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Abstract
This document explains the Requests Requiring Approval experience in IBM Technology Zone, including how to identify environments that require approval, what to expect when submitting a request, typical lead times, and how approval decisions are communicated. It also outlines next steps after approval or denial and provides guidance on escalations and provisioning.
Content
Overview
Some IBM Technology Zone environments require approval before provisioning. An approval‑based request is a request for an environment that must complete an approval workflow prior to deployment, typically due to infrastructure constraints, premium capabilities, limited capacity, or specific intended use cases. This process ensures shared resources are allocated appropriately and aligned to their intended purpose.
This guide helps you understand:
- Which environments require approval and why
- How to identify approval requirements in the UI
- What happens after you submit a request
- How approvals, denials, and escalations are handled
Who This Applies To
Requests requiring approval apply to IBM Technology Zone users who have access to approval‑based environments, including:
- IBM Go‑to‑Market teams: Technical Sales, Client Engineering, Customer Success, Expert Labs, and Technology Enablement
- IBM Business Partners registered through Partner Plus
- IBM Champions currently have access only to environments that do not require an approval workflow, in accordance with IBM Champions program policies.
Approval-Based Request Workflow
Environments and Programs That Require Approval
Some environments and programs in IBM Technology Zone require an approval workflow before provisioning. These approval requirements are defined by the owning group, environment type, and intended use, and help ensure appropriate use of shared, premium, or capacity‑constrained resources.
This section outlines the common environment types and programs that require approval, the criteria that trigger approval, and typical review considerations, including lead‑time expectations.
Workshop‑Based Environments (Workshop Manager–enabled requests)
Why approval is required:
- Requires capacity coordination across multiple environments
- Supports group or event‑based engagements
- Often tied to customer or enablement timelines
What to expect:
- Minimum 5 business days lead time is typically required
- Requests submitted with shorter lead times cannot be processed
- Approval confirms availability and alignment to workshop requirements
→ Refer to the Reservation Duration & Workshop Policies documentation for detailed timing and duration guidance.
Team‑Owned and Program‑Specific Environments (Showcases, TZaaS, and similar programs)
Why approval is required:
- Environment access is intentionally limited to specific teams or programs
- Uses dedicated or reserved infrastructure
- Supports strategic go‑to‑market, market‑specific, or showcase initiatives
Examples include:
What to expect:
- Approval criteria and lead times vary by owning team
- Standards are defined and managed by the program owner
- Questions about duration, timing, or approval should be directed to the collection or content owner
Approval may be required when an environment:
- Uses high‑cost, premium, or scarce infrastructure, such as GPUs or cloud enterprise plans
- Requires manual setup or coordination
- Supports customer‑facing engagements where capacity must be prioritized
- Helps enforce governance and intended‑use expectations for shared environments
- Supports capacity planning across limited or in‑demand resources
Examples include:
- IBM Technology Zone team‑owned Certified Base Images (when approval is required)
- IBM Cloud account requests
- Microsoft Azure account requests
- Amazon account requests
- GPU‑enabled environments
- Other premium or enterprise infrastructure offerings
What to expect
- Requests require manual approval review
- Typical review time is up to 5 business days, depending on the environment
- A valid IBM Sales Cloud opportunity code is typically required or Gainsight Relationship ID
- An opportunity size greater than $250,000 is required as part of the approval criteria
- Once approved, requests proceed through the standard provisioning process
- Early submission is strongly recommended to ensure availability and avoid delays
How to Use This Section
If the environment you are requesting fits one of the categories above:
- Plan for additional review time before provisioning begins
- Review environment details and request guidance carefully before submitting
- Expect your request to enter a Pending approval state from the My requests page
If you are unsure which category applies, check the environment details or contact the owning team or TechZone support for clarification.
How to Identify Environments That Require Approval
Approval Indicators in the UI
Environments that require approval include a clear approval indicator in the Technology Zone front‑end experience. When browsing environments, look for:
An approval‑required indicator on the asset card; messaging that approval is required before provisioning
- Legacy request form banner: A visible alert at the top of the form indicates when approval is required and identifies the reviewing group (for example, “This reservation requires approval from <team name/group name>”).
These indicators are designed to set expectations before you begin the request process.
Submitting a Request Requiring Approval
When you submit a request for an approval‑based environment:
- Complete the request form with the required details
- Submit the request as usual
After submission:
- The request moves into a Pending Approval status
The request appears in My Requests with its current status
- The designated approver is automatically notified that a request is awaiting review
Note: No provisioning begins until approval is granted.
Viewing Approval Status and Approver Information
My Requests Page for Status Tracking
From the My Requests page, you can:
- View the current status of your request (Pending approval, Approved, or Denied)
- Track updates as the request moves through the approval process
To see additional details for a request that requires approval, select Open this reservation on the request card.
Request Details and Approver Information
Within the request details view:
- The approval group or team name associated with the request is displayed
- Selecting the group or team name opens the approver details
- The email addresses of the approvers for that request are shown, allowing you to identify who is responsible for review
This information is available only for environments that use an approval workflow and where approver details are exposed.
If approver information is not visible for a specific request, or if additional clarification is needed, contact TechZone Support for assistance.
| Legacy Reservation Details Page | New Request Details Page (26.1 Major Relase) |
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Approval Outcomes and Escalations
If Approved
- The request moves out of Pending Approval
- Standard provisioning begins automatically
- You’ll see status updates as the environment is created and becomes available
If Denied
- The request status is updated accordingly
- In some cases, guidance or feedback may be provided explaining why the request could not be approved
Escalations and Additional Guidance
If your request is denied or requires further discussion:
- Review the environment requirements and intended use
- Ensure all necessary information was provided accurately
- Resubmit a request if you have additional information or the required information that was once missing
Escalation paths depend on the environment type and approval criteria.
Standard Provisioning After Approval
Once approved, the request follows the standard TechZone provisioning process, including:
- Environment deployment
- Access configuration
- Availability through your request details
Provisioning timelines vary depending on environment size, infrastructure, and configuration.
Approval Workflow FAQ
What is the approval workflow in Technology Zone?
The approval workflow allows the IBM Technology Zone team or content owners to require review and approval before an environment is provisioned. This helps ensure environments are used appropriately based on capacity, cost, and intended purpose.
How can I tell if an environment requires approval?
You can identify approval‑based environments in several ways:
- An approval indicator appears on the environment tile description
- On the request form, a banner indicates approval is required
- After submission, the request moves to a Pending approval status, which is visible on the My Reservations page and indicates the request is awaiting review
How long does approval review take?
Approval reviews for the IBM Technology Zone team are typically completed within 3–5 business days. As additional teams adopt the approval workflow, review timelines and criteria may vary based on the owning team and environment. Contact the collection owner or content owner for more information on their specific review timelines to ensure proper planning.
What emails will I receive during the approval process?
You will receive:
- A submission confirmation email indicating your request is in Pending approval status
- An approval or denial email once a decision is made
- If denied, the email will include a reason and additional comments provided by the approving team
- Once approved, standard request provisioning lifecycle emails will be sent.
How do I see who is reviewing my request?
From the My Requests page:
- Select Open this reservation on a request with Pending approval status
- In the request details, locate the Approval team field
- Select the linked team or group name to view the approver email addresses
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Document Information
Modified date:
30 March 2026
UID
ibm17268089