IBM i Software Keys - Interim keys

Interim keys have a duration of 40 days. They are available for emergencies stemming from ordering or licensing issues in various situations, such as orders are pending or transfer of entitlements is pending in IBM records. For these situations, interim keys can be generated and downloaded to allow time for the situation to be resolved.

Caution

Interim keys are not a substitude for temporary licensing. You still need to purchase temporary licensing.

You cannot use Interim keys for testing, demonstration purposes, trial use or system migration.

The availability of self-served Interim keys for a machine serial number is depending on several conditions:

  • The machine type, machine serial number must be valid and recognized by ESS
  • If the machine is licensed to IBM i OS, the machine must have at least one IBM i Per Processor license installed
  • The machine may not have an ITL order pending for activation or active ITL keys. If hardware machine serial has active ITL keys, no Interim keys can be generated for products and product functions that are not orderable with ITL (Db2 Web Query)
  • The machine has not had two or more than two temporary keys within the last 12 months for the required product function.
  • If a temporary key for a specific product function existed within the last 12 months IBM allows a subsequent key with a duration with 21 days.

Generate Interim keys rules

  • Interim keys are automatically be generated for all IBM i operating system VRMs, which the selected machine supports.
  • No interim keys can be generated for IBM i OS Per Processor, User and Application Server.
  • Start date immediately when keys are being acquired on ESS.
  • Processor group is defaulted to P60 but can be manually changed.
  • Quantity-based products have a default quantity assigned. If a key is required with a quantity higher than the default, contact ESS Support

Generate Interim keys

  • Select the machine and serial number
  • In the tooltip you can see if an active temporary key exists for the corresponding product function.
  • You can find details about the existing key such as activation and expiration date.
  • If the limit of allowed Interim keys has been exceeded on the product function, it cannot be selected for Interim key generation.

For other nonentitled keys, you can contact ESS support.