Activating IBM Fusion HCI System Software to be downloaded

You need IBM Fusion HCI System software entitlement to access IBM Fusion HCI System images that are used to install your IBM Fusion HCI System appliance.

Before you begin

Sign up for an IBMid. If you already have an IBMid, skip this step. You can sign up for an IBMid here: https://www.ibm.com/account/reg/us-en/signup?formid=urx-19776A. It is a best practice to use your company email address for your IBMid.
Ensure that you have the following information:
This information can be retrieved from the IBM Invoice of your IBM Fusion HCI System purchase. You can request the invoice from your internal buyer, IBM Sales Representative, or your Business Partner. If you are a Business Partner, you can request the invoice from your Distributor.
- IBM Customer Number (ICN)
  Clients can have multiple IBM Customer Numbers. You need the ICN that was used for your purchase of IBM Fusion HCI System. Your seller or business partner can provide this number.
- Order number
  It is also called an Internal Order Number. An Order number can be a 6-character number that might look like the following example formats:
  - LCxxxx
  - LDxxxx
  - A3xxxx
  - A4xxxx
- Serial number of a IBM Fusion HCI System component:
  Examples for 7-character serial numbers:
  - 85xxxxx
  - 78xxxxx
  - RMxxxxx
  - 66xxxxx
  - 68xxxxx
  Method 1
  
  Serial number of IBM Fusion HCI System Software, 5771-PP7. You can find multiple 5771-PP7 serial numbers in the invoice, but you need only one of them to complete this process.
  
  Method 2
  
  Serial number of a IBM Fusion HCI System hardware component. This method might be useful if you have your ICN but you do not have access to your IBM Invoice. IBM Fusion HCI System hardware serial numbers can be found on the documents that are shipped with your IBM Fusion HCI System. IBM Fusion HCI System hardware components have machine type 9155. You find multiple serial numbers for 9155 components. You only need one serial number from one of the following components to proceed: 9155-C00, 9155-C01, 9155-C04, or 9155-C05.

About this task

Your purchase of IBM Fusion HCI System Software, 5771-PP7, and IBM Fusion HCI System hardware is recorded in the IBM Entitled Systems Support (ESS) portal (https://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/ess/landing/index.html). For more information about the registration process, see https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/entitled-systems-support.

IBM Fusion HCI System software is made available for installation into your OpenShift cluster using an entitlement key that is generated with your IBMid in My IBM (https://www.ibm.com/account/us-en/). The entitlement key grants that you access to IBM Fusion HCI System software that resides in the IBM Container Registry (ICR).

To enable your IBMid to generate an entitlement key with permission to access IBM Fusion HCI System software in the ICR, you must follow the procedure to register your IBM Fusion HCI System purchase in the IBM Entitled Systems Support portal.

Procedure

Go to website (http://www.ibm.com/eserver/ess) and click Log in.
When the login is complete, click My Profile avatar in the title bar and select Register Customer Number.
Select the country and enter your IBM Customer Number (ICN).
If you receive a message that the ICN is already registered, no further action is required.
Register a IBM Fusion HCI System serial number.
Use one of the serial numbers from either Method 1 or Method 2 that is mentioned in the Before you begin section.
In Authentications, select Hardware or Software serial number and then enter a IBM Fusion HCI System serial number.
Click Submit.
After the completion of these steps, the entitlement key gets generated with your IBMid in the "My IBM" section. This key enables you to install IBM Fusion HCI System software into your OpenShift® cluster. Log in to https://myibm.ibm.com/dashboard/ with your IBMid and retrieve an entitlement key. Run the following commands to test the key:
```
docker login cp.icr.io -u cp -p ${key} 
```
```
docker pull  cp.icr.io/cp/isf/isf-validate-entitlement@sha256:1a0dbf7c537f02dc0091e3abebae0ccac83da6aa147529f5de49af0f23cd9e8e
```

What to do next

Note: After you complete the registration, start to pull the images even if the entitlement does not show up in the software container library.

For installation procedure, see Installing IBM Fusion HCI System.