Getting Started with Installation and Licensing for IBM SPSS Statistics

Introduction

This document is a general overview of the installation and licensing process for IBM® SPSS® Statistics. By reading this document, you will understand the different license types, become familiar with the basic installation and licensing process, and know which installation documents to read for more detailed information.

License types

The are three licensing methods:

Authorized user license: If you are an individual who purchased IBM SPSS Statistics for yourself, you have an authorized user license. An authorized user license has an associated code that authorizes individual installations of the product.
If you are part of an organization, you might have an authorized user license for a specified number of users. The same authorization code is valid until the number of authorizations exceeds the specified number.
Concurrent user license: A concurrent user license is a "floating" license that can be used simultaneously (concurrently) by a specified number of users. Each installation of the product is not authorized. Instead, the product is authorized on a server machine through an application called the license manager. When the product starts up, it communicates with the server machine and checks if a licenses is currently available.
Subscription model: The subscription model provides flexible payment plans (buy monthly or annually). There is a Base plan plus three add-on options for Windows or macOS. The subscription model does not require an authorization code. Subscription licenses and add-ons are managed through MyIBM.

For more information on the differences between the subscription and licensed versions, see "Which IBM SPSS Statistics version is right for you?"

Installation process for authorized user licenses

The basic installation process for authorized user licenses consists of two steps:

Install the product.
Authorize the product.

If there are multiple users who are installing the product, you have the option of "pushing" the installation to the users. Pushing the installation eliminates the need to physically access each computer to install the product on it.

Authorizing the product is actually the last step in the installation process. When you authorize the product, you enter the authorization code that you received from IBM Corp.

For more information

For more detailed information about the installation process, see the installation instructions. In particular, see the following documents.

Authorized User License Installation Instructions.pdf. This document provides information for installing and authorizing the product on individual machines. There are multiple versions of this document for each operating systems, so be sure to read the document that is applicable to your operating system.
Authorized User License Administrator's Guide.pdf. If there are multiple users at your site, refer to this document for information about pushing the installation to users.

Installation process for concurrent user licenses

The basic installation process for concurrent user licenses consists of three steps:

Install the license manager on a server machine.
Authorize the license manager.
Install the product.

Concurrent user licenses are intended for sites with multiple users. The product is authorized once through the license manager, which is installed on a server machine at your site. When end users install the product, they indicate that they have a concurrent license and then specify the server machine on which the license manager is installed.

For more information

For more detailed information about the installation process, see the installation instructions. In particular, see the following documents.

Concurrent License Administrator's Guide.pdf. If you are responsible for the installations in your organization, you must read this document first. It describes how to install and authorize the license manager. It also includes information about pushing the installation to users.
Concurrent License User Installation Instructions.pdf. This document provides information for installing the product on individual machines. There are multiple versions of this document for each operating systems, so be sure to read the document that is applicable to your operating system.

Subscription installation process

The basic installation process for IBM SPSS Statistics Subscription consists of three steps:

Select and purchase an IBM SPSS Statistics Subscription plan from the IBM Marketplace.
Download the product.
Install the product.

For more information: For more detailed information about the installation process, see the installation instructions. In particular, see the Download and installation instructions.