IBM Technology Zone Reservation Duration Policies

Duration Policies

Key Concepts and Definitions (Referenced in the Chart Below - Policies prior to July 23rd, 2026)

• Use Case
  The purpose selected on the request form (for example: self‑education, demo, pilot, or test). This determines which policies apply. Notice Client‑facing requests (Demos and Pilots) typically have extended duration policies to provide more time to better support customer engagements.
• Default Request Days
  The pre‑selected reservation duration shown on the reservation form.
• Extension Days
  The number of days added when using the self‑service extension option.
• Max Extensions
  The total number of extensions allowed for a reservation.
• Max Days
  The maximum total time an environment can be reserved if all extensions are used.

Policies prior to July 23rd, 2026	Policies as of July 23rd, 2026

 

Detailed July 23rd, 2026 Duration Policy View

 

 

Infrastructure Specific Policies

Infrastructure Duration Policy Standardization (Effective July 23, 2026)

To improve operational efficiency, optimize resource utilization, and ensure capacity remains available for active customer engagements, Technology Zone is standardizing environment duration policies across supported infrastructures effective July 23, 2026. These changes apply broadly across the platform; however, individual offerings may have specific requirements or exceptions.

Standardized Duration Policies

• Demo: Up to 16 days with up to 3 approved extensions available.
• Pilot: Up to 28 days with up to 3 approved extensions available.
• Education: Self-education activities have been suspended.
• Learning: New purpose supporting Level 3 and Level 4 training, certifications, and related YourLearning activities hosted on TechZone.
• Test: Up to 1 day.

VMware Education and Test Requests Limited to Sales Activities (Effective April 23, 2026)
VMware Education & Test Policy Exceptions (Effective April 23)
Education and Test reservations for VMware workloads are generally no longer supported on TechZone. The following approved exceptions remain available:
Approved Exceptions

1. L3/L4 Enablement Content Approved enablement environments identified during the TechZone and Enablement team review remain eligible.
   If you believe qualifying content was missed, open a TechZone support case and include:
   Environment or collection URL
   Brief description of the enablement use case and audience
   Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
2. TechZone as a Service (TZaaS) VMware environments delivered through TZaaS continue to support Education and Test usage. TZaaS is governed by Expert Labs policies and does not require an additional exception request.
3. Approved VMware Migration Exceptions Content approved through the VMware exceptions process as part of the v2 migration path may continue supporting Education and Test access until its approved exception end date. These exceptions are tied to an approved migration plan.
   Support
   If you are unable to request Education or Test access for an environment that qualifies under one of the approved exceptions, please open a TechZone support case for review and troubleshooting.

Bob Test Request Limited to Sales Activities (Effective April 23, 2026)
At this time, Test requests are not supported for this environment. Request setup currently requires manual configuration, which makes it impractical to offer Test as a selectable option.The TechZone team is actively working with the IBM Bob product team to automate the provisioning and configuration process associated with requests. Once automation is in place, Test request support may be reconsidered in the future. For now, users should plan to use the supported request purposes outlined in this policy (Demo, Pilot, and Education).

Azure, AWS, VMware, and Select watsonx Test Purpose Limited to Sales Activities (Effective July 23, 2026)
The following offerings are reserved for client-facing activities and are not eligible for Test purpose requests: VMware, AWS, Azure, watsonx Orchestrate, watsonx.data SaaS, OpenPages, watsonx Data, Integration Bundle (No UDI), and Discovery Bundle. These offerings may only be requested for approved demonstration, proof of concept, pilot, or other client-facing engagements and are not available for testing or evaluation activities. Please refer to the policy table for offering-specific requirements and exceptions.
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69fc8b4940c49f77fbbc67b7
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caeeed05954196b4ae266c
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caeeed05954196b4ae266c
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caee694b629d96da28b7b7
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caed5305954196b4ae2646
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caed9405954196b4ae264a
https://techzone.ibm.com/collection/69c6bb3c694109c9b9a8abac?platform=69caee5c05954196b4ae265d
https://techzone.ibm.com/my/reservations/create/69cb116cb8112b986201adce
https://techzone.ibm.com/my/reservations/create/69cb119239654f94bb070843
https://techzone.ibm.com/my/reservations/create/69e7d7491259750439132126

Where to Find Duration Policies in Technology Zone

You can find reservation duration policies in the following places:

• Legacy Reservation From Experience
  Duration policies are displayed on every Legacy TechZone environment reservation form, directly below the end date field. The helper text beneath the date picker outlines the default recommended reservation length, the amount of time allowed per extension, and the total number of extensions available. If all extensions are used, the helper text also indicates the maximum total duration for which the environment can be reserved.

