License Metric Tool with BigFix - end to end checklist

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The following checklist leads you through the setup of the License Metric Tool environment with BigFix® - from the installation of the required components, through collection of data, to classification of the discovered software and generation of the audit snapshot.

Install and configure the server

Install all components of the License Metric Tool infrastructure on the selected operating system. Then, perform initial configuration of the application.

  1. Plan the installation to ensure that the computer on which you want to install License Metric Tool:
  2. Install the components.
    All-in-One installer on Linux Separate installers on Linux Separate installers on Windows
    1. Download the All-in-One installer.
    2. Optional: Create the license authorization file if the computer on which you are planning to install License Metric Tool does not have the Internet access.
    3. Run the All-in-One installer in interactive or silent mode.
    4. Install the BigFix console.
    5. Install the BigFix client on every computer from which you want to collect software inventory data.
    1. Install the BigFix platform.
      1. Create the license authorization file.
      2. Download the BigFix installer.
      3. Install the BigFix server, console and the first client.
      4. Install the BigFix client on every computer from which you want to collect software inventory data. You can install the clients at this point or proceed with the installation of License Metric Tool and install the clients later on.
    2. Install License Metric Tool.
      1. Install DB2.
      2. Enable the License Metric Tool fixlet site.
      3. Install the License Metric Tool server.
      4. Perform initial configuration.
    1. Install the BigFix platform.
      1. Create the license authorization file.
      2. Download the BigFix installer.
      3. Install MS SQL Server for BigFix.
      4. Install the BigFix server, console and the first client.
      5. Install the BigFix client on every computer from which you want to collect software inventory data. You can install the clients at this point or proceed with the installation of License Metric Tool and install the clients later on.
    2. Install License Metric Tool.
      1. Install MS SQL Server.
      2. Enable the License Metric Tool fixlet site.
      3. Install the License Metric Tool server.
      4. Perform initial configuration.

Set up data collection

After you install License Metric Tool, ensure that you properly set up collection of software and capacity data from all required systems.
  1. Collect basic software and capacity data.
    Important: The steps are not required if completed the All-in-One installation or you enabled the default scan configuration during the installation.
    1. Optional: Distribute scans for improved performance.
    2. Activate the required analyses.
    3. Install the scanner.
    4. Initiate software scans.
    5. Schedule uploads of software scan results.
    6. Initiate capacity scans.
  2. Collect capacity data from VMs and public clouds.

Define products you expect on the report

Each IBM software component discovered in your environment can often be part of multiple different products. Indicating which products you expect to see on the final license usage report allows IBM License Metric Tool to more accurately perform initial, automated classification of discovered software. This highly reduces effort for manual classification later on and gives much more accurate baseline for the final report out of the box. Products which you purchased and expect on the report represent your software entitlements. The following procedure allows to define software entitlements, observe if these are reflected on the license usage report and remediate situations which require manual actions:

  1. Define your software entitlements. This can be done manually or by importing purchased Part Numbers.This can be done manually or by importing purchased Part Numbers.
  2. Review your license metric utilization on the All Metrics report.
  3. Identify products on the report which are not identified as entitled (using Configure View add "Entitled" column). For each such product click on the Product Name to see all discovered components classified to this product. Use instruction from next section to perform manual classification to the proper product.

Classify discovered software and review license utilization

Classify the discovered software so that reports in License Metric Tool reflect your entitlements and properly show utilization of license metrics by particular products.
  1. Classify the discovered software.
    1. Assign components to products, license metric, and Cloud Paks or FlexPoint bundles if you have any. If you defined your entitlements, most of the component are already assigned to products, focus on the rest of products you are entitled to.
    2. Optional: Perform additional software classification. For example, exclude trial products from metric calculation.
  2. Optional: Create custom rules. A rule automatically performs the action that is defined by the rule criteria. For example, when you create a custom rule when you are assigning a component to a product, the rule is applied whenever the exact same component is discovered in the future.
  3. Optional: Confirm the assignment. It will help you track how much software still needs to be classified.
  4. Optional: Set thresholds of license metric utilization. You will then easily notice when the utilization is above your expectations.
  5. Review your license metric utilization on the All Metrics report.

Optional: Set up email notifications

Set up notifications about items that require your attention to always be up to date with changes in your environment without the need of logging in to License Metric Tool itself. The most common items that require your attention include:
  • The appearance of computers that require troubleshooting.
  • The appearance of new components whose assignment needs to be reviewed and confirmed.
  • Exceeded thresholds of license metric utilization.

Maintain subcapacity reporting

  • Regularly upgrade the License Metric Tool server to take full advantage of new features and application fixes as well as to be compliant with subcapacity licensing requirements. A new version of License Metric Tool is released periodically, typically at the end of every calendar quarter. You can update the scanners when needed, not necessarily during every upgrade of the License Metric Tool server.
  • Classify newly installed software.
  • Create the snapshot of license metric utilization at least once per quarter. Store it for two years for your reference and for the subcapacity auditing purposes.