they fall outside the data retention period.)
Cores	When the inventory device is a guest VM on the host in this row, this is the number of processor cores assigned to the VM. If the Host licensing column displays Sub-capacity, this count of assigned cores matches the Physical server CPU core sub-capacity value used to calculate the points consumed for this row. However, where the Host licensing was forced to Full capacity, those two values are different, with this column still showing the cores assigned, even though that number had to be ignored for full capacity calculations. (In those cases where this row is reporting consumption for the host itself, or for a stand-alone server, this is the number of processor cores available in the physical inventory device.)
Corporate unit	The corporate unit responsible for all costs incurred for this inventory device. If this device is a virtual machine, it may inherit the value from its host (for example, from a departmental server); or it may have an independent value. This choice is determined by the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Independent (non-inherited) values are editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties. Be aware that changes to the corporate unit are data corrections, and that the current value is always reflected in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations.
Cost center	The cost center responsible for all costs incurred for this inventory device. If this device is a virtual machine, it may inherit the value from its host (for example, from a departmental server); or it may have an independent value. This choice is determined by the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Independent (non-inherited) values are editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties. Be aware that changes to the cost center are data corrections, and that the current value is always reflected in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations.
Domain name	The domain for this inventory device reported in its inventory. Often blank for guest VMs hosted on UNIX-like servers, unless the configuration has been especially set up to report a Windows domain for the non-Windows device. Information only, and does not affect device matching or consumption calculations, nor the attribution of device consumption to an IBM region (which is handled through locations).
Eligible for sub-capacity	Displays Yes when all of the following are true: The license from which the inventory device is consuming allows for sub-capacity consumption The inventory device is a virtual machine with a known host (in contrast, 'stand-alone VMs', where the host cannot be identified, consume like a stand-alone server, at full capacity) The inventory reported from this device is FlexNet inventory, coming from a locally-installed FlexNet Inventory Agent. Tip: Check this value against the results for other VMs on this host, and also against the Host licensing column. Even though this individual VM may qualify for sub-capacity calculations, the presence of any one or more VMs that are ineligible (for example, because they are not reporting FlexNet inventory) forces calculations for the entire host and all its VMs to be Full capacity. Inconsistencies in this value for VMs on a common host can help you diagnose where you are missing installations of FlexNet Inventory Agent.
Exempted	Displays Yes when an Exemption reason is set, meaning that the use of the licensed application on this inventory device does not count towards points consumed for the license. Displays No in the normal case, where the points consumed by the inventory device are calculated, and used in deriving the peak consumption for the appropriate IBM region.
Exemption reason	The reason why the individual computer or user is exempt from consuming an entitlement under this license, even though the application is in use. When this column is blank, application use on this computer, or by this user, can count towards consumption of the license. The Exemption reason may be set on the Consumption tab of the license properties; or it may be based on the setting of the device role which matches an exemption reason identified in the product use rights of the license.
Inventory source	The most recent source of inventory for this device (if a device is reported by multiple inventory sources, some details may come from the main or primary source, and other details may be augmented from other sources). For VPC licenses for Cloud Paks, this column should always represent FlexNet inventory, collected and uploaded by the locally-installed FlexNet Inventory Agent. (The column may also display ManageSoft, a legacy name for FlexNet Inventory Agent.)
IP address	The IPv4 address (if any) reported in inventory from this device. Reflects the IP address shown in the General tab of the inventory device properties, and may be blank if the device reports an IPv6 address as its first or only IP address.
Last inventory date	The date when inventory information was most recently collected by the Inventory source for the inventory device.
Location	The location within your enterprise that is responsible for this inventory device. If this device is a virtual machine, it may inherit this value, depending on the setting for Update virtual machine cost center and corporate unit to match host properties in the Inventory tab in the IT Asset Management Settings General page. Note: In the unlikely case that this virtual machine is linked to an asset, then the value remains independent of the virtual host, regardless of the system setting. Independent (non-inherited) values are editable in the Ownership tab of the inventory device properties. Be aware that changes to the location are data corrections, and that the current value is always retroactive for the entire reporting period in the report regenerated as part of each night's license compliance calculations. Because the ownership location is used to link each inventory device to the appropriate IBM region, such a change may alter either the size or the date of regional peaks in the consumption report.
Operating system	The operating system that this inventory device reports in inventory. In the case of a virtual machine, this is the guest operating system.
License properties
License consumption	The total number of points consumed for this IBM VPC license, which is the sum of: The peak consumption for each of the three IBM regions, each occurring on its independent date. A quasi-peak consumption for inventory devices in an Unknown region. (Before archiving this report, identify and fix all these devices, assigning their ownership to locations linked to one of the three mandatory IBM regions.) The current consumption figures for all devices linked to the license but requiring full capacity calculations.
License name	The license name may be: Copied from the first-linked software product Derived from the License Name field of the SKU in the first-linked purchase (or if there is no SKU, from the purchase Description field) Created manually.
