License-Type Hierarchy

FlexNet Manager Suite 2019 R1 (On-Premises Edition)

The license-type hierarchy defines the strict hierarchical order of license types; that is, it defines the child license types that are contained in specific parent license types.

The SAP Inventory Agent imports the license-type hierarchy—along with other data—from the SAP Admin module for each dependent SAP system. When you set up FlexNet Manager for SAP Applications for the first time, you need to specify from which system the license-type hierarchy should be loaded. Usually you load the hierarchy from the SAP system on which the LAW is run. You should ensure that the license data is maintained accurately in the LAW.

Figure: Example of a well-formed license-type hierarchy.

When FlexNet Manager for SAP Applications calculates the license position, it consolidates the user accounts across systems into logical users. Based on the license-type hierarchy, it then assigns the highest required license type to each user. It is therefore essential that the license-type hierarchy is set up properly.

The most expensive license types are usually identified using the SAP table LAW_CONT, which lists the additional license types that are contained in a license type. The validity of this table is dependent on the patch level of the LAW system. After new license types have been specified by SAP, it can take some time before an appropriate patch is provided.

You can import, view, and modify the license-type hierarchy using the License Types feature under Optimization.

When you define a license type as a sub-license type of a higher license type, you must ensure that this relationship is well formed. This means that there must be no cyclical references between license types in the hierarchy. For example, license type A cannot be a sub-license type of license type B, if license type B is already a sub-license of license type A. If FlexNet Manager for SAP Applications detects a cycle in the license-type hierarchy, it displays an alert message. You should remove the cycle (for example, by removing the incorrect sub-license type), otherwise the consolidated users might be assigned insufficient license types, and the license position might not be calculated correctly.

Figure: Example for a cycle in the license-type hierarchy. To remove the cycle, the sub-license type A (red) needs to be removed from license type B.

The license types that are defined under License Types will be available for selection when you configure license rules.