• New Request Form Experience (Introduced 26.1 Major Release, April 1st 2026)
  Duration policies are displayed directly on the request form during Step 4: Scheduling. Guidance appears above the Start Date field and clearly outlines. This information helps you understand reservation limits and plan your request accordingly before submitting.
  • The default reservation length, shown as “You can request up to:”
  • The number of extensions allowed and their length, shown as “After it’s deployed: You can extend it X time(s) for up to X days”
  • The maximum total time the environment can be reserved if all extensions are used, shown in the “Total time you could have it:” section

 

• AskTZ
  AskTZ can provide details on duration policies and help validate reservation limits for specific environments or use cases. You can also use AskTZ to request extensions or ask general questions. Additionally, you can learn what AskTZ is, where to find it, who has access, and which features you can leverage to request and manage your reservations in TechZone. It’s not just for basic L1 support—AskTZ can do much more and is here to help.

 

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Quota Policies

Reservation quota policies define predefined limits that apply to users making requests in IBM Technology Zone. These policies are designed to ensure fair and appropriate allocation of shared resources and to prevent over-utilization.

Quota policies typically limit the number of simultaneous active requests a user may hold at any given time depending on purpose. The information below outlines the current reservation quota policies in effect and explains how the reservation experience will notify you if a request exceeds an allowed quota.

 

Current Quota Policies

• Demo: Maximum of thirty active requests per user
• Pilot: Maximum of thirty active requests per user
• Self‑Education: Maximum of one active requests per user
• Test: Maximum of three active requests per user
• Content Contributor Quota Policy: Users assigned the Content Contributor role—requested through AccessHub—are granted an increased usage quota of 20 test requests per day. This elevated limit is intended to support contributors in effectively testing their platforms and use cases, whether they are developing new content or maintaining existing content on the site.
• GPU Resources:
  • One GPU request per user
  • Client‑facing purpose use only (Demo, Pilot)
  • Manually reviewed and approved (goes through approval workflow)
  • Recommended submission at least two weeks in advance

 

Where to Find Quota Violation Policies in Technology Zone

If a reservation violates a quota policy:

• A notification appears on the request form

• The violated policy and related request IDs are displayed

  

Important Notes

• Failed requests do not count toward request quota
• Advance scheduling is blocked if quota limits are reached
• There are no exceptions to quota policies at this time
• A net new education request can NOT be scheduled in advance if you have two existing education requests. You can delete one or wait for one to expire before making your next education request.

 

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Workshop Manager Policies

Workshop‑based reservations follow additional guidelines to ensure proper planning and resource availability.

 

 

Submission Requirements

• Requests must be submitted at least 5 business days before the workshop start date.
• Submitting requests earlier than the minimum lead time is strongly encouraged.
• Capacity is not guaranteed until the request has been reviewed and approved.

 

Best Practices

• Request preferred dates as early as possible to secure capacity.
• Do not advertise, commit, or finalize workshop details until approval is granted.

 

Workshop Purpose Types

External Workshop

An External Workshop is a workshop conducted in direct support of an active or planned engagement with an IBM customer or prospect. These workshops are customer‑facing and tied to specific sales, technical validation, or solution enablement activities.

Requirements:

• The workshop must be associated with a valid customer engagement.
• A valid IBM Sales Cloud opportunity code is required at the time of request to validate the engagement and business purpose.

Internal Workshop

An Internal Workshop is a workshop conducted solely for IBM internal purposes, such as education, enablement, or go‑to‑market activities. These workshops are not customer‑facing and are intended to support IBM teams.