License publisher	The name of the software publisher (responsible for its development and distribution), as shown in the license properties.
License version	The version assigned to the license. This may be tracking versions of a linked application, or may an independent value.
Region properties
Region consumption	The peak consumption (the highest number of points consumed on an individual day) for the IBM region identified in this row, being the region to which consumption by the host server contributes.
Region metric quantity	The highest number of VPCs committed to running the product in the region shown in this row.
Region name	Shows, for each device, the region in which its license points are included (or, if the device is not yet assigned to a region, Unknown region is displayed, and this should be corrected as soon as practical). This is one of the three regions of the world that IBM makes mandatory for reporting points consumption on IBM sub-capacity licenses. Tip: In any list of inventory devices, a virtual machine shows the IBM region linked to its host server. This is because an IBM sub-capacity license licenses the host, and therefore the total consumption for the host is rolled up into the IBM region that is linked to the host (through its owning location). This total consumption includes both software installed on the host and/or on any guest VMs running on that host. (In contrast, if the host for the VM is unknown, the VM displays its own properties, so that in this case, the location and its mapped IBM region are those from the orphan VM.) Values may be: North America and South America Europe and Africa Asia and Australia Unknown region (either when there is no owning location, or when the owning location has not be assigned to an IBM region).
Region peak consumption time	The last date (within your chosen reporting period) when the peak value for the named region occurred. If the system is widely stable, the peak value may be sustained for a long time, so that this value may well be the date of your last license reconciliation (possibly today or yesterday). If the date is earlier than that, the current consumption is lower than the peak for that region. Tip: To synchronize reporting for the three regions worldwide, dates are UTC (that is, the date rolls over at midnight UTC).
VPC conversion ratio	For an IBM VPC license, this ratio defines the factor used to move from the total number of virtual processor cores (VPCs) assigned in all devices running the same product (on this license), to the number of license entitlements consumed. For example, a ratio of 2 : 1 means that every two assigned cores (of the total number shown in the Region metric quantity column) consume a license entitlement.
Resource pools properties
Pool 1	The name of the (first or only) resource pool on the host shown in the current row, to which the inventory device (virtual machine) on the same row belongs. Be aware that if there is a similar value for Pool 2, then pool 1 is the higher-level or parent pool in the hierarchy, and pool 2 is the lower-level or child pool that typically contains the virtual machines. This column only shows a value for host platforms that support resource pools with hard limits, including: AIX HP-UX Solaris zones Linux VMs deployed on IBM zSystem environments. Tip: Resource pools (such as VMware ESX servers) that do not impose hard limits (capping), will not appear under Resource pools properties. The resource pool data in this report is historical: that is, it shows the resource pool capping applicable to the host and VM (inventory device) in this row of report as at the date when the inventory device contributed to the peak consumption for its IBM region. Current resource pools are visible in the Virtual Devices and Clusters page.
Pool 1 core sub-capacity limit	The total number of cores available for all virtual machines in this pool (where there is only one level in the pool hierarchy), or available for all its child resource pools (where there are two levels in the pool hierarchy). Capping is applied when the inventory device has contributed to the peak consumption in its IBM region.
Pool 1 core sub-capacity	The number of processor cores used in the consumption calculation for all virtual machines in this resource pool.
Pool 2	The name of the child (or second level) resource pool, to which virtual machines are typically assigned when there is a hierarchy of resource pools. (Where a host has only a single level of resource pools, this column remains blank.) Tip: If you create an unusual hierarchy with more than two levels, only the lowest level (containing VMs) and the second-lowest level (the immediate parent) appear in this report. The amount of cores available for this pool is capped and enforced by the parent pool.
Pool 2 core sub-capacity limit	The total number of cores available for all virtual machines in this pool. Where a host has only a single level of resource pools, this column remains blank. Capping is applied when the inventory device has contributed to the peak consumption in its IBM region.
Pool 2 core sub-capacity	The number of processor cores used in the consumption calculation for all virtual machines in this resource pool.
Pool 3	The name of the third level child resource pool, to which virtual machines are typically assigned when there is a hierarchy of resource pools. Where a host has only one or two levels of resource pools, this column remains blank. For IBM zSystem inventory, the third level in the hierarchy will typically consist of either a z/VM or KVM hypervisor. The amount of cores available for this pool is capped and enforced by the parent pool.
Pool 3 core sub-capacity limit	The total number of processor cores available in the resource pool, which acts as a cap or upper limit on the sum of possible cores assigned to its guest virtual machines. Capping is applied when the inventory device has contributed to the peak consumption in its IBM region.
Pool 3 core sub-capacity	The number of processor cores used in the consumption calculation for all virtual machines in this resource pool.

Downloading the archive of IBM license consumption reports

You can download the reports of IBM Cloud Pak license consumption, IBM PVU license consumption, IBM VPC license consumption, IBM MVS license consumption, IBM RU license consumption and the unlicensed installations as a digitally-signed package, which can be used as a trusted source for audit. The data contained in the package can be validated for authenticity. To download the package, select the reporting period, and click the Download the IBM audit report link. The downloaded package contains the following data :

• IBM Cloud Pak license consumption report
• IBM PVU license consumption report
• IBM VPC license consumption report
• IBM MVS license consumption report
• IBM RU license consumption report
• IBM Unlicensed Installations report
• Report summary
  Note: The report summary contains the generation date, user account that generated the report, period of the report, and statistics for the out-of-date inventory devices.
• Checksums
• Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM) file
• RSA signature file