IBM has tightened the rules of compliance
Changes are afoot at IBM. They recently published an update to the Passport Advantage agreement that takes effect May 1, 2023, and this impacts the way you’ll report back to IBM on your consumption. As you know, licensing can be a bit complex and you may even ask, “What is IBM Passport Advantage?” It’s a program that allows organizations to purchase and manage IBM software licenses, “including Fixed Term Licenses and Software Subscription and Support product upgrades and technical support under a single, common set of agreements, processes and tools.”
This program update now requires organizations to measure their consumption of IBM licenses directly and provide an annual report to IBM within 30 days of request. These changes will apply to all programs covered by the agreement, including those under the International Program License Agreement (IPLA) and Passport Advantage Express.
This change is a significant adjustment of the rules from IBM as previously, organizations only had to provide sufficient records and outputs to prove compliance.
Increased exposure requires action
These changes that result in a significant increase in compliance exposure for IBM users mean that organizations must have processes and technologies in place to continuously discover their entire IBM estate. The ultimate goal is to have a full and accurate understanding of your current license entitlements to avoid a costly audit.
The problem, however, is that this is a complicated task. It can be difficult to track IBM software and metrics, especially when it comes to PVU IBM which considers many metrics that are difficult to measure.
It’s important to have the right technology that can measure even the most complicated aspects of your IBM estate to avoid audits and remain compliant. Flexera One is more than able to handle these needs.
Flexera One works with IBM to handle licensing changes
Flexera One ITAM provides reliable reporting methods for all IBM software and metrics, ensuring that organizations can accurately measure and report their license consumption to IBM. As part of Flexera’s partnership with IBM, Flexera One ITAM has full and exclusive access to IBM’s product catalog of more than 5,000 products. We leverage the IBM catalog for the purpose of enriching our own libraries, ensuring 100 percent accuracy when inventorying and recognizing IBM products through Flexera One. What’s more, Flexera One is an IBM-certified alternative to IBM’s License Metric Tool (ILMT).
IT Asset Management
It all starts with knowing what’s in your IT ecosystem. Flexera One discovers even the most elusive assets whether on-prem, SaaS, cloud, containers and more.
IBM software clients can now use Flexera One with IBM Observability or Flexera One ITAM as a certified option to manage their software licenses from IBM as well as other vendors.
With the complexity of IBM licensing and May 1 rapidly approaching, it’s important not to underestimate the impact these IBM Passport Advantage updates will have on your organization. Luckily, you can rely on Flexera to support you and tackle any challenges ahead with your IBM licensing. Click below to learn more about Flexera One’s capabilities in handling everything IBM.
