Before you request license keys

Learn about IBM® Common Licensing (powered by FlexNet software) supported configurations. Learn how to plan the licensing configuration for your environment.

IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) or IBM Rational® uses the software-based license management tool FlexNet, from Flexera Software, to build a customized Licensing model.

This topic contains the following sections:

Using your Proof of Entitlement certificate

When you purchase IBMsoftware products, you receive a Proof of Entitlement (PoE) certificate that confirms the eligible products and level of use that you are authorized for. The PoE includes important order information such as your IBM customer number, IBM site number, and IBM order number. IBM emails the PoE by default to the Primary Site Contact on the order. The email is sent from Passport_Advantage@ibm.com. The subject is either IBM Passport Advantage® Proof of Entitlement or IBM Passport Advantage Express Proof of Entitlement.

The information, especially the account number, on this certificate verifies that your company purchased licenses to use IBM ELM or IBM Rational products.
  • To obtain your Authorized User, Authorized User Fixed Term License (FTL), or floating license keys, supply information from your PoE certificate to the IBM License Key Center. See Obtaining license keys with IBM License Key Center.
  • If you purchased an IBM ELM or IBM Rational XDE product, the single-string desktop key on the PoE is your permanent license. Do not order a permanent license key from IBM License Key Center. Optionally, you can enable floating license enforcement for ELM or IBM Rational XDE.
  • To evaluate most Rational products, get a temporary key from a marketing representative.
  • To evaluate an ELM or IBM Rational product based on the Eclipse framework, download the product. Depending on the product, you have 30 - 60 days to evaluate the product. After evaluation, either purchase a permanent activation kit or implement IBM Common Licensing.
  • If you cannot access the IBM License Key Center or there is a delay in receiving your permanent keys, in License Key Administrator, enter the temporary license key from your PoE.

Defining users in IBM Common Licensing

IBM Common Licensing checks out licenses on behalf of a user.

Here are the definitions of license users:
  • On Windows, the user is the Windows operating system login ID.
  • On UNIX, a user is the account name of the person that runs the UNIX shell.
  • On web products, the user is the product login ID.
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