Requirements:

• The workshop must support internal IBM enablement or go‑to‑market initiatives.
• The IBM group or team name requesting the workshop must be provided to clearly identify ownership and purpose.

 

Exception Requests

An exception request is required if a workshop:

• Exceeds 5 working days in duration
• Requires more than 30 environments
• Has less than 5 business days of lead time

Exception Request Process

To request an exception:

1. Schedule the workshop with the requested duration and total number of environments.
2. Open a TechZone support case with the following details:
   • Subject: Workshop Manager extension exception request
   • Workshop name and URL
   • Workshop type: external or internal
     • External workshops must include a valid IBM Sales Cloud opportunity code
     • Internal workshops must include the associated IBM team or group name
   • Business justification explaining the need for the exception

 

Policy Changes After Request Creation

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are these policy changes being made?
To support IBM's focus on operational efficiency and cost optimization, Technology Zone is standardizing environment duration policies effective July 23, 2026. These changes are designed to improve resource utilization, reduce infrastructure costs, and ensure platform capacity remains available for high-value customer engagements, demonstrations, pilots, and authorized training activities.

When do the new duration policy changes take effect?
Latest changes are effective July 23, 2026.

What are the standard durations for Demo environments?

• Up to 16 days
• Up to 3 extensions
• Requires a valid opportunity code
• Extensions require approval through the TechZone Support process with appropriate business justification

What are the standard durations for Pilot environments?

• Up to 28 days
• Up to 3 extensions
• Requires a valid opportunity code
• Extensions require approval through the TechZone Support process with appropriate business justification

What are the standard durations for Test environments?
For eligible infrastructures:

• Up to 12 hours
• No extensions

What is changing for Education environments duration policy?
Self-education activities have been suspended and are no longer supported through the Education purpose on IBM Technology Zone effective July 23, 2026.

What is the Learning purpose and it's duration?
The Learning purpose is reserved for approved training hosted on TechZone:

• Level 3 and Level 4 training
• Certification activities
• YourLearning courses

Learning environments are available for up to 7 days.

Can I use Learning for self-paced product exploration or general education?
No. Learning environments are reserved exclusively for approved training and certification activities associated with YourLearning content hosted on TechZone effective July 23, 2026.

Are opportunity codes required to request an environment?
Demo and Pilot purpose requests require a valid opportunity code.

Can environment durations be extended?
Demo and Pilot environments are eligible for extensions through the TechZone Support process when supported by a valid business justification.

Which offerings and infrastructure are not eligible for Test purpose requests?
The following offerings are restricted to client-facing sales activities and are not available under the Test purpose:

• VMware
• AWS
• Azure
• watsonx Orchestrate
• watsonx.data SaaS
• OpenPages
• watsonx Data
• Integration Bundle (No UDI)
• Discovery Bundle

Why are some offerings restricted from Test purpose requests?
Some watsonx offerings carry higher infrastructure, licensing, or operational costs and are reserved for customer-facing demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, and pilot engagements that directly support business outcomes.

Can VMware environments be requested for Test purposes?
No. VMware environments are limited to approved sales and client-facing activities.

Can AWS and Azure environments be requested for Test purposes?
No. AWS and Azure environments are reserved for client-facing sales activities and are not available for Test requests.

Are Systems, OpenShift Virtualization, IBM Cloud, and other watsonx offerings eligible for Test purpose requests?
Yes. IBM Cloud, Systems, OpenShift Virtualization, and eligible watsonx offerings may be requested for up to 12 hours under the Test purpose, unless otherwise restricted.

Are there exceptions to these policies?
Policy exceptions are limited and generally reserved for client-facing business activities. Demo and Pilot environments may be extended through the TechZone Support process with approved business justification. Refer to the duration policy table for specific duration policies and restrictions.

Who should I contact with questions or extension requests?
For extension requests, start with AskTZ, which can help you use any remaining eligible extensions and provides a one-time emergency extension of up to 3 days when needed. If additional time is required beyond available extensions, submit a request through TechZone Support with appropriate business justification for review and approval.

Support

For any inquiries, questions, or support, please reach out to our team by creating a support case.