IBM Processor Value Unit (PVU) licensing FAQs

A Processor Value Unit (PVU) is a unit of measure used to differentiate licensing of middleware based on distributed processor technology (defined within the PVU table by Processor Vendor, Brand, Type and Processor Model Number).

IBM continues to define a processor for purposes of PVU-based licensing to be each processor core on a chip. Each software Program has a specific price per PVU. IBM introduced PVUs in 2006 in order to better reflect the relative value a customer can receive when running a workload on any particular processor technology.

Yes, Processor Value Units for the same program are fully transferable among servers within the enterprise. When transferring to a server with processor cores with a different PVU per core requirement, additional or fewer PVU licenses may be required. If additional PVU licenses are required, the customer must acquire additional PVU licenses for deployment to ensure compliance.

The Passport Advantage part number structure of License plus 12 months of Software Subscription & Support (S&S), S&S renewal, S&S Reinstatement, and trade-up licenses (where offered) is consistent across PVU and Passport Advantage program offerings.

The prices of a few Processor Value Unit programs are so low that when using the quantity of 1 they would yield prices of less than one U.S. dollar. These products are also typically acquired in large numbers. Therefore, a 10 Processor Value Unit minimum was created for ease of ordering, billing, and administration.

The required PVU entitlements for the middleware Software license are determined by the multiplication of (A) the PVU per core rating and (B) the total number of processor cores of the server on which the middleware is installed. For example, 2 cores * 70 PVU per core = 140 PVU.

(A) PVU per core rating

IBM's PVU metric is used to differentiate the processor technology on which the middleware is installed. A PVU per processor core rating is assigned to each processor technology, as represented in the IBM PVU table for servers (for desktops, laptops and workstations, please refer to the assigned section in this FAQ).

A processor technology and the corresponding PVU per core rating are characterized by five attributes:

1. Processor Vendor: AMD, HP, Fujitsu, IBM, Intel or Oracle, etc.
2. Processor Brand: Itanium, Opteron, POWER6, Xeon, etc.
3. Processor Type: One-core, Dual-core (two cores per socket), Quad-core, etc.
4. Processor Socket: Maximum sockets possible on server.
5. Processor Model Number: in some cases, such as for Intel Xeon chips, the processor model number is required as shown in the PVU Table.

(B) Total number of processor cores

The total number of processor cores is determined by the multiplication of all the processor chips (or sockets) on the server and the number of processor cores for eachchip (or socket).

For example, a two socket server with Intel Quad-core Xeon processor chips (i.e. four processor cores per chip) has a total of eight cores (two chips times four cores per chip). The PVU requirements for this server are 560 PVU: 70 PVU per core times 8 processor cores.

Yes. IBM always has and continues to define aprocessor to be the processor core. Customers are required to acquire software licenses for all activated processor cores available for use on the server. With Processor Value Unit (PVU) licensing, customers acquire PVU licenses based on the number and type of processor cores.

Often times the term "processor core" is referred to simply as a core.

The PVU table is periodically updated as new processor technologies become available. The date stamp at the bottom of the table indicates the day it was published.

If you already know the processor model, you can refer to the PVU Tables. PVU tables are the official source of PVU per Core requirements for servers.

The Processor Value Unit calculator tool will help you compute the correct number of PVUs after asking you a series of questions.

For laptops, desktops and workstations with AMD or Intel® x86 processors, the PVUper core requirement is 100 PVU per core for all single-core processor technology and 50 PVU per core for all multi-core processor technology (e.g. Core 2 Duo) - except for multi-core Intel®Core™ i3, i5, and i7 processor technologies which are 70 PVU per core.

In today's environment where different processor core technologies can have significantly different workload performance characteristics, it has become important for IBM and other middleware vendors to reflect these performance differences in software licensing. For instance, a customer would need more relatively slower processor cores to run a particular workload than they would using faster processor cores. The price a customer pays should fairly represent the potential value they can receive from those systems, which comes from the amount of possible work the processor can perform.

IBM's Processor Value Unit structure enables relative simplicity in software licensing in response to rapidly evolving hardware technologies. The two primary technology changes which created the impetus for PVU licensing were the widespread adoption of multi-core chip technology (multiple processor cores on a single silicon chip) and the evolution and increasingly widespread adoption of virtualization technologies. IBM's PVU structure provides a foundation for middleware licensing which can adapt to these advances more easily. In addition, PVU licensing provides customers with increased licensing flexibility and granularity, and reduces the impact of software licensing on system design decisions.

As IBM places new processor technologies in the Processor Value Unit structure, the key objective is to continue to deliver software price performance improvements. When assigning PVU per core requirements the relative processor performance is assessed using a number of different industry standard benchmarks. These benchmarks may include both transaction processing (e.g. TPC-C) and processor based (e.g.SPECint and SPECjbb) standard benchmarks. Market conditions and the desire to maintain a relatively simple structure are also factors influencing the assignment of Processor Value Units.

Customers can use the IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT), which is free, to track their IBM program entitlements. Additionally, for a fee customers can substitute IBM BigFix Inventory which includes Tivoli Asset Discovery for Distributed  as a supporting program and offers additional functions.

Use of the IBM License Metric Tool (ILMT) is only required for sub-capacity licensing. For more information, please refer to the Sub-capacity FAQs.

No, you may be able to take advantage of subcapacity licensing if you satisfy the requirements. For more information, please, refer to the Sub-capacity FAQ.

Server scalability provides customers the capability to achieve higher levels of software utilization. Server scalability can be measured by the maximum number of sockets on the server. Consequently, increased software value can be achieved with increased scalability as measured by the maximum number of sockets on the server.

Turbo-core mode is only available on the Power server models. Turbo-core mode allows the server to "switch" from normal operating mode of 8 cores active to 4 cores active. This switch can only occur after an IPL. In Turbo-core mode the 4 cores active achieve higher performance because these active cores can utilize the extra cache made available from the 4 inactive cores.

Note that the inactive cores do not execute any software workload so you do not have to acquire license entitlements for them. Should the customer switch back to normal operating mode, then they will need to have licenses for all 8 cores.

Each core represents a functional unit within a computing device that interprets and executes software instructions. These cores are connected to the chip. The chip is then connected to a socket which mounts the chip to the motherboard. Often the chip and socket terms are used interchangeably.

Server scalability can be measured by the maximum number of sockets on the server. Server scalability with the use of virtualization technology provides customers the capability to achieve higher levels of software workload consolidation and utilization of their software middleware assets. Consequently, increased software value can be achieved with increased scalability as measured by the maximum number of sockets on the server.

If sockets on two or more servers are connected to form a Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) Server, the maximum number of sockets per server increases (For more information on SMP, please consult Symmetric multiprocessing.

For example, when sockets on a 2 socket server with 6 cores per socket are connected to sockets on another 2 socket server with 6 cores per socket, this becomes an SMP server with a maximum of 4 sockets per server and 24 cores, and requires 2400 PVUs (100 per core x 24 cores).

Yes. As in all previous announcements, IBM still defines a processor to be the processor core. Customers are required to acquire software licenses for all activated processor cores available for use on the server. With Processor Value Unit (PVU) licensing, customers are required to acquire PVU licenses based on the number and type of processor cores.

The server model is associated with the entire hardware box containing at minimal a socket/chip with processor core(s), memory, bus, and power supply; while the processor model is subset component of the box that is composed of socket/chip with processor core(s).