Capacity units

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Capacity units are the particular quantity that is measured to determine if a software product is used in compliance with its license. In some cases, capacity units are also used to calculate charges based on the amount of usage of the software product. That is, capacity units are a pricing metric that defines how capacity is counted and applied against your entitlement in license use reports.

It is important to differentiate between a pricing metric and a license. The license defines what you can and cannot do with a product. The pricing metric, measured in capacity units, defines how capacity is counted and applied against your entitlement. In many cases, you can increase the entitlement only through a new license agreement that complements one or more existing agreements.

The following capacity units are supported by the Licenses application:

Authorized User (AUTHOUSER)

Charges are based on a unique person who is given access to the program.

An authorized user is the person who is given access. The program can be installed on any number of computers or servers, and each authorized user can have simultaneous access to any number of instances of the program at one time. The licensee must obtain separate, dedicated entitlements for each authorized user accessing the program in any way. An entitlement for an authorized user is unique to that user and cannot be shared or reassigned, other than permanently to another person.

Client Device (CLIENTDEVICE)

Charges are based on the number of client devices managed by the software program.

Concurrent User (CONCUSER)

Charges are based on a specified number of seats running concurrently across the scope. A concurrent user is one and only one individual within or outside an enterprise. The licensed capacity is the highest number of users allowed to simultaneously access the program or any program components.

Multiple instances of the product that run concurrently by the same user or different users on the same computer are counted separately.

Note: Concurrent user, concurrent user session, and concurrent nodelock capacity units are different only in the way they count (or ignore) duplicate connections and sessions. Concurrent user means that if the same user has more than one simultaneous connection to the same computer, all these sessions are counted separately. Concurrent user session means that if a user has multiple sessions on the same computer at the same time, the usage is counted as one. Concurrent nodelock counts usage of the software on a computer as one, no matter how many users are connected or who they are.

Concurrent Node Lock (CONNODELOCK)

Charges are based on the maximum number of concurrent-use instances, where multiple uses on the same computer (regardless of how many users) are counted as one use.

Concurrent User Session (CONSESSION)

Charges are based on the maximum number of concurrent-use instances, where multiple uses by the same user on the same computer are counted as one use.

FlexPoint (FLEX)

Determines the cost of IBM products that are purchased as part of FlexPoint bundles.

Floating User (FLOATUSER)

Charges are based on the number of floating users who are accessing the program at any particular point in time.

A floating user is a person who is accessing the program at any particular time. If the person is simultaneously accessing the program multiple times, either on the same or on multiple computers, each separate simultaneous access counts as a separate floating user. The program can be installed on any number of computers or servers. But the licensee must obtain entitlements for the maximum number of simultaneous floating users who are accessing the program in any way.

Installed Instances (INSTINST)

Charges are based on a specified number of installed instances, or seats, across the scope of the license.

Managed Device Oracle Core Based (MNGDEVICE)

Charges are based on the managed device.

Installed Flat (INSTFLAT)

Charges are based on a specified number of software instances, one per machine.

Microsoft Dual Physical Processor (PROCCOREDUALPHY)

Charges are based on the number of active physical processors that are deployed on the host where the software is installed. It covers up to two physical processors.

Microsoft Physical Core with SA (PROCCOREPHY)

Charges are based on the number of physical cores that are deployed on the host where the software is installed.

Microsoft Single Physical Processor (PROCSNPHY)

Charges are based on the number of active physical processors that are deployed on the host where the software is installed. It covers one physical processor.

Managed Virtual Server (MNGVIRSVR)

Charges are based on the virtual server.

Microsoft Virtual Core with SA (VIRCORE)

Charges are based on the number of virtual cores that are available to the Microsoft products that have Software Assurance.

MIPS (MIPS)

Charges are based on MIPS. MIPS, formerly meaning millions of instructions per second, now simply represents a calculated value, published for each computer type and model.

IBM only charges based on MSU values, but ISVs often license and charge against a specific MIPS value from a specific MIPS publisher. The MIPS publisher can vary from vendor to vendor, and possibly from product to product, from the same ISV.

Millions of Service Units (MSUS)

Charges are based on millions of central processing unit (CPU) service units per hour, or MSU, the measure of capacity used to describe the computing power of the hardware processors on which S/390® or System z® software runs.

Processor MSU values are determined by the hardware vendor, IBM, or software compatible vendors (SCVs). IPLA capacity for mainframe software is normally measured in millions of service units (MSU) but licensed in value units (VU).

Not Applicable (NA)

Used for No Charge licenses.

Other (OTHER)

Any other capacity unit which is not available in the current list of capacity units.

Oracle Processor Core (PROCORC)

Charges are based on the number of physical cores that are deployed on the host where the software is installed multiplied by an appropriate processor core factor to determine the licensing cost of Oracle products.

Points (POINTS)

Charges are based on a points metric designated for a given product. Each product is assigned a specific points value, as documented in the license agreement for the product. The total of all the product points (mainframe and distributed) cannot exceed the product's total points entitlement in the license.

Processor Core (PROCCORE)

Charges are based on the number of integrated processor cores on a single chip. Within a processor, a processor core is an independent processing unit that is integrated on one chip (with one or more other cores) and that interprets and executes instructions. A processor core consists of at least an instruction control unit and one or more arithmetic or logic unit. With multicore technology, each processor core is considered a “processor.” For programs eligible for subcapacity licensing, the license capacity must be equal to or exceed the number of all activated processors available for use in each partition (utilizing eligible partitioning technologies) where the program runs, subject to capping rules.

IBM, in particular, counts processor cores (as opposed to processors) as the basic measure of capacity.

Processors (PROCS)

Charges are based on the number of server processors, or independent processing units. Commonly called a CPU, a processor is an independent processing unit on a unique chip within a computing device that interprets and executes instructions. A processor consists of at least an instruction control unit and one or more arithmetic or logic unit. With full-capacity licensing, the license capacity must be equal or exceed the number of all activated processors available for use on the server.

Resource Value Units (RVU)

Charges are based on the number of units of a specific resource.

A resource value unit is a unit of measure by which the program can be licensed. License capacity is based on the number of units of a specific resource used or managed by the program. The licensee must obtain sufficient entitlements for the number of resource value units required for the licensee environment that contains the specific resources.

Value Units (VU)

Charges are based on value units, the quantity of a specific designated measurement used for a given program. Each program has a designated measurement.

The number of value unit entitlements required for a program depends on how the program is deployed in the business environment and must be obtained from an IBM-defined value unit table. This table is called a value unit exhibit.

Each IPLA product is associated with a specific value unit exhibit. The correct value unit exhibit can be found in the IBM announcement letter for that program, available on ibm.com. Program owners price their program following a defined process. The value unit entitlements are specific to a program and cannot be exchanged, interchanged, or aggregated with value unit entitlements of another program.

In IBM pricing documents, value unit is used to mean processor value unit.

Virtual Processor Core (PROCCOREVIR)

Charges are based on the number of virtual cores (vCPUs) that are available to the